Galactic Fist of Legend

by Scottie Futch

  Nine second left. He used what strength he had to crawl forward. His breath came in ragged gasps. His vision began to cloud over, but he pressed on.

  The zombies howled, they screamed as the light from the door kept them at bay. In his nigh-delirious state he would later swear that he heard one of them cry out for brains despite the fact that none of the zombies seen so far could speak.

  His head made it through the door at the five second mark. At the two second mark he slumped his way forward and managed to get his knees through. By the one second mark, he had all but his feet inside.

  Another scream born of agonizing pain erupted from his throat as the door disappeared and took his feet with it. Burning hot tears poured from his eyes as he beat his bloody fist against the floor of his cell. He had made it. He had left parts of him behind, but dammit, he made it.

  Scott left a bloody trail behind him as he crawled toward his status screen. It seemed like it took forever, but despite the fever that had begun to rage throughout his body, and the heavy blood loss, he crossed the short distance.

  "Res-Restoration," he cried while reached for his status menu. He did not have the strength to stand. His last hope remaining was that it would work anyway.

  His relief knew no bounds for a moment as he saw the restoration window open. He then felt like screaming once more when he saw the cost. He curled his good hand into a fist and beat it against the floor. In order to restore his body, he would need to spend eighty-seven EXP. The system had not told him how much he'd earned, but he doubted that it was that much.

  Even so, he was desperate. He shakily raised his hand and touched the button to accept the healing power. He expected to hear a buzzer go off, followed by a snide laugh. It did not. Instead, the light of healing flared outward and engulfed him.

  A gentle warmth washed through his body. He could literally feel the infection being cleansed from within. Soon, he felt renewed strength and vigor. He blinked twice then sat up and watched a miracle transpire. He witnessed the regrowth of his feet. A Jell-O-like substance wriggled outward from shorn segments of his legs at first. Then a rapid regrowth of bone and tissue began in earnest. He felt an itch like before, and a slight burning sensation where his feet were being reformed. It was a pleasant feeling. It made him feel as though everything would be alright.

  After his various body parts grew back, he noticed that the light surrounded his clothes as well. The various tears and nicks were repaired. Soon they looked as good as new. The restoration even restored his items!

  A beeping noise caught his attention a moment later. He looked over to see that he had a system message waiting. He clicked on it with a sigh.

  [Mission Score]

  You have successfully completed your side-mission! Congratulations!

  [You work too hard. Relax a little!]

  Grade: B

  Base Reward: 3.4

  Total: 6.8 EXP

  Special Bonus:

  Acquired Zombie Bloodline Information: Due to your diligent efforts as an undead snack treat, you contracted the dreaded [Zombie Virus]. You may now choose to become a zombie if you wish.

  [Go ahead. You know you want to do it. So, just do it. Do it. Do it!]

  Bloodline Acquisition Bonus: 100 EXP

  Treasure Unlocked: Black Hawk Heavy Pistol [LV.1]

  Total: 106.8 EXP

  [—]

  He stared at the screen for a moment as the reality of the situation took root inside his head. He checked his status and saw that there were 19.8 experience points remaining. The fact that he unlocked the zombie bloodline was what saved him. He nearly lost his life for a little under seven EXP.

  "Zombie bloodline?" he asked aloud. He did not really want an answer, but the information popped up in front of him anyway.

  [Zombie Bloodline]

  You are a rotting corpse, a bearer of stench and disease. Due to your undead nature you will have the following advantages and disadvantages.

  Advantages

  - You will not age.

  - You are immune to poison.

  - You are immune to disease.

  - You cannot be compelled to feel fear from any non-divine source.

  - You can evolve over time through [zombie viral evolution].

  - You will be able to increase strength and resilience at half the cost of a standard human being.

  Disadvantages

  - You are infertile and incapable of sexual desire.

  - Your concentration will be permanently reset to 0.10 and can only be increased through zombie viral evolution.

  - Your dexterity will be permanently reset to 0.40 and can only be increased through zombie viral evolution.

  - You must consume the flesh of the living, or you will lose motor function.

  - You are not able to speak.

  - You will infect any living thing that you attack successfully. They will either die, or become a member of the undead horde.

  - You will be under the permanent status afflictions [Mindless] and [Extreme Hunger].

  - You cannot wield weapons.

  - You will need to relearn simple motor skills such as climbing a ladder.

  - You cannot swim.

  - Your flesh will slowly rot.

  - You will be unable to heal from injuries.

  - You are weak against fire.

  Bloodline Acceptance Contract

  Would you like to become a zombie?

  [Yes | No]

  [—]

  Scott clicked no without hesitation. There was no way that he would want that. He would end up like one of those mindless shuffling assholes back there. Even if some of those advantages would be nice, the disadvantages were terrible. He would also just wander off and die in a day or two since he still needed to buy his continued existence with EXP. Acceptance of that bloodline would be suicide.

