Lynn nodded solemnly as Alice described the approaching mutated zombie. Based on the subtle noises drifting down the hallway, Lynn could tell the creature was drawing steadily nearer.

"Stay here in the room, you're still recovering from injury. I'll go deal with it," Lynn said firmly to Alice.

Gripping his sword tightly, Lynn strode out of the room toward the source of the noises. Adrenaline coursed through his veins and his muscles swelled in anticipation of the coming battle.

Thanks to the alarms Lynn had rigged throughout this floor, he was able to detect the swift approach of this zombie interloper.

“Where did it come from? I thought I had sealed off every possible entry point. How did this zombie manage to get in?” Lynn muttered under his breath, he had taken pains to secure this area, yet still, the undead found a way inside. He would make sure this one did not leave.

Finally, the creature shambled into view at the end of the hallway. As expected, it was no ordinary zombie. The thing barely resembled a human.

The creature stood at an average human height, but any resemblance to its former self ended there. Its pale, rotting flesh clung tightly to its bones, emphasizing the skeletal structure beneath.

Its limbs were elongated and sinewy, possessed of an eerie flexibility that defied the laws of nature. They twisted and contorted with unnatural grace, allowing the creature to skitter and crawl in disturbing, disjointed ways.

But the most striking aspect was its hands - or rather, where hands should have been. Sharp white blades of bone emerged in their place, glinting under the dim lights. The bony protrusions resembled the teeth of a predator, poised to rip through flesh.

Letting out an ominous hiss through jagged teeth, the creature scuttled down the hallway towards Lynn, picking up speed rapidly.

Lynn's eyes narrowed as the mutated zombie scuttled toward him, its bladed limbs clicking against the tiled floor. He shifted into a battle stance, raising his sword in preparation.

"Those bone blades look razor sharp," Lynn muttered under his breath. "And it's fast - I can't let it get too close."

The zombie let out another bone-chilling hiss as it rapidly closed the distance. When it drew within striking range, it lashed out with one of its bladed arms, the bone slicing through the air in a silvery blur.

Lynn deftly sidestepped the attack, feeling the gust of wind as the blade narrowly missed his torso. Without hesitation, he countered with a slash aimed at the creature's neck. But with astounding speed, the zombie contorted its body out of the way, Lynn's blade meeting only air.

"Tch, it's too fast," Lynn clicked his tongue in annoyance. This zombie moved unlike any he had faced before. Its mutations seemed tailored for speed and precision.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

The zombie relentlessly pressed its attack, its limbs contorting and writhing as it unleashed slashes from every conceivable direction. Lynn found himself forced into a defensive stance, skillfully employing his sword to parry and deflect the flurry of blows. Yet, the creature remained unyielding, ceaselessly probing for any vulnerability in his guard.

Lynn's mind raced, analyzing the situation. " Direct confrontation won't be enough to overpower it. I need to outmaneuver it instead."

As the next barrage of attacks came, Lynn changed tactics - instead of blocking, he dodged fluidly, allowing the blows to whip past him. The zombie's momentum carried it forward, overextending its reach.

At that moment, Lynn spotted an opening and took it, dodging under the zombie's next slash and bringing his sword down in a clean arc, severing one of the creature's bladed arms.

The limb fell to the floor with a meaty thunk, the sharp bone fingers twitching. The zombie let out an unearthly shriek of pain and rage as dark blood oozed from the stump.

"Got you now!" Lynn yelled in satisfaction, seeing dark blood gush from the wound. "There goes one of your weapons”

But to his shock, the zombie remained on its feet, staggering only briefly before renewing its assault, seemingly unfazed by what should have been a crippling injury.

The mutant zombie immediately renewed its frenzied assault with its remaining bladed appendage. However, with only one limb to attack with, its movements became slightly more predictable, providing an advantage to Lynn.

Lynn avoided the furious slashes from the zombie's remaining bladed limb, ducking and weaving with superior reflexes. The creature attacked with a maddened ferocity, its bone blade carving jagged arcs through the air.

Lynn remained focused, vigilantly watching for any opening to deliver a decisive counterattack.

"Just a little more, I've almost got you now," Lynn muttered under his breath, steeling his nerves.

Finally, Lynn saw his chance. As the zombie reared back to deliver an overhead slash, Lynn rushed forward inside its reach. Before the creature could react, he swung his sword in a powerful upward arc, aiming to decapitate the zombie with one clean strike.

But the zombie reacted with uncanny speed and agility, its body contorting in a way that seemed impossible for a human. It twisted mid-air, rotating its torso out of the path of Lynn's blade.

Lynn's sword sliced only empty air as the zombie narrowly evaded the would-be finishing blow. It landed in a crouch several feet away, regarding Lynn with its hollow, predatory gaze.

"Damn it! This thing is like a slippery eel," Lynn muttered,

But Lynn remained undaunted. Now that he had a better grasp of the creature's capabilities, it was just a matter of time.

"Alright, let's try this again," Lynn breathed deeply, steeling himself. Gripping his sword in both hands, he dashed towards the zombie.

Rather than aiming for a lethal blow right away, this time Lynn unleashed a barrage of precise thrusts and slashes aimed at the zombie's limbs and torso. He sought to overwhelm the creature's uncanny agility through relentless pressure.

The zombie writhed and contorted, narrowly deflecting most of the blows. But several strikes landed, slicing into rotted flesh and splashing blood. The creature's movements began to slow.

With a last desperate hiss, the zombie lashed out with its bladed arm. But Lynn was ready - he stepped into the blow and grabbed the creature's wrist, arresting the slash. Before it could wrench itself free, Lynn severed the bladed limb with a clean swipe.

Howling in fury, the zombie staggered back as more of its rancid blood gushed forth.

Lynn dashed forward to deliver the finishing blow. This time, as he swung his sword towards the creature's neck, it had no remaining limbs left to counter.

With a wet crunch, the razor-sharp blade sliced cleanly through rotted flesh and bone. The zombie's head toppled from its shoulders, hitting the floor with a sickening thud.