Chapter 332: Resistance in Flesh

Drive the sharply honed stone blade into the villain's open mouth.

The sword he held was terribly dull.

The sensation of cutting through living flesh triggered intense physiological revulsion in Dogbite Lian’er.

‘Gh—buhh!’

Understanding that the blade had reached deep into his throat from the resistance, Dogbite Lian’er pushed the sword further in.

Clenching his molars so tightly they felt like they’d split, he repeated over and over in his mind: "This is justice, this is justice—I am carrying out justice."

"Ku... ta... ba... re..."

"Ga... go... bo..."

Meeting Hama’s eyes, a sharp pain shot through the back of his nose.

The same sensation that comes when emotions spill over and tears well up.

His fingers trembled. Even now, a creeping fear arose—what if everything, after all, was wrong?

Compared to this discomfort, killing a 'zombie' was no different than abusing a doll.

Humans possess the ability to empathize.

The power to feel another's pain as if it were one's own.

Since the one inflicting the pain is none other than oneself, ordinary people like dogs biting can only become intoxicated by blood.

'G-go... ho...'

For a moment, Hamada Kensuke furrowed his brow.

Through the sword touching the dog-bite's body, he strangely felt he understood his emotions.

――Well well. I can't just let myself die either, so I suppose this is unavoidable.

Then Kensuke sharply pulled his upper body back, falling backward from his spine and using his right leg as a support pole to hurl the dog-bite's body straight behind him.

"―!?!"

For a moment, he couldn't even figure out what had just happened.

The dog-bite, caught in what could be called a "sasae-tsurikomi-ashi" throw in judo, was flipped backward from the front door of a single-family home, crashing hard against the hallway wall.

He had reflexively dropped his sword, but recovered quickly. "Leather"-type gear was designed to be flexible yet strong, perfectly suited for grappling. In fact, that was exactly what the opponent wanted.

"Come on!"

As he rose to his feet, shouting those words—

—Shit... Lian'er! Behind you!

Turning toward Guangyin's warning,

『VAAAAAAGH!』

About four 'zombies' that had been hiding indoors suddenly lunged out, grabbing both shoulders of Inuyuki.

"Ah!?"

Inuyuki screamed, overwhelmed by a situation so abrupt it wouldn't even be found in a jump-scare horror movie.

Struggling to free himself, Inuyuki couldn't stop the "zombie" biting into his right calf and shoulder.

Had he been wearing the "Silver" armor, this wouldn't have happened—but his current "Leather" armor proved his undoing.

Though the "zombie's" filthy teeth failed to pierce the leather armor... its powerful bite crushed his body like a vise.

「ぐ、がああああああああああああああああああああああああああああああッ！」

目を剥き、悲鳴を上げる。

視界がちかちかするほどの痛みに、今度こそ犬咬は狂乱状態に陥った。

空いた左足で”ゾンビ”を一匹、蹴り飛ばすが、連中のしつこさはわかっている。

四匹の”ゾンビ”はそれぞれ犬咬の身体をまさぐり、それぞれの力で彼を引き裂こうとした。

It’s been a while since I remembered just how terrifying these dogs truly are.

The days I hid in a small convenience store underground, terrified of them.

――Oh no, oh no, oh no... In times like this... um, well, um, well!

Kouin is floundering, just like a useless cat-shaped robot.

"Use the scapegoat!"

That’s the voice of Shichireiran.

――That’s right, that’s it!

At the same time, a goat-shaped wooden doll appeared before Renri’s eyes.

—Throw it somewhere!

With the desperate resolve of someone clutching at straws, Inukai grabbed the object floating in midair and hurled it toward the back of a single-family house, where the living room was located.

Immediately, the "zombies" that had been fixated on him suddenly shifted their attention like obedient dogs and staggered away in that direction.

"T-thank goodness..."

You're not serious about that! Hama-da!

Receiving the scolding, Inu Kiba scans the surroundings.

All around, there's only a blood-soaked stone sword lying on the ground—no sign of him anywhere.

Perhaps the "zombies" fled to avoid a three-way confrontation, since they attack even the "Hungered."

Looking outside through the open front door, he sees Ran administering a healing spell to Nana-mi, who is severely injured.

Dog Bite followed suit, healing the injured area as he went.

"...Hamaoka, you damn Hamaoka, where the hell did you go!?"

Showing up as a backup and letting them get away.

Though feeling uneasy inside, Lan shook her head back and forth and pointed to the hole in front of the house.

It seems they used their usual ability to create a hole in the floor and escaped through it.

Are you okay?... Are you hurt?

Yes

She, with her Kansai dialect, was completely dejected.

The other girl seemed to have lost consciousness.

"Then, I'll go after Hamada."

"Yeah... wait! Uh, but!"

Ran suddenly shouted out,

"There's also that 'Nameless' person over there. It might be dangerous."

"Dangerous?"

He tilted his head.

"She's a teammate, isn't she?"

The memory of her once getting punched by that girl flashed through his mind.

And then, that dishonorable remark—“pervert.”

"Yeah. I think it's about time the anonymous guy... uses his *Fatal Sword*... that's what I'm thinking..."