"Mmm... why is my back so stiff?"

Sylvia opened her eyes slowly, however the darkness of the room was the only thing that filled them.

"Hm? What the heck? Marcus, do you-"

Cling.

Sylvia tried to move her arms only to hear the sounds of chains as they were pulled.

"Eh?"

"Ugh... I suppose I was a bit too exhausted after the last experience..."

Marcus spoke up in the darkness, confirming that the two were next to one another.

"Eh?"

However as he did so, the rattling sound of chains also resounded as he moved about.

"I seem to be... constrained."

"I... have been as well."

The two stood up, regaining their balance as they tried to walk forward.

Clang!

However as they did so, the chains prevented them from doing so.

"We appear to have been captured and chained."

"This... reminds me a bit too much of the memories which we've experienced."

The two went silent for a moment, and as their eyes adjusted to the darkness they began to make out the silhouettes of one another.

"Are we in another memory?", Marcus asked as he looked towards Sylvia. "But... How strange... no... we are in our own bodies. And as far as I am aware, we cannot experience memories together. Therefore... we haven't died again."

"So where are we?", Sylvia questioned with a cold tone.

"That... is a good question."

Taking a deep breath, Marcus looked forward as the figure of a man formed before him.

"I believe this person would likely know."

Flick.

It was at that moment that the lights turned on.

And as they did so, the figure before Marcus and Sylvia became clear.

They were in a concrete room, almost certainly somewhere underground.

Standing before them was a man who wore a black suit, with his bright yellow hair slicked back.

The man grinned as he pulled a chair in front of him, sitting backwards as he looked down upon the two with confidence.

"My brother told me that there were zombies who acted like people... that they could talk and walk and acted with intellect. He told me that he killed the pair... but based on your conversation... I'm going to guess that either he didn't actually kill you... or maybe..."

Leaning forward to the point where the chair was balanced on two legs, the man raised his eyebrows with interest.

"You can survive being killed."

The man spoke with complete certainty, however even as he spoke Sylvia stood forth with a smile, casually tossing her hair with her hand as she spoke.

"Perhaps. What of it?"

"Hahaha... you're a funny one, woman. Even when you're bound by those chains... even when you were sleeping in the middle of the streets completely defenseless... you still have the guts to speak to me like that?"

It was then that the man pulled out a pistol from his jacket.

Thinning his eyes, his expression became completely serious in an instant.

"I have the power to decide whether you live or die. So if you want to live... you'd better wipe that smirk off your face this instant."

"And what if I don't?"

Leaning forth, Sylvia thinned her eyes with a seductive grin as she pointed a finger right to her forehead - where there was a large scar from her previous death.

"You'll KILL me?"

"Sylvia. You're giving him too much information."

"Hahaha! The dirty businessman is right, woman. You just answered my question and I didn't even have to ask it. Now I know that one way or another you can survive death. You two must be pretty rare types. First I've seen of your kind."

The man with golden hair laughed as he slid his gun back into his pocket, to which Sylvia scrunched her eyebrows in annoyance.

"Tch... well, I'll let you have that much. But you've already answered my question as well. You said that we were sleeping in the middle of the streets. Which would mean that you took us here?"

"And what if I did?"

Flicking his hands up, the man smiled as he flashed the brass knuckles which he wore on each before the two.

They were covered in dried blood, as if they had been through many battles.

"I'll take that as a yes. Noted."

"You really aren't a people person, are you? I'd bet nobody likes you. You really... are a bit too straightforward."

Thinning his eyes, the man slicked back his golden hair with suspicion.

"Are you really a zombie?"

"Why don't you let me scratch you and we'll see if you get infected?", Sylvia said as she flashed her claws at the man in a similar way that he bore his brass knuckles towards her.

The man then stood up, turning the chair around so that he sat in it properly, however he then kicked himself back as he placed his arms behind his head with a grin, leaning back enough to the point where the chair was on the verge of toppling backwards.

"A tempting offer... that I will hold off on. You don't seem to understand your position. Do you see those chains on you? You're trapped. You can't go anywhere. Even if you can infect me, that doesn't matter so long as I stay away from you, right?"

"I suppose you have a point.", Sylvia admitted in a manner which didn't show even a shred of defeat. "However on the other hand... how can you be so certain that such things will contain us?"

As Sylvia said this with a grin, the man merely laughed.

