My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse - Chapter 79

Chapter 79 Who Killed my Bees?
“It’s just up ahead. Let’s take a quick breather while I send some bees to gather intel.” Kisha’s words came between gasps. They’d been running around for half a day nonstop while fighting, her body wasn’t as strong as she was used to and this was already her limit while she was feeling lethargic and hot. She felt her blood pumping to her brain as if it was about to explode. She did not know if she had pushed her body beyond the limit.

“Are you alright?” Duke approached her, concern etched on his face as he noticed her flushed complexion and labored breathing.

“Yeah, I just need a moment to catch my breath,” Kisha reassured Duke, offering him a reassuring smile despite her exhaustion.

But Duke couldn’t help but place a hand on her forehead in concern. Kisha, in turn, noticed that he too looked red and sweaty, though he must have been masking it to avoid showing weakness in front of his team. Besides, he had always been physically fit and accustomed to such exertion from the regular training sessions he and his team underwent.

Unlike Kisha’s soft body, Duke’s physical endurance was already an advantageous asset. Despite this, both were sweating buckets, sharing a knowing glance that acknowledged they were both feeling terrible. Despite their discomfort, they couldn’t help but share a chuckle, lightening the tense atmosphere around them, if only slightly.

“Ah!” Kisha snapped to attention, her eyes widening with incredulity.

“What happened?” Duke’s body tensed as he waited for an explanation.

“Someone killed my bees up there!” Kisha’s expression darkened as she delivered the news grimly.

“Did they see if it was a zombie or a human?” Duke’s voice carried a sense of urgency as he sought the crucial details, his expression betraying none of his inner turmoil.

Kisha shook her head, her brows furrowed in concern. “It happened too quickly for the bees to react. They weren’t equipped to differentiate between the living and the dead.”

The crucial piece of information slipped Duke’s mind amidst his worry. He massaged the bridge of his nose in an attempt to focus, but with each passing moment, his breathing grew more ragged, and his throbbing headache made it increasingly difficult for him to concentrate. It’s no wonder he overlooked something important.

“Given our uncertainty about the identity of our adversary up there, allow me to proceed alone. Master and young madam, you both appear fatigued; it’s best for you to rest for now,” Vulture asserted, noticing the evident physical strain on Kisha and Duke. Unsure if the exhaustion and stress had taken their toll, he resolved to ascend and assess the situation firsthand. His awakening bestowed upon him a heightened resilience against the virus transmitted by zombie bites and scratches, as Kisha had previously explained.

His proficiency with earth abilities makes him the most capable candidate to investigate and confront the threat above. Recognizing this, Vulture wasted no time waiting for Kisha or Duke’s agreement before he began ascending the ladder to venture forth and identify the source of the problem.

Duke and Kisha, feeling sluggish and overheated, readily acquiesced to Vulture’s suggestion. They leaned against the wall for support, their arms bearing some of their weight, while their companions offered assistance, only to be assured with a gesture that they were fine and simply in need of rest. Like two peas in a pod, they stood together, united in their need for recuperation while not needing any help.

Ensuring everyone’s safety below, Vulture began his ascent up the ladder with caution. His heart raced as he climbed, troubled by the realization that the enemy had detected even Kisha’s seemingly inconspicuous bees with remarkable agility, swiftly eliminating them without detection. This underscored the formidable threat they faced.

Upon reaching the top of the ladder, he meticulously lifted the lid of the manhole with great care, ensuring not to create any noise that might alert whoever lurked above. Stealth was paramount to avoid drawing any unwanted attention.

He surveyed the basement of the building, noting its damp and chilly atmosphere where the manhole connected to the sewer. Assured of the absence of any occupants, Vulture leaped upward, ensuring his movements remained utterly silent.

His heightened senses, on edge with hyper-awareness, caused him to instinctively jump on his heels at the slightest rustle behind him, ready to strike at any sign of an approaching threat. Much to his relief, it turned out to be nothing more than a rat the size of a cat, fleeing at the sight of human presence.

He sighed in relief at the sight of the large rat, but his senses remained sharp as he meticulously surveyed the area. Suddenly, another rustle caught his attention from behind. Assuming it was another rat, he hesitated for a moment before reacting, only to find a dagger dangerously close to his right temple. With a swift step back, he narrowly avoided the blade, watching it pass by his face in a tense moment.

Once he confirmed the dagger’s passage, his gaze fixed firmly on the figure before him. The dimness of the basement obscured Vulture’s view of the enemy. Unlike Sparrow, whose exceptional vision pierced even the faintest light to guide his eyesight, Vulture found himself at a disadvantage in such conditions.

Despite the limited visibility, Vulture sensed the formidable strength of his enemy, evident in the swift and precise attack aimed directly at his head. It was clear that this opponent posed a serious threat to his life. Vulture quickly deduced that this must be the individual responsible for killing Kisha’s bees, possessing an agility that even surpassed Sparrow’s.

Following his evasion of the dagger’s strike, Vulture sensed a sudden gust of wind from his left and swiftly raised his arm to intercept the attack. However, despite his efforts, he could not fully withstand the force behind it. Staggering several steps to the right, he felt the full impact of the blow.

He grimaced, realizing he might have sustained a couple of broken ribs from the steel-like force of the kick. Despite having relied on an earth armor to absorb the blow, it was not enough to fully mitigate the impact. His armor now lay pierced and crumbling, while he grunted through the pain.

The force of the impact forced a painful groan from Vulture’s lips, though he bit down hard to stifle any further sound. Yet, the assault persisted, with a barrage of strikes directed at his vital points, any one of which could incapacitate him or worse, end his life in an instant.

As the intense exchange of blows continued, Vulture began to sense a familiarity with the close combat style employed by his enemy. Strangely, he also noticed a subtle shift in the intensity of the enemy’s attacks, as if they, too, were experiencing a similar recognition. It was as though a mutual understanding had silently dawned between them.

After subjecting Vulture to several more punishing blows, the assailant abruptly ceased their onslaught, granting Vulture a moment to catch his breath. Sweat poured from him like rain, his breaths ragged from the relentless assault.

Before he could even collect his wits, the man’s voice, low and menacing, cut through the chilly air with a threat colder than their surroundings. “Who are you?!” he demanded.

Recognizing the familiar voice, Vulture choked back a gasp before exclaiming, “Ah!”

Hearing Vulture’s urgent cry from above, those lurking in the manhole abandoned all caution and swiftly emerged. ‘Vulture!’ they exclaimed in unison.

“Vu…Vulture?!” The man’s voice quivered slightly before pressing on. “Are you truly Vulture?”

Having caught his breath, Vulture nearly shouted the man’s name upon recognizing the familiar voice, though his voice came out a bit hoarse. Nonetheless, he still remembered who it belonged to. “Tristan?!”

Upon hearing Vulture call his name, he felt certain that the figure before him was indeed the familiar acquaintance he had hoped for. His tense muscles gradually relaxed, and he released a sigh of relief, feeling the dissipating grip of his bloodlust.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice a mixture of curiosity and concern. Then, as if a sudden realization struck him, his muscles tensed once more, and he leaned forward anxiously. “And what about Master?!” His eyes flashed with a hint of red, as if bracing for the worst possible outcome.