Lucas watched intently as his senses heightened, feeling the surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins, making him both restless and energized. At this moment, he wasn't concerned about the specific breed, species, or levels of the zombies; what mattered was his inability to manage the overwhelming numbers assaulting them.

It had been a while since they had to combat such a large horde of zombies, emerging incessantly from hidden corners in response to the clamor of human screams. Was this the chaotic scene Lucy had referred to before?

As he pivoted, Lucas caught sight of William sprinting toward him, unknowingly seeking aid from the very cloaked figure he was cursing under his breath.

“Lucy! Help me clear these zombies! I have something else to deal with!” Lucas shouted, his voice cutting through the cacophony of undead moans and human cries. Grateful for the other humans attracting the zombies' attention, Lucas joined the fray to disperse the encircling zombies, ensuring their combined efforts didn't draw the entire horde their way.

Gripping his jian firmly, Lucas activated the hurricane leap, propelling himself into the air in a vertical trajectory toward the colossal zombie that trailed behind William.

‘If he had managed to hold on a bit longer…’ Lucas thought, his mind racing as he covered the distance in mere seconds.

From his aerial vantage point, Lucas observed William, his expression a mixture of reverence and recognition, still unaware of the figure in the crimson cloak. With around twenty seconds remaining before he descended, Lucas immediately initiated his assault on the zombie's head with an onslaught of fireballs, taking advantage of his hurricane leap's levitating capability rather than true flight.

Each fireball struck the target, eliciting vehement roars of hatred from the zombie. Lucas skillfully aimed some of the projectiles toward the horde surrounding Lucy, temporarily redirecting their attention and preventing her from being overwhelmed.

“Fire blaze!” Lucas muttered, releasing a stream of fire generated from his body's energy, engulfing the zombies in searing flames. Towering as it was, the massive zombie couldn't lay a finger on Lucas in his elevated position, its futile leaps falling short.

With each fireball unleashed, Lucas sensed his energy and stamina dwindling, their reserves gradually depleting. He knew that before long, he'd exhaust his reserves entirely.

In the final moments of his airborne maneuver, Lucas accessed a skill he despised and considered largely unimpressive – though labeling it as worthless was an overstatement.

“Clawing fang!” he invoked, his knuckles undergoing a metamorphosis, extending into sharp, claw-like protrusions reminiscent of a wolf's talons.

As Lucas thudded onto the ground, a palpable silence descended upon the onlookers, their eyes fixated on him with piercing intensity. The stillness was occasionally punctuated by the groans of defeated zombies falling under the blows of Lucy's sword.

This scrutiny wasn't limited to the living; even the zombie that had been tailing William abruptly shifted its focus, lunging at Lucas with surprising swiftness. Its decaying hand grasped for him, prompting Lucas to instinctively plunge his claw-like appendage into the zombie's arm, a tactic aimed at incapacitating it.

“@?!%$!” Lucas involuntarily exclaimed, taken aback by the unexpected agility of the hulking, corpulent zombie. The creature's speed belied its massive size, catching him off guard.

As his claw drew a gash in the zombie's flesh, staining his hand with sickly green blood, Lucas promptly took action, embedding his jian into the creature's body. The sword punctured the monster's flesh, triggering a visceral reaction. The zombie convulsed and clenched its hands, flexing its muscles with enough force for Lucas to discern them from his vantage point.

“Is it not dead yet?” Lucas mentally bemoaned, his disbelief mirrored in the grotesque scene before him. Despite the apparent severity of its injuries, the zombie displayed astonishing resilience.

Lucas hurriedly retrieved his claw, his attention switching to freeing his jian from the zombie's flesh. Reacting on instinct, he harnessed the enigmatic energy within him, conjuring fireballs that he hurled into the wound, heedless of their size or potency.

However, the relentless zombie disregarded Lucas's efforts to incapacitate it. Swiftly, it swung its unscathed arm towards Lucas, aiming to seize him and brandish its other arm – still impaled by his jian – as a weapon.

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“FREEZE!” Lucy pronounced urgently, the command resonating with a supernatural power. The limb, poised mere inches from Lucas, suddenly halted mid-air, a frosty veneer encasing it as if time had been suspended.

Capitalizing on the frozen appendage, Lucas deftly drew his dagger and used it as leverage to ascend the ice-coated limb. He nimbly vaulted himself onto the massive zombie's neck, his determination propelling him forward.