"Hahaha! You really are a funny one. I guess you learned from your last slip up? But bluffing won't work on me. After all, even if you're a zombie... even if you're a person who has somehow managed to remain sane despite being infected... that doesn't make you any stronger than a normal person. Am I wrong?"

The man hit the nail on the head.

He was absolutely correct.

Indeed, Sylvia was no stronger than a normal human.

Just as each of the zombies were.

The same of course, went for Marcus.

Breaking out of the chains was an impossibility.

"I suppose you've caught us there. That is indeed correct. Me and my partner here cannot break out of these chains using our strength.", Marcus stated promptly. "But with that being said, you still haven't told us why we are here in the first place. If you are the brother of that man who my partner scared off... then is this a matter of revenge?"

Looking to the ceiling, Marcus spoke in a low tone.

"How petty."

"Revenge? You think I took you here for revenge? Hahaha! No."

The man's expression changed from comical laughter to deadly serious in an instant.

"I took you two in for two reasons. Number 1. Information. You two are unique existences that we haven't seen anywhere else yet. We've seen zombie after zombie without a mind. But you two? We've fought hundreds, maybe even thousands. Yet you two are the only ones of your kind who are like-"

"Seven."

With a grin, Marcus cut off the man as he spoke.

Looking up with dominance, Marcus placed his hand to his chin as he assumed the expression of a businessman.

"There are seven of us. That's your free sample. If you want to know more... then you will first have to provide us with something of equal value."

As Marcus said this, the man thinned his eyes with a disturbed expression.

"I see. So you're going to take the role of a negotiator... eh?"

It was at that moment that the man snapped his fingers.

And in the instant that he did so, the door behind him opened.

Flocking into the room were dozens of people, all surrounding the man as he sat back in his chair.

They covered almost every square inch of the room, with the area directly around the three who were already present aside.

And every single one of these people who filled the room.... were children.

They all had dead looks in their eyes, completely devoid of any emotion as they blindly followed whatever order the man had given, standing there at his command.

"Let me teach you something then. I suppose the first thing I'll tell you is who I am."

Standing up, the man kicked back his chair which hit a child who fell to the ground before picking the chair up and laying it back in its place neatly.

"My name is Sheldon - Sheldon Stirling. And I'm the Youngest son of the Stirling family. But I suppose that doesn't mean much to you two... who probably don't know anything about the underground. Therefore... I'll explain it in terms even regular people can understand."

Spreading his arms out, the man grabbed two children - one in each hand as he dragged them closer.

They moved along with his motions as the man grinned, notioning to all the children around him.

"I'm the Head of the 3rd branch of the Street Rats Organization. Our branch's specialty?"

Rustling his hands through the hair of the boy and the girl in his hands, the man grinned as he bore his teeth towards the two.

"Kidnapping."

Then, sitting back down, the man crossed one leg over another as he snapped his fingers.

Immediately, a girl rushed off, to return in an instant with what seemed to be a can of beer.

She cracked it for the man, handing it to him as he took a sip before wiping his mouth as he continued.

"Ah... and one more thing."

Glancing around the room, the man then called out two names.

"Gerald. Henry. Code Red."

"Yes Sir."

The two children who he had called stepped forward like little robots, blankly approaching Marcus and Sylvia without fear.

Holding up his drink, the man glared at Marcus and Sylvia with a smile.

"I don't do negotiations. If you want to talk... then why don't you try to talk to them first?"

It was then that the two boys slid their hands into their grubby coats, each pulling out a pocket knife.

"Sylvia."

"Marcus."

The two said each other’s name blankly, without a shred of fear in their tones.

"Do these two plan on attacking us?"

"I believe they do."

"What do we do about this?"

"What would we have done if we were human?"

Looking to one another, the two both nodded with resolve as they spoke simultaneously.

"Understood."

And with this, each of the boys rushed forward to stab the two.

----

"Children shouldn't be playing with knives."

Marcus had caught the blade in his hand, gripping it tightly as blood rushed forth, dripping down his arm.

The child pressed the blade deeper and deeper into his skin, however even as the boy did so, Marcus only gripped it all the more.

"But more importantly... the adults shouldn't be giving you them in the first place."

Speaking up was Sylvia, who had a knife running straight through her palm as she gripped the fist of the boy before her.

Ripping the knife from the hand of the boy, the woman thinned her eyes with a smile.

"But I suppose we don't have any room to talk now, do we?"

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"Yes... I suppose we don't.", the businessman replied as he did the same.

