Chapter 81

  “What the hell is going on?” the leader of the group growled at Jake. “I knew we shouldn’t trust you! You’ve led us into a trap.”

  Jake ignored him, preparing to fight mutants who were materializing all over him and the survivors. Frank quickly looked away from Jake as he caught sight of another vertical tear appearing in a sudden burst of eerie light on the wall in front of him. As the opening widened, cwed hands emerged, followed by the visage of an ex-human leaper with a menag grin of jagged teeth. As the magical tear expanded even more, the mutant fully emerged from it, coiling up like a spring and ung itself toward Frank.

  Jake immediately realized the leader of the group wouldn’t be able to get out of harm’s way in time, so he lurched down the corridor to intercept the mutant. He rammed into it with great force, tag it to the ground and sshing at it with his cws, tearing open its throat. Dark blood freely poured from the nasty wound. The mutant was done for, so Jake stood up, leaving the ex-human to thrash about in its death throes on the floor.

  Frank watched Jake with a mix of surprise and gratitude on his face. Although he didn’t say anything, it was obvious what he was thinking. The group leader khat without Jake’s quiterception of the mutant, he would have been seriously hurt or even killed by now. Jake didn’t care about what Frank thought, though. He had only saved him because he khe more survivors remained alive, the better his ces of successfully pleting the tower climb challenge on time.

  In his expanded field of vision, Jake notiumerous rifts opening up on the walls with mutants emerging from them. More portals cracked open on the floor and even the ceiling. While the group of survivors had been bewildered at first, they got their shit together and quickly regrouped, showing their experien handling such situations. Watg the group e together, c all angles and taking out oant after another, Jake mentally praised himself for leading them into the building. Seeing how skilled they were in handling mutants oreet, he had realized they were experienced and could stay calm in tough situations. Even though they didn’t know what was happening in the building, their instincts kicked in, allowing them to quickly get themselves together. They fired in multiple dires, effitly taking out mutants in droves.

  After the first wave ended and a brief break began, Jake led them deeper into the eighth floor. Initially hesitant, the survivors seemed to collectively decide he was on their side and followed his lead. Upon disc a rge empty room, Jake decided it was their best option to make a stand. The survivors approved of his decision and positiohemselves at the room’s ter just as another wave enced, with magical rift gates appearing all around them on the walls, floor, and ceiling.

  As the mutants emerged from the portals, they dashed toward the survivathered at the ter of the vast room. Most of them were low-level walkers and leapers, posing hreat to the experienced survivors. When a powerful shambler or whipper appeared, they trated all their fire on it, defeating the threat within seds. When they were too busy dealing with weaker groups of mutants, Jake took it upon himself to deal with a formidable ex-human like a shambler or whipper, taking care of the threat even faster than his allies could.

  At some point, even more dangerous mutants started to appear—sshers. The survivors’ faces showed their ay, indig they had never faced such oppos before and didn’t know what to anticipate. The first ssher burst through a magical gateway in the ceiling. As soon as its form began to project from the opening, Jake reized it as a ssher and immediately extended swords from his wrists. The survivors exged apprehensive looks when they saw him do so. As soon as the ssher plummeted to the ground with a heavy thud, Jake charged toward it, delivering a series of powerful strikes at the dangerous mutant. In the middle of the a, he noticed the survivors watg him with amazement. They had never imagined he could move so quickly and unleash such devastating attacks. They were increasingly vihat he was far more dangerous than any other mutant.

  As soon as he dispatched the first ssher, Jake heard a pierg shriek from another one. He quickly turo see that it had just appeared from a portal. The formidable mutant immediately headed straight for the group of survivors at the ter of the room. Without hesitation, Jake sprioward the hreat and mao intercept the mutant before it could reach the survivors.

  Jake and the four people tio fight off wave after wave of mutants, with the group tag the weaker types while Jake took on the more formidable enemies like sshers and occasionally shamblers and whippers.

  After the floor was finally finished, Jake checked the status of the challenge.

  Tower Climb Progression

  Floors: 8/10

  Remaining Time: 1 hour, 11 minutes, 14 seds

  It had taken him about twenty to twenty-five mio guide the group to this point, but it was definitely worth it. They had cleared the eighth floor much more quickly than he could have on his own. He now felt optimistic about the rest of the challenge. If they could clear the remaining two floors a the boss on the roof just as smoothly, he would be able to plete the challenge on time.

  Unfortunately, what he didn’t take into at was what the survivors would think about it all. Frank, in particur, wasn’t happy about what was going on. He wasn’t pleased about the situation at all. After he was certain no more mutants were going to materialize, he spun around, gring at Jake and pointing his assault rifle at him.

  “I need an expnatiht fug now,” he growled. “Tell me what the hell is going on here, or I swear I’ll sptter your brains all over this room!”