Most of the rooms in the hallway were locked.

I inserted the key into the lock, gripping the axe handle tightly. I glanced at Tomie, who had wiped the playful expression off her face and nodded seriously.

I twisted the key and suddenly pushed the door open.

*Bang!*

Something collided with the door hard.

The sunlight couldn’t chase away all the darkness in the room. With both hands on the axe, I clearly saw a shadow dragging itself forward.

A figure lurched to its feet.

It was a man, his cheeks gaunt and skeletal, with one eyeball dangling from its socket.

Dust swirled around us, and the stench of decay and mildew hit me like a wall.

I forced down the nausea and prepared to strike. It was only a swing away.

In an instant, a foot came flying from the side.

The man—now undeniably no longer human—was kicked squarely in the chest and shot backward like a cannonball.

I hadn’t even raised my axe yet, and the fight was already over.

The corpse slammed into some furniture, sending a loud crash through the room, scattering tables, chairs, dishes, and vases in every direction.

I looked at Tomie, who was standing next to me, her eyes blazing.

She pretended to be nonchalant, arms crossed over her chest as she slowly retracted her foot.

The body jerked, then staggered to its feet, a huge dent in its chest.

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Tomie’s expression instantly darkened. She was amusing in her own way, but before I could watch any longer, my body moved instinctively. With a quick lunge, I brought the axe down and severed the zombie’s head.

The headless corpse collapsed and stayed down.

The descriptions in the novels were spot on.

"You need to aim for the head," I said, trying to mask the tension in my voice.

"I know," Tomie replied, her lips curling into a smug smile. "I just wanted to test you. If you’re so sure, it’s all thanks to my kick."

She really never missed a chance to make a jab.

Tomie stepped forward and kicked the zombie’s head to the side.

"You said you could turn monster corpses into magical stones, right?"

"Yeah." I muttered in response, but doubt crept into my mind.

The diamond-shaped mark didn’t warm up like it had earlier. I wasn’t sure what to do. Did it have its own mind? Could it decide when to activate?

**Name**: Zombie

**Species**: Corpse

**Rating**: E-

**Status**: Dead

"Come on, hurry up!" Tomie urged, grabbing the corpse by the ankle and dragging it toward me.

I was starting to feel the pressure.

"What’s wrong?" She stared at me for a long moment, then her eyes widened in realization. "Wait, you don’t even know what you’re doing, do you? You were just hoping for the best?"

Her tone and expression reminded me of a bad actor playing a role.

She was doing this on purpose, no doubt as payback for that earlier kick.

"No, no way. I’m just... still getting the hang of it," I stammered, trying to salvage my dignity. "You know, mystical powers aren’t something you can just learn overnight. You just wait and see."

I knelt in front of the corpse, placing my left hand above it in a solemn gesture. Honestly, I knew this dramatic stance wouldn’t do anything, but it helped ease my own nerves.

"Here we go!" I said, trying to sound confident.

Tomie nodded, her gaze never leaving me. The intensity of her stare felt like it could pierce my skin.

"Now!"

...

Hurry up, damn it! I screamed in my mind.

Nothing. Not a single sound. This was a disaster.

Come on, heat up already!

"Body conversion!"

"Is this even working?" Tomie mocked, crossing her arms.

"Shut up, don’t distract me!" I shouted, frantic. "Turn it into ash already!"

As my voice echoed in the room, something seemed to click. The diamond-shaped mark on my hand flared hot, and within an instant, my wrist burned with a sharp, searing pain.

The corpse decayed and crumbled into ashes, which swirled upward, drawn by an unseen force, forming a vortex of gray mist.

The sharp gaze that had been behind me vanished. Even though this was my second time witnessing it, I still couldn’t believe my eyes.

The mist spun faster and faster, its volume shrinking rapidly. When it finally condensed into a single point, a gray stone appeared on the floor.

It was about the size of a mung bean—tiny, unimpressive.

I picked it up and handed it to Tomie, who stood there in a daze, her face frozen in shock.