It was at that moment that Sylvia kicked the child away from her.

"Sorry.", she said as Marcus did the same.

"Indeed. I prefer not to treat children with such roughness... however... I suppose we don't have a choice here. After all... they were trying to kill us. However... I feel that in this situation... there is a way to overcome this situation with... minimal violence."

"Minimal?"

"Minimal."

"Hahaha... I suppose that would be minimal, wouldn't it?"

"Indeed, it would. After all... I believe there is no way we can escape this place with no violence. No?"

"That is correct."

The two spoke in perfect synch as Sylvia plucked the knife from her palm, blood dripping all over the floor as she did so.

"Well then... I suppose we'll just have to do that."

Raising her hand behind her, the woman threw the knife as it cut through the air like a throwing knife.

"Take out the one who is forcing these kids to do this."

"Alfred."

"Understood, Sir."

In the same instant that the woman threw the knife, the man spoke the name of a child next to him, who immediately responded without so much as a hint of emotion in his voice.

And then, standing before the man, the boy was raised up by the collar of his shirt.

Slice!

Sylvia watched as this scene happened, and the smile which painted itself across her face soon turned to a gaping expression of shock and horror.

"You..."

For the man before her who she had thrown the knife at was holding the child before him to protect him.

And the knife which she had thrown had pierced straight through the mind of the boy.

"I've learned something strange about you zombies. Thank you once again... for the information. Lilly."

"Yes Sir."

It was then that the man held up the girl next to him in the same manner, choking her as she hung from the collar of her wretched gown.

"You two may be zombies... but you somehow have enough compassion that you care if a child is harmed. And surprise surprise. I happen to have a ROOM full of hostages. Now then... everyone... get them."

"Understood, Sir!"

It was as the man spoke these things that Marcus and Sylvia realized something.

No matter what hardships they had been through...

No matter how much they had suffered already...

No matter how much pain they had endured...

There were some situations which they could not overcome.

For their strength was limited.

And even if they were unkillable, that meant in no way that they were powerful.

"Marcus."

"Sylvia."

"Do it."

"I understand."

The two spoke in pained tones, as if they were about to rely on a method which they despised.

Raising the knife up, Marcus gulped as he looked over to Sylvia.

"Are you certain?", he whispered as the children closed in on the two, bearing their knives without a shred of bloodlust yet with the intent to kill.

"Just do it.", she replied.

"Very well."

It was then that Marcus brought down his knife with two clean swings - cutting off the hands of Sylvia.

The woman dropped to the ground while her bloodied hands and the chains which bound them fell to the floor.

Holding in her tears, the woman seemed to clench her teeth in the pain as the words of the man grounded her into reality.

"Now the feet."

And then in a similar manner, Marcus brutally cut into the leg of the woman - one after another as she stumbled forth into the crowd of children.

"Ngh!!"

The woman bit down the pain as her limbs regenerated, at which she looked up to the lifeless children.

"You... you all must have been scared... terrified...", she muttered. "If you were molded like this."

It was then that the woman was filled with holes.

How many times did they stab her?

Sylvia did not know.

Yet even so, she did not scream.

"Do you think just skewering me like a roast will kill me?", she cried.

Then, standing up with blood flowing from every part of her body, the woman began to lay her fists into one child after another, knocking them unconscious on impact.

"You can't kill a zombie just by stabbing away at the flesh."

It was then that the clanging sounds of chains and falling flesh were heard from behind, accompanied by this voice.

Speaking from behind was Marcus, who had sliced off his own arm, flicking the knife to the one which regenerated to do the same to his other.

"If you really want to kill us..."

Another chain fell as the man bent down to cut off his own feet, freeing himself from the bondage.

"You're going to have to destroy every last cell."

----

[You might be wondering why your limbs don't grow from themselves when you cut them off, Marcus. But that's because in the memory you experienced, I knew nothing of controlling my regenerative powers. I learned control over time, to the point where I could control exactly which cells grew new consciousnesses, and the form which they grew to take.]

Number Seven explained this as Marcus joined the fray, knocking child after child unconscious as he slammed them with his rotten fists.

Bits of flesh flew with each hit, and one by one the children were rendered unconscious.

The amount of stabs to his sides that Marcus took in this process was overwhelming - enough to make him topple over at that moment.

Every other moment a new child would stab him from every angle - behind, to the side, to the front - it mattered not where.