The crowd remained spellbound; their collective breath held in anticipation. Even William, watching from a distance, was captivated by the spectacle unfolding before him. He marveled at the strangers' abilities – one seemingly able to manipulate fire and flight, the other demonstrating unparalleled swordsmanship.

The woman in the white cloak particularly impressed him. Her voice betrayed her age as she deftly felled zombies, her sword movements reminiscent of a helicopter's blades – swift, precise, and impenetrable. Amidst the chaos, her untouchable grace stood out, leaving William amused and astonished by the newfound allies' extraordinary skills.

With a swift and fluid motion, the woman brandished her sword, cleaving through the zombie's head and clearing a path in her wake. The surrounding undead fell under her blade's deadly dance, their futile attempts to latch onto her arm proving in vain. Despite their frenzied assault, not a scratch could be seen on her.

‘Are they angels?’ William mused, the absurd notion entering his mind as he observed the otherworldly proficiency of the two fighters. Their supernatural prowess seemed almost divine, impervious to harm amidst the chaos.

The woman, Lucy, dispatched another zombie, stomping its head before launching herself onto a wrecked car. Skillfully wielding her sword, she hurled the makeshift projectile at an approaching undead, creating a path towards Lucas.

In Lucy's sight, a wave of alarm crashed over her. Lucas had successfully scaled the frozen zombie, poised to strike a decisive blow, when an unforeseen attacker emerged. A man thrust his sword into Lucas's abdomen, eliciting a cry of pain from him. The sudden assault severed Lucas's focus and control, leading to the release of the zombified giant's frozen arm.

Horror etched across his face, Lucas watched as the colossal zombie's arm swung forcefully, sending him hurtling through the air. His body slammed into a nearby building, the impact nearly fracturing his spine.

Amidst the turmoil, Lucas's thoughts spiraled. Everything had unraveled in an instant, a stark contrast to the momentum they had maintained. Bleeding profusely, he struggled to his feet, his body still reeling from the unexpected strike.

“Lucas!” Lucy's voice cut through the haze; urgency evident in her tone. She approached him quickly, her gaze fixed on his bloodied hand.

“We need to get out of here,” she urged, concern etching her features.

“My sword...” Lucas's words faltered, his mind grappling with the pain and disorientation.

“I've got it. We have to move now! The others have already scattered after you were thrown,” Lucy informed him, determination shining in her eyes.

“I... I'm sorry,” Lucas murmured, a hint of guilt seeping into his voice.

“Don't apologize. Remember, it's not our fault,” Lucy reassured him, her voice unwavering despite the surrounding chaos.

“Lucas, use your skills. Let's fly out of here. That massive zombie is closing in,” she advised urgently.

Nodding in agreement, Lucas summoned his remaining strength and invoked his skill; “Hurricane leap!” With what little energy he possessed, he clasped onto Lucy, the cyclonic wind lifting them vertically. Struggling to maintain focus through the pain, he guided their ascent towards a nearby high-rise, aiming for a window that would grant them temporary refuge from the relentless horde below.

As they soared through the air, Lucas surveyed the ground below. Frenzied humans dashed for safety while William grappled with the remaining zombie. Oddly, the colossal zombie that had almost claimed Lucas was nowhere in sight.

During their ascent, droplets of his blood rained down onto the zombies below, causing them to futilely jump and grasp at the crimson droplets, alarming Lucy.

Concern etched into Lucy's expression as they hovered. “Are you hurt?” she inquired, her voice reflecting genuine worry.

Lucas, battling the encroaching darkness, managed a reassurance. “No, I'm fine,” he fibbed, his body growing colder, vision dimming.

Supporting Lucas in her arms, she keenly sensed his warmth and the rapid rhythm of his heartbeats. A wave of concern washed over her.

Their ascent brought them to a high-rise building. Lucas, despite his pain and the continued flow of blood, focused on maintaining their elevation.

"Lucy," a voice suddenly sounded from the bleeding man near her.

Confused, Lucy turned her head towards him and asked, "What?"

The man, his voice weak and hoarse, worded out, "After this... how about we establish our own base?"

Hearing that, Lucy could only chuckle at him with a worried expression. "I guess…"

“Promised?”

"Promise," she replied.