  After dealing with that disturbing bit of news he turned his attention to the one other thing of interest about his successful mission. He had unlocked a treasure. Scott reached into his jacket and pulled out the black pistol that he found there. He was allowed to keep it for some reason.

  He stared at it for a moment. He wanted to see what was so special about it compared to the other stuff that he brought back. Not long after he began to fiddle with it, a window appeared that shed some light on the situation.

  [Combat Item]

  Black Hawk Combat Pistol

  Level: 1/4

  EXP: 0/4

  Damage: 47

  Durability: 34/34

  Type: Semi-Automatic Pistol

  Accuracy: Moderate

  Recoil: Average

  Ammunition: 9 MM

  Capacity: 12

  [—]

  "Wait, combat items can be upgraded..." Scott looked at the combat item section once more. Suddenly, the expensive prices made a great deal more sense. If he could spend a few additional EXP to make them stronger they would definitely be worth the purchase!

  Scott checked his new weapon once more to see if he could learn more about it. From everything that he could discover, it seemed like upgrading his new pistol would only require him to pick the section to upgrade then pay the upgrade cost.

  He checked damage and saw that it would cost him five EXP to increase it by ten percent. The ten percent rule was in effect for durability as well, but it would only cost three points. Accuracy was a flat four point cost to increase it from moderate to moderately-high. Recoil could be lowered from average to low for three points.

  Ammunition provided him the first interesting change. He could change the weapon to use a different type of ammunition, even depleted uranium, or plasma rounds. The cost for those changes ranged from one point for .38 caliber to eighteen points for plasma rounds.

  It was not until he checked the capacity section that his eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. For a mere four points he could go from an ammunition capacity of twelve rounds to [Unlimited Ammo Type I].

  [Unlimited Ammunition Type I]
<
br />   Never run out of ammunition again! This upgrade will allow you to undergo the process of reloading a weapon without the pesky detail of acquiring more ammunition. Merely switch the safety on once you run completely out of ammo and wait [3 seconds] for it to reload automatically. Switch the safety off and fire.

  [—]

  "Ok, so that is happening." Scott did not hesitate even a moment after he read that description. He spent four EXP to acquire unlimited ammo for his new item. A new upgrade, the type two version of the unlimited ammunition upgrade appeared in the list. That version did away with reloading altogether. It would require twenty EXP, however. It was something to consider for next time. Upgrading his status would help a little. Upgrading this weapon would help a whole lot more as long as he used it wisely.

  "No wonder ammunition was so expensive. Who would bother buying it when they could have unlimited ammo?" he asked the empty room curiously. It was like the system administrators actually wanted people to use guns without worrying about a bullet count.

  After he accepted the upgrade new information arrived. The weapon gained a level. That provided no further bonus. It merely meant that it was closer to its maximum upgrade potential from EXP upgrades. The weapon could be upgraded until it reached level four. EXP doubled for each level when upgrading an item. That meant that if he spent twenty-four more EXP on his new pistol it would be maxed out. He would have to think carefully about how to upgrade it in the future. It was his best hope for survival at the moment.

  Chapter 4: Get Some, Big Sexy

  The slow steady rhythm of his breathing was the only sound that could be heard in the room for a time. Scott, though perfectly healthy and completely rested due to the restoration process, was exhausted on an emotional level. He had gone through multiple near-death experiences in a short period of time. The last one proved to be truly terrifying.

  The memories of the horde trying to knock him from the top of the trailer did not prevent him from understanding that he needed to keep going, however. It would be easy to give in to the fear that began to blossom in his heart. However, he knew that sitting on ass his would only get him killed. He could live, or die by fighting, or just die sitting on his butt. Only one of those options allowed him a chance to continue on.

  He had not reached a point where he saw no hope in the things that he did. Each step into zombie hell could be his last, but he was still alive to take those steps. What he needed now was to avoid giving into despair. He needed time to simply feel what he felt, and then move past it.

  Time passed too quickly. The clock struck zero hundred hours. The siren from before blared once more. Yet, the door did not open.

  Scott hopped up and moved over to it in order to see what was going on. As he approached, a screen appeared.

  [System Notice]

  You have survived your first day and reached the first milestone. From this point forward a daily mission will become available at [0:01] each day. You will have until the clock reaches [23:59] to accept and undertake the mission. You will not be able to take any mission other than the daily mission until it is complete. If the daily mission is not completed before time expires, the door will remain closed for seven days.

  Milestone Rewards

  - +10 EXP

  - New Side-Mission Types Available

  [—]

  He cleared the message screen then looked to see what his new daily mission would entail. He groaned loudly when he saw it.

  [Mission Briefing]

  Exterminate! Exterminate! You have been tasked with killing all of the zombies at Dawson High School.

  [Go Wildcats! Yeah!]

  This mission will occur in a sealed environment. You must kill every zombie on site. Time will be synchronized to the time in your personal chamber. You will be unable to leave the area until all enemies have been slain. The enemies will not be able to wander off, either.