They held not an ounce of fear within them, and worked mindlessly as they tore away at him.

"What has this man done to you?", Marcus said with a deep seated disturbance in his voice.

"What have I done to them? Hahaha... why do you think I've done anything? After all... they're just obedient little children. They're obedient to their older brother. Isn't that right?"

"Yes, Sir."

The children all responded in unison as they fought the two, stabbing without rest as blood sprayed.

"Because of you... I ended up killing a child.", Sylvia muttered as she knocked out another. "A child."

Looking up to the man with hatred, the woman spoke in a deadly tone.

"Therefore… even if I have to die to do it… I WILL kill you.", she stated.

It was as Sylvia said this that the man felt a shudder down his spine.

Looking into the eyes of the woman, he saw something.

'She...'

This man was a member of an underground organization.

He had killed many.

He had been in many fights to the death before.

Yet as he looked into the eyes of the woman - no - of the monster before him, he knew one thing for certain.

'She... is serious.'

Not releasing the girl that he used as a shield, the man gripped her all the tighter as his expression wrinkled.

'She's going to try to kill me.'

"Don't let her escape.", the man said. "If she does... then none of you will be eating anything tonight."

"Oh, they're going to be eating tonight."

The one who said this was Marcus as he knocked out another child with a grin starting to form on his face.

"As a matter of fact... we're going to be providing a feast for them."

"You brats... kill them already!!"

'Shit. Shit. Why aren't they dying? Do we need to attack the brains? The heart? Both?'

The blonde haired man began to panic slightly as the two were butchered alive, yet still refused to die.

"Aim for the vitals!!", the man shouted. "Kill them this instant!"

"Did you think we wouldn't be wary of such a thing?", Sylvia stated as she dodged even while riddled with holes, rerouting a knife which was aimed at her heart so that it instead pierced her side.

"Sylvia. I think I'm going insane."

"Why do you say that, Marcus?"

"I'm beginning to lose all feeling. The pain... is overwhelming. Yet for some reason... hahaha... I feel as if it isn't as bad as it used to be."

"Maybe... we're just getting used to it.", the woman said as she finished off the final child, to the point where the only one left was the one who was being held up in the defense of the man.

He looked around him, quickly noticing that all of his 'soldiers' had fallen.

"Wha- how did you two...."

"Go on. Kill us. Aim right for the head, aim for the heart, aim wherever the hell you want. But let me tell you something... shitface."

Approaching the man who pulled out his gun instinctively as he dropped the girl, Sylvia had a demented smile come across her face as she took each step with power.

"Even if you kill us... we'll come back and slaughter you all over again."

"Wait!! Wait!! Stop!!"

The man was backed into a corner, holding out his weapon frantically as he begged the woman for mercy.

Bang!

The man shot a shaky bullet which shot straight through the shoulder of the woman, who brushed it off with a sneer.

"Stop?"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three more shots were fired, all of them missing their targets as the woman approached - her eyes thinned in disgust.

It was then that the woman held out her clawed hand, teasing the man as she stroked it along his throat.

"I'd bet you didn't expect us to escape from those chains... did you?"

It was then that Sylvia wrapped her hands around the neck of the man, whose eyes went wide in horror as he dropped his smoking weapon.

"Please!! Don't infect me!!!", he shouted.

"And you certainly didn't expect all your little soldiers to fall to us... did you?"

Sylvia pulled her hand back, preparing to strike at the throat of the man.

"No!!! Stop!!!", he shouted as he cowered, closing his eyes with fear.

"You know... I'm not particularly mad that you attacked us."

Throwing the man to the ground, the man let out a groan as he fell with a slam.

"Nor am I particularly angry that you taught these children to kill."

Slamming her foot on the face of the man, Sylvia looked down as she pressed his skull into the ground.

"But the fact of the matter is... I killed that child. If a legal system still existed, I would be charged with manslaughter."

Pressing her foot onto the man as he began to babble, Sylvia thinned her eyes in disgust as she spoke.

"And it's your fault."

With a deep breath, Sylvia found herself pressing her foot upon the man's face with more and more pressure as blood was drawn from his forehead.

"Therefore... if I'm going to have to kill someone..."

It was at that moment that Sylvia felt a surge of strength, and her foot pressed down so hard that the skull underneath it exploded.

"Then it isn't going to be manslaughter."

The blonde hair of the man was dyed red, and his screams died out in an instant.

"It's going to be murder."