The tension in her shoulders eased, just a fraction.

  The fear hadn't vanished, but it was now fully subdued by cold, hard reason.

  The zombie before her, trapped by the habits of its former life, was now a stationary target.

  “Hhhh… hhhh…”

  Her slight movements seemed to startle it again. A low growl rumbled in its throat. A crisp crack came from its unnaturally stiff neck as it struggled to lift its head, to turn toward the source of the scent.

  Without a moment’s hesitation!

  A cold glint flared in Pandora’s eyes!

  Her left hand shot out, her fingers digging into the zombie’s cold, stiff shoulder bone where it rested on the desk—so hard her fingertips threatened to sink into the rotten flesh!

  At the same time, the dagger in her right hand swept in a silver arc of lightning!

  Not aiming for the throat.

  The thought was clear. The collarbone and jaw were in the way; a single, fatal blow would be difficult there!

  The target was the temple!

  The weakest point of the skull, the one true kill-shot straight to the brain!

  The faint creak of a wooden board swaying in the wind drifted from outside, making the silence of the room even more absolute. In the frozen stillness, it felt as if all other sounds had been sucked away.

  Shunk!

  A sudden, muffled sound ripped through the dead air.

  The sharp, keen blade sank home without hesitation, piercing the target with unerring precision!

  The zombie’s skull, before the tempered edge of the fine blade, was like rotten wood, shattering on impact.

  The zombie’s body convulsed violently!

  The growl in its throat choked off, turning into a short, bizarre, “Eurgh—!”

  But Pandora didn't stop there.

  Gritting her teeth, she fought back the revulsion as she gripped the foul, slick flesh, the nausea threatening to overwhelm her. Her wrist twisted violently, and then she began to churn the blade with all her might!

  The sharp edge rampaged through the creature’s cranial cavity, whatever was in there, it was all being ground to paste!

  “Hhhggah…”

  The living corpse’s limbs, from violent spasms, went rigid.

  Then, it slumped into the chair, a pile of rotten meat, and moved no more.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Finally…

  “Haaa—”

  A faint, reddish mist, carrying the scent of rust, slowly seeped from the zombie’s seven orifices and pores.

  The mist, as if it possessed a life of its own, silently… and burrowed into Pandora’s body.

  In an instant, an indescribable warmth spread through her entire being.

  It felt… incredible!

  Like downing a large, icy soda on a sweltering summer day!

  The mental exhaustion from days of fleeing, planning, and blood loss was gently soothed and nourished by this power. A kind of overflowing sense of “power” began to flow through her veins.

  Pandora swayed on her feet, catching herself on the edge of the desk to stay upright.

  She subconsciously rubbed the flat of her thumb against the cold, gleaming blade, looking down at herself. Her limbs, stained with foul blood, were still trembling.

  But, who cared.

  She had succeeded!

  This was the first time she had truly, with her own hands, “ended” a zombie.

  Before, it had always been Elsa’s sharp blade that cut the path, her inhuman body that shouldered all the risk.

  But this time, even though luck had played a part, she hadn't relied on anyone. She hadn't flinched. Relying entirely on her own observation and judgment, her own courage and will, she had delivered the final blow to this walking corpse.

  Silence returned to the room once more.

  The moon hanging high in the sky had shifted slightly. Its blood-red glow bathed Pandora, as loving and gentle as a mother watching her child take its first steps.

  After several deep breaths, Pandora’s strength began to return.

  Only then did she realize, this was the first time she had fully and unharmedly absorbed the “Corpse-Red Mist” all by herself.

  Nourishment.

  The word branded itself into her mind with a depth it had never had before. It was an experience others couldn't understand. The feeling of exhilaration was so real, as satisfying as a starving person finally getting a full meal.

  She tried clenching her fist. Her knuckles popped. Her muscles felt tighter, stronger! Even her nerve responses seemed clearer!

  “So… that’s how it is…” she murmured, her voice so faint it was almost inaudible.

  On the journey with Elsa leading the way, the scattered red mist… she had never paid it much attention, aside from the very beginning. Elsa always took the lead, and her body absorbed the vast majority of the mist first. Pandora had simply dismissed it as a natural byproduct of killing zombies, even suspecting it might be harmful.

  But only now, as this strange “bounty” was unreservedly accepted by her own body, did she realize just how absurdly mistaken she previous understanding had been.

  This mist wasn't a byproduct at all. It was the very essence of power, the most primitive, most direct evolutionary nourishment this ruined world offered to its survivors.

  ‘Evolution’… yes, that was the right word for it…

  “Perhaps… I can be like Elsa, too?”

  The thought was like a pebble tossed into the deep waters of her heart, sending out ripples that refused to cease.

  Elsa was her sword and shield, her most reliable shadow in the darkness.

  But what if that sword was chipped and that shield shattered? What if the darkness consumed everything, and not even a shadow could be found?

  She had to have her own power.

  The power to survive when Elsa was not there. The power, one day, to meet any powerful existence… as an equal.

  The idea buried itself deep, like a seed waiting for the right moment to sprout.

  Then, Pandora closed her eyes, her consciousness sinking into the interface only she could “see,” the one that floated in the sea of her mind…

  “Extract Alchemical Elements.”

  The cold, emotionless prompt of the System sounded in her mind:

  【Please confirm extraction of Alchemical Elements?】

  “Confirm.”

  【Confirming… Extracting Alchemical Elements… Extraction successful!】

  【You have obtained:】

  【Flesh: 5 units】

  【Flora: 1 unit】

  【Salt-Gold: 5 units】

  【Ether: 1 unit】

  【Current Alchemical Element Pool totals:】

  【Flesh: 40 units】

  【Flora: 9 units】

  【Salt-Gold: 42 units】

  【Ether: 9 units】

  【Soul: 0 units】

  【Known Alchemical Templates: 0】

  The cold numbers were laid out in her consciousness.

  Pandora slowly opened her eyes.

  From the breakout at the manor until now, including this “scribe,” she had personally or indirectly dealt with seven or eight zombie corpses. The accumulated resources had already quietly surpassed the cost of “Alchemizing” Elsa.

  In theory, it was enough to “Alchemize” another being of equal, or even greater, strength.

  But she had no intention of doing so.