  Difficulty: G-2

  World: Dead Men Walking

  World Type: Survival Horror

  Force Response Authorization: Solo Mission

  Primary Goal: Total Extermination

  Enemies Remaining: [147/147]

  Reward: 50 EXP

  [—]

  "Well, shit," muttered Scott. He had one day to kill every zombie at the local high school. While he did have a weapon with unlimited ammo, the tight hallways of a school could still prove to be quite deadly.

  He opted not to spend his EXP before the mission. While he could have upgraded his pistol further, or his status, neither would have helped that much. No, he needed to think long term. A true unlimited ammo pistol might have helped, but it would have taken most of his EXP and would leave only enough room for one more minor upgrade before his new weapon reached max level. That would help short term, but what if he came up a few points short after the mission, or needed major restoration? No, better to deal with the daily mission first. He could try to make up for it with side missions if he came up short.

  Scott would have liked to rest for a while longer, but the mission came first. He accepted the mission and the door opened. Beyond the semi-transparent field of energy he saw what looked to be a parking lot, a well-populated parking lot.

  "Time to make the doughnuts," he said, a slight smile on his lips. He gripped his pistol tight then stepped out into the adventure awaiting him. The decision was made. He chose to think of himself as dead already, but he had a chance to live again if he could make it through the challenge set before him.

  He spotted at least a dozen of the walking corpses nearby. There were none behind him, but he still had to go back to check on something. There was an open gate that led out to the street beyond. Scott went toward that gate. Nothing happened until he got to the gate itself. The moment he tried to cross, his foot smacked against an invisible wall. A cheerful voice spoke inside his mind. "You can't go that way."

  "Well, that settles that, I guess," he muttered.

  A quick turnaround was in order. The zombies spotted him not long after his arrival. Scott brought up his pistol then aimed for the closest one. He'd suffered because of this game, and because of these things.

  Yes, he freely accepted the invitation to become a champion. That did not change his feelings. It was time to see if he could get a little payback. A shot rang out. The closest zombie, a husky teenager wearing a heavy metal themed t-shirt staggered back briefly, but remained upright.

  Scott frowned. He fired again. He clearly saw the shot slam against the zombie's head. Well, no. He realized that it glanced off the side. He fired two more times before the husky metal-head fell back. A bright green number [0.3] floated upward. His eyes widened. The damned shots needed to hit dead center, and it might take more than one hit to kill the things. "How the hell can they have a skull that strong?"

  There was no time to waste on speculation. He fired a few more times then ran empty. "Hope this still works," he muttered, before switching the safety on.

  He ran to the side in search of a better vantage point to work from. The best spot that he could find was the top of a school bus. "Shit. I hope these rotten bastards can't turn it over."

  Scott turned the safety off and fired at one of the shambling corpses to see if his weapon did actually reload. He was relieved to hear the loud report of his beloved firearm. He'd tested it back in his dark little prison-home, but that was there. This was here.

  After he clambered up onto the top of the school bus, he started to fire at the zombies as they came for him. Even with their slow and steady movements he was forced to expend several rounds to take down a single walking corpse. Sometimes the skull would crack due to a shot that skidded off the side of the thing's head but the creature would keep coming.

  His weapon was emptied and reloaded several times, before the mini-horde reached his position. He downed seven of the rotting beasts, but there were at least twenty more to go.

  It was easier to hit them now, however. They were so close that a proper kill shot to the head could b
e made within four shots now, most of the time. Each time one zombie fell another took its place. The pattern continued for a while until the zombies piled up and began to push against the bus.

  Scott muttered about the situation then fired a few more times. It was not as bad as it had been when the zombies had piled against the eighteen wheeler, but the bus still rocked a little from their attempts to get at him.

  It would have been impossible to use his gun as a main weapon if he'd needed to rely on reloading the normal way. Zombies were surprisingly durable unless they were hit dead center in the skull. The movies always made it look easy. Headshots happened like nobody's business in every zombie movie he had ever seen.

  Clearing the parking lot became a chore as more zombies staggered out from around the cars or out of buildings nearby. By the time he killed most of the original horde, a smaller horde had arrived. Once the last zombie fell, Scott wiped his forehead then unclenched his fingers from around his weapon. He'd fired a few hundred times at least. His hand and wrist needed a break.

  A loud moan, louder than any he had heard before, suddenly echoed from behind him. He turned just in time to see the biggest damned zombie that he'd seen to date lurch around the corner of the school on the far side of the parking lot. It wore what looked to be oversized police riot gear complete with shield and what appeared to be a utility pole. The pole dragged along the ground. The scraping of metal on asphalt reached Scott's ears not long after.

  His eyes wide, he said, "Oh, fuck my life." There were special zombies too? He recalled the difficulty rating then grunted. Things like this were why it had a higher rating than before, not just the number of zombies.