This 'Zombie' from the Indulgence Faction was named Ackerman. The instant he saw Raphael pull the trigger, he was momentarily stunned.
Earlier, when he sensed the unstable spirituality around Raphael, he realized this gang boss might be problematic and grew secretly vigilant. But Ackerman never expected the man would simply shoot at him point-blank like this!
Still, as a 'Zombie', he wasn't afraid of bullets. The instant the gunfire erupted, he charged directly at Raphael, preparing to twist his head off.
But at that very moment, a shadowy figure flashed by. In the next second, a pale-faced man in his late twenties appeared in his pupils. The man had brown eyes concealing deep malice, exuding a touch of madness.
Ackerman was Possessed by the other, instantly became immobile.
*Rat-a-tat-tat...!!*
Raphael's entire magazine hit the immobile 'Zombie'. Although he focus on the head, unfortunately, he failed to shatter the skull.
The brain was essentially a 'Zombie's' major weak point.
Much of the flesh on Ackerman's face was shot away, with many bullets embedded in his skull, making his visage appear horrifically gruesome.
At the same time, Raphael immediately recognized that the one Possessing Ackerman was actually Maric.
According to the information Baven gave him, Maric was still a Sequence 6 'Zombie' at that time.
'It seems he's recently advanced,' Raphael concluded.
Maric also gave Raphael a deep look.
Although Raphael had his and Sharron's assistance, his actions just now were still quite reckless. After all, Ackerman was a Sequence 6, a 'Zombie' with extremely high defense. Ordinary firearms couldn't inflict serious harm on him.
If Maric's Possession had been slightly slower, Raphael would have been in danger.
Using a tongue reduced by half from gunfire, Ackerman slurred, "Maric... you've... become a Wraith! Steve and the others... really were... killed by you and Sharron..."
Steve was a 'Wraith' from the Indulgence Faction. Last year, the Indulgence Faction had found traces of Maric and Sharron. Sharron had asked Klein for help, and they set a trap to ambush Steve and two other Indulgence Faction Beyonders.
In the end, all three Beyonders were eliminated, and Maric used Steve's characteristic to complete his advancement.
Hearing the 'Zombie's' words, Maric in his pupils sneered and looked at Ackerman's right hand, then...
*Puff!*
The Possessed Ackerman plunged his own right hand with its pale nails fiercely into his own heart.
This 'Zombie' with little flesh remaining on his face revealed a grotesque expression of pain.
After emptying his magazine, Raphael immediately loaded a fresh one. Just as he was about to fire, a cold hand suddenly grabbed the gun barrel.
The two puppet zombies under Ackerman's Living Dead Manipulation rushed over, stopping Raphael's attack and preparing to pounce and tear at him.
"Grrraahhh!!"
A beast-like growl came from Raphael's throat.
His mouth and ears rapidly elongated, his body sprouting thick, short gray fur while his stature quickly grew, tearing his upper garments.
In an instant, Raphael completed his Werewolf Transformation. He swung his long claws, severing one zombie's head. The headless zombie flailed a few times before collapsing.
He then grabbed the arms of the other zombie lunging at him, kicked its chest fiercely, instantly caving in the ribcage, breaking the sternum.
Now possessing several times his normal strength, Raphael felt it wasn't enough and kicked again, tearing off one of the zombie's arms.
Engaged in his first actual combat as a 'Werewolf', Raphael's pupils gradually turned blood-red. The thrill of battle flooded his mind. Discarding the zombie's severed arm, he stepped forward, hoisted the zombie high, and threw it!
*Crash!*
A nearby streetlamp was knocked down by the zombie. The zombie's spine broke. It tried crawling with its remaining arm several times but couldn't get up.
Raphael, about to continue his offensive, suddenly said, "What's so fun about beating the dead?" The blood-red in his pupils faded slightly, "Right, beating them to death again isn't interesting either."
A mad expression appeared on his wolfish face as he turned to look at the Possessed 'Zombie' attacking itself.
By now, Ackerman's chest bore three holes he had stabbed himself, oozing black, foul-smelling blood. Under Wraith Possession, he wouldn't last long.
Just then, Maric in Ackerman's pupils suddenly froze.
Immediately after, as if struck by some force, Ackerman finally regained some freedom...
Maric's expression turned grave. A shadow flickered as he ended the Wraith Possession, appearing on a nearby glass window with Mirror Blink.
On the opposite window, another shadowy figure appeared.
Maric recognized the other and said coldly, "Wolf!"
Wolf was also a 'Wraith'. He rasped in a grating voice, "I knew it. This is a trap set by you and Sharron–"
*Rat-a-tat-tat...!!*
Their conversation was interrupted by another burst of gunfire as Raphael fired another magazine at Ackerman.
By now he had gradually adapted to his transformed state and was working hard to suppress his excitement for killing. The blood-red in his pupils gradually faded.
But he still fired at the 'Zombie' a Sequence above him because he knew Sharron hadn't acted yet. The Temperance Faction's advantage remained significant.
Raphael's second round of gunfire again baffled Ackerman. He had never seen such a bold 'Werewolf'.
'Zombies' surpassed 'Werewolves' in speed and strength, and more importantly, their defenses were overwhelmingly strong. A 'Werewolf's' claws could only inflict superficial wounds on a 'Zombie'.
Stunned as he was, this time Ackerman immediately dodged, with only a few bullets hitting him.
A vicious grin appeared on his face as he prepared to charge at Raphael.
At that moment, Wolf, hiding in the glass, was suddenly struck out of the Mirror Surface by a surging force.
He tumbled on the ground, about to rise, when his clothes suddenly tightened like a net, binding him.
The 'Wraith' looked astonished, rasping in his unpleasant, piercing voice, "Sharron has advanced too! How is that possib–... the mummy of Tutanssess II was stolen by you!"
At the same time, Ackerman, who was about to launch his offensive, was also trapped by his own clothes, standing motionless like a sculpture. Shock appeared on his face as well.
Raphael was equally somewhat surprised. From their words, it seemed Sharron was already a Sequence 4 Demigod!
Thinking this, he charged forward and slapped Ackerman across the face, sending the 'Zombie' flying.
The astonished look on Wolf's face vanished quickly, replaced by his grating laugh, "Fortunately, I have a Sealed Artifact that sensed your malice. So I invited Mr. Howard the Shaman King!"
Within the mist, vast swathes of crimson suddenly appeared, as if the moon had fallen from the sky onto Backlund's streets and was rapidly approaching!
~~~
{T/N: 'Shaman King' is Sequence 4 of the 'Moon' Pathway.
Abilities used in this chapter...
- Werewolf Transformation: They can turn into a Werewolf, growing short, erect hair as fur, turning their nails sharp, long, and firm, like claws, while possessing some Spell-like abilities.
- Living Dead Manipulation: Zombies possess abilities centred around controlling the Dead. They can easily awaken the dead, cultivate puppets, control ghosts, and command them.
- Wraith Possession: Wraiths have gained the ability to forcefully invade and Possess their target's body by overlapping with the opponent's eyes...
- Mirror Blink: Wraiths are also able to instantly jump through most things with reflections, such as mirrors, gold coins, ice, and even eyeballs. The maximum range they can Mirror Blink is 300 meters. This ability is also known as Mirror Flash or Mirror Jump. They are also able to stay inside reflections as well...}