There were two things to consider. What Lex could use and what he couldn't.

Understanding the situation at hand.

It was likely that the only person who can bring out the most strength here… was the one who knew how to use their powers even under the use of a Limiter.

Among them, Lex was the second best at using these powers to their full extent.

Everyone was capable of doing what he could do, but there would be no zombies to fight if everyone was perfect. Normal citizens were simply bad at utilisation.

Thus, their current corrupted state.

Truthfully, Lex shouldn't have held back against these zombies whatsoever.

After all, they could never be saved.

'The Corrupted' was a term used not for a person's magical energy changing, but their own story. It was the culmination of research that finally cracked the mystery.

What were the corrupted?

It had already been shown that they weren't classified as 'evil entities'. They couldn't even be classed as 'spiritual entities'. If they were that, then Holy Water should have an effect on them.

This put many researchers in a dilemma over the years. Unable to understand it.

Normally, those who touched Death Force would naturally grow closer to death.

Meaning: They would simply die.

Their vitality would wither. Their body becoming diseased. Age a lot faster.

If that's what should happen, then why did the corrupted exist in this world?

Shouldn't they simply die?

It was only found out later that this was not a 'natural phenomenon', but a 'magic effect'. Death Force seemed to have a similar way of warping reality too.

They were simply unaware of the recipe to turn Death Force into 'Mana' or 'Qi'.

The moment they did, the tables would turn. They could fight on even ground.

So… what did this have to do with anyone's 'story'? Wasn't this all magic?

That's where things became difficult.

People were always influenced by the principles of magic. They were Life Force (Mana) combined with story (Attribute) to create life. Magic derived from that.

On the other hand, the corrupted were filled Death Force and easily fell into the story of 'Undead'. The opposite of death similar to truly 'Alive' organisms.

All that was just to say that since they were a dead organism being moved by Death Force, he didn't need to hold back his fists. Doing so was only harmful.

He needed to steel his heart to fight.

'I have to do it.' Lex was filled with deep negative emotions. His mom just died.

And now here he was, having to fight zombies instead of tending to her funeral.

He briefly separated from Mr and Mrs Dune, then struck the nearest zombie.

It was a telegraphed swing. Lex put power into it without self-preservation.

Even if he threw it with the intention to kill, this kind of punch would break his hand. The bones would shatter from putting too much force into it.

After all, human hands weren't made for boxing. While boxing was never made to kill people. Even professional boxers had to control their weight to throw a punch.

Wasn't he being suicidal?

That would be true if he wasn't experienced in using the Limiter's 'Harden' technique. Able to make the tensing of the muscles more durable.

Clenching his fist hardened the muscles around his hand. Focusing on the impact.

An unsuspecting zombie was struck.

"!!!" It screamed like a banshee. The sound of a spine snapping resounded.

It flopped to the ground powerlessly at that moment, then got stepped on.

Lex made himself stand out.

"Tia Vulcan, I'll distract these guys so you can go all-out!" His loud voice simultaneously taunted the zombies around him, and got the girl to act fast.

The brown haired girl using martial arts felt the burden on her decreasing.

Seeing that someone really helped.

From where she stood, Lex turned into a myriad of illusions while he was fighting.

Misdirecting attacks while throwing deadly attacks to those unsuspecting.

He seemed most suited for crowd fights.

The exact opposite of her.

"H-Help!" Her eyes turned towards a couple who he seemed to bring with him.

Since most the zombies were focused on the constantly taunting guy from before.

Tia saw the look in Lex's eyes.

Trusting her.

She realised he wanted her to live up to her fame. The best student at practicals.

The only person here who could bring out the last and final power of a Limiter.

While the couple were trying to defend themselves, Tia focused on her hand.

Her friend covering for her from behind.

She wasn't able to use advanced illusionary techniques like Lex, but she was able to access a power a step closer to 'Magic'. Also known as spiritual power.

Limiters were able to force a limited amount of power by turning Life Force into 'Data'. That loose 'Data' would then be funnelled into four categories.

Physical Data was the basis of using Limiters to 'Harden' flesh. It was the most basic use that anyone could access with a little training. They just had to train.

Cultivate this ability every day.

Mental and Emotional Data were the two types beyond that. Able to alter a person's concentration and able to express these ideas outward into reality.

Advanced users could even use illusions and one-way telepathy to some extent.

Similar to what Lex was doing now.

Then came someone like Tia.

"My hand is a gun… Handgun… My hand is a gun with bullets… Cartridge…" Her voice started to come out fast. Mumbling a lot of different thoughts and vision.

She started to focus Spiritual Data into her hand, then moulded it into a gun.

Her hand became that gun.

When she was finished, she pointed the ends of her two fingers at the zombies.

A killer look in her blue eyes.

"Bang." She said in an exaggerated tone of intimidation. A light flashed briefly.

The head of a zombie nearby the couple was shot through, and so were the others. Tia kept 'Moulding' more bullets before shooting the corrupted dead.

It was like she hunted beasts with a gun.

The difference being that if it wasn't for Alex continuing to make himself a nuisance to them, she wouldn't be able to hold this stance and shoot them down.

The tides started to turn.

Behind Tia, the girl called Bella started to increase the pace to make them mobile.

Tia took it one step at a time. She moved as slow as walking while keeping her stance. Getting closer to the couple while helping Lex… by continuing her barrage.

Eventually, she stopped and picked up the woman while Bella held the man.

"Let's go!" Tia called out to Lex, who she was happy to get acquainted with later.

More zombies had found them.

"Hah… Hah…" Lex was sweating buckets while trying his best to keep going.

Their overall stamina was dwindling.

He had no time to ask them why they were outside school grounds right now.

All he could do was help them escape.

"There!" Lex pointed towards the school gates being protected by students.

The teachers also being involved.

Everyone abided protocol and locked their Limiters, so this was their best.

Only being able to use technology and tactics to keep the zombies outside.

They were almost there!

'A little more… Only a little bit more!' Lex started to become even more desperate.

All their lives were on the line here.

He started to calm down when less and less corrupted were able to keep up.

His mind was at ease, but…

'Something is wrong here.' His heart started to grow anxious at this point.

When he looked around, he saw the furthest zombie and focused his eyes.

Altering his Mental Data to sharpen and clarify the information going into them.

He saw that the zombie wasn't acting tired, but seemed to be looking fearful.

The direction it looked was…

'Up?' Lex thought in confusion while raising his head. His eyes had widened.

A sudden burst of strength flowed through his body. He forced himself closer to the two girls he saved. They were still holding Mr and Mrs Dune.

Bringing out the best of their physical abilities at this moment to save them.

His open hand struck their backs and pushed them further towards the school.

They looked at him confusedly after being thrown into the gap of the gates.

Both the students holding the gates open from the inside, and the duo he saved, all looked at him confusedly. However, he had no time to explain his actions.

He grabbed the gate's ends and forced it to shut. Locking it from the outside.

"What are you doing?!" Tia couldn't understand his sudden insane actions.

"Sorry… Keep those two safe. I'll take care of this." Lex rolled up his sleeves.

"Take care of wha-?" BANG!

A figure dropped from the sky and landed behind Lex. Emitting strong Death Force.

He was all alone now, so Lex couldn't use his Illusionary Steps to their full power.

Escaping wouldn't be easy…

In front of him appeared red zombie with a hood. This was a well-known evolution.

"A 'Named'?!" This time it was Bella behind Tia who was looking in surprise.

"Err… What's a Named again?" Tia asked with embarrassment, but there's no time.

Lex had to leave now.

The red hooded zombie had a cloak. Able to fully transform and be manipulated.

Sickles attacked to the end of spider-like legs appeared. They struck towards him.

'Harden!' Lex gave up on being able to see colour and tensed his muscles.

He barely dodged by holding onto the closest socks and letting himself move.

Being pushed back far by the initial impact. It made the rest of them useless.

However, this was just beginning…

"Don't come!" Lex didn't have to look.

The sound of the gate creaking a little open was clear. He couldn't allow this.

Mr and Mrs Dune wouldn't survive.

For the first time, the entire school could only look at him. The commotion attracting the students who were all on high alert. They were what was outside.

They felt fear instantly.

Knowing the difference between a regular zombie and Named. It was a world apart.

They couldn't fight it in their current state. Miasma was still surrounding them.

If they unlocked their Limiters, they were only asking to die from the corruption.

Many of the growing Heroes couldn't bring themselves to make the sacrifice.

They saw Lex defend himself, and how even after using Harden to grasp one of the sickle blades, he was still cut by them deeply. A cut started to bleed on him.

It wasn't that deep, but it looked bad.

Many were thinking of grabbing a weapon and helping, only to then hear him.

Telling them to not come.

For the first time, they found themselves being protected by someone weaker.

Lex had a bad reputation, but it was still a sort of fame being known by everyone…

…as the weakest in the entire school.

The only 'U Tier' Cadet.

However, it was this same person who showed a unbending-like back to them.

Standing tall like a mountain.

As straight as a sword.

Bravely facing off an incarnation of death to save the people here. Protecting them.

The eerie Named lifted the spider-legs with sickles attached to their end.

It tried attacking again.

"Take this!" One of the students threw something over the gate of the school.

The only help he could get at this point.

What could it be?

A sword? Cane? Staff? Gun? Anything would help in order to even the odds.

He looked up to see a red object.

'Wait…' Lex was surprised to see they managed to throw a fire extinguisher.

Anyone would find it disappointing.

The choice was in the spur of the moment, but how could THAT save him?

However, Lex thought the opposite.

He leapt up and kicked the fire extinguisher at the Named zombie.

It bounced off the readied legs and back to him. Momentarily causing some chaos.

The zombie made too many weak legs.

Seeing how this happened, the Named corrupted once again created them.

Many sucked in a cold stream of air.

One massive scythe had been formed from the sickles. It was bigger than the Named corrupted itself. Looking like it could bisect him regardless of tricks.

Lex held his only weapon: A random fire extinguisher without any special traits.

It was simply what it looked like.

No special magical properties.

Regardless, Lex opened the nozzle and started to spray it into the Miasma.

A cloud of water was temporarily made.

The red hooded Named corrupted swung the giant scythe. Cutting through his figure. Screams of the female students who watched him be ripped apart was heard. The attack way too brutal.

"That all you got!" However, Lex was still alive enough to shout at full vocal power.

Annoying the wicked creature.

The red hooded Dark Muse found that the target was using the mist to hide himself.

Moreover, there was this strange and disorienting blur making him harder to see. The zombie didn't know that Lex was combining the mist with Illusionary Step.

It wouldn't work for long, and his general location was still really easy to find.

Lex chose to move away from the school.

He had no idea where he was going or where he'd end up, but he chose this.

To be the Hero his mother wanted him to be. Save people even if he'd lose his life.

He became a real Hero at that moment.