Hakeem stood face to face with Antonio and his gang. Although he came to help, he noticed that his appearance wasn’t actually welcome by these people. He didn’t let his guard down as the grip on his mallet only tightened.

 

“Who are you? Are you with the Raptor Boys?” Antonio asked as the sword pointed directly at Hakeem.

 

“Raptor Boys? You mean the Toronto basketball team?” Hakeem asked as he was pretty curious about that name.

 

“What the fuck are you talking about? Boss, he’s making fun of you,” said one of the goon at the back.

 

“Shut up,” Antonio said. Even if Hakeem was making fun of him, Antonio wouldn’t dare take this man lightly. For a single person to carved a path against a horde of zombies without any help was enough evidence to show that Hakeem was no weak character.

 

Antonio only grew weary about Hakeem, not knowing the intention of Hakeem. In his mind, the good intention was only a cover for a hidden motive.

 

“Are you with a gang?” Antonio asked.

 

“No,” Hakeem said as he finally understood of they meant. “You don’t have to worry, I’m really here to help.”

 

Hakeem’s words didn’t really ease the tense situation even more so with the constant snarling and growling sounds of the noisy zombies down below.

 

“Do you come alone? How did you know this place?” Antonio asked.

 

Hakeem didn’t say a word as he knew to mind his mouth. The prolonged silence between them agitated Antonio and his gang.

 

“Answer me!” Antonio shouted.

 

But then one of his goons at the back started screaming.

 

“Argh! Boss,” everyone turned around and saw the goon being dragged down under. Before the goon disappeared into the darkness within the sea of zombies, one of the other goons came and grabbed him by the arm.

 

The camaraderie goon was trying his earnest in saving the life of his brother in crime. This good-nature goon turned his head to the side with his eyes begging for help.

 

“Give me a hand!” the goon said.

 

But none take action as they only stared at the helpless situation.

 

“Boss!” the goon called out to Antonio.

 

Yet the boss didn’t budge at all as his eyes were sight at Hakeem.

 

Hakeem on the other hand gritted his teeth as he rushed towards them. But Antonio blocked Hakeem’s path enraging the man.

 

“Stop!” Antonio said.

 

“What are you doing? Your friend needs help,” said Hakeem.

 

Antonio still didn’t budge and his hesitation paid a cost.

 

“Argh,” the good goon lost his strength as the zombies took him along as what left of him was only his scream.

 

In the end, two of Antonio’s gang members were lost pushing Antonio’s gang to a more dire situation.

 

“Look at what you did,” said Hakeem. He glared at Antonio. He came to help and yet this man abandoned his own comrade.

 

“I don’t know who you are but you better fuck off, we don’t need any of your help,” said Antonio.

 

Antonio raised his sword with both of his hands as the blade started to glow in a reddish light.

 

Hakeem didn’t understand what was going on. Things went downhill pretty fast considering he was here to help.

 

“are you mad? You…” Hakeem’s voice trailed off as a loud snarl echoed within this abandoned factory.

 

The loud snarl went on and on creeping into the heart of those who were still living.

 

“What was that?” said one of the remaining goons.

 

BOOM!

 

Everyone turned their heads towards the darkness. The loud bang of something metallic caught their attention. Then another snarl echoed even louder followed by the continuous banging of metal and metal.

 

“Shine the light over there,” said Antonio. One of the goons shone a light over at the source of the sound.

 

The moment he did so, everything felt goosebumps all over their bodies.

 

A pale humanoid creature was at the far end of the light. Those soulless black eyes stared at the source of light.

 

“Raaaa!” it screamed, deafening the ears of those who still live.

 

“The heck is that?” said one the goons.

 

“Trouble,” Hakeem said as his heart was beating even faster.

 

The pale humanoid rushed towards them as its bulking body along with its gigantic arms crashing against the metal pipes and the wall. It was still far but it was shortening the distance by the second.

 

“Boss, what do we do?” the goon asked.

 

Antonio had a bad feeling about this. He thought his plan was perfect, all in order to become stronger he let the rival gang took control of this place hoping to ramp up the number of zombies for the precious experience to level up. But he didn’t expect to meet such an abomination.

 

Antonio looked around trying to find a way for retreat. But standing on top of this piece of machinery surrounded by a bunch of zombies, a way out seemed non-existence.

 

“We need to fight it together,” said Hakeem as his eyes didn’t leave the sight of the incoming bulking huge zombie.

 

Antonio looked back at Hakeem the man holding a blunt weapon and shield. He looked carefully at Hakeem and noticed he was wearing some kind of protective gear around his forearms and his torso.

 

With no way out, he no longer had any choice but for a team-up.

 

“You take the front, I’ll take it by the flank,” said Antonio.

 

Hakeem didn’t like of he was ordered by Antonio but him taking the front was the better choice as he was perfect for the vanguard position.

 

“You, keep killing these zombies by the head and you, maintain that light over at that fucking thing,” said Antonio giving his orders to what left of his gang.

 

The bulking pale humanoid with black eyes came nearer and as these people watched, they noticed the magnitude of the size of this creature when the distance was just a few meters away.

 

“What in the hell,” said Hakeem as beads of sweat trailed down his temple.

 

He was stunned seeing it up close. Although he had seen that humongous tree fought by Jason by the port, this pale humanoid didn’t pale in comparison.

 

Its height reaching three meters with its bulking body wider and denser in appearance. The striking muscularity of this creature only magnifies the horrifying presence of this creature. Couple with the black eyes along with its disproportionate gigantic arms, it was enough to tell Hakeem, that this was the boss of this particular zombie infestation.

 

The intense rotting smell only cemented the fact that this abomination was indeed a zombie.

 

“It’s coming!” Hakeem alerted the rest of them.

 

The zombie abomination saw and smelled its prey sitting like ducks on top of the machinery. It clenched its gigantic smelly fist and threw a raging punch from a distance.

 

Hakeem saw the incoming attack but he could only watch as he didn’t know what else to do other than to put the shield right in front of his body. Being on higher ground had its perks but for close combatants going up against a monstrous creature like this only proved to be a fatal mistake.

 

The fist came crashing at the grouping zombie, the zombie abomination didn’t care for its rotting companion as all of them turned into mush upon contact.

 

BOOM!

 

The fist struck right at the machinery flinging it up in the air just from the sheer force behind it. Hakeem and Antonio’s gang felt the brunt of the attack, helpless as they were flung in the air.

 

Hakeem tried to balanced himself in the air but it was far too late as he slammed over the wall. He dropped back on the floor with his shield still at the front. It was painful but bearable.

 

He stood up with his mallet on the right and shield on his left. It wasn’t time for him to stay down and careless. The only way to survive was to stand tall.

 

Yet the scream of agony caught his attention.

 

“Ahhhh!”

 

Screams of people nearing death echoed in the darkness as Hakeem could imagine the sight of the goon being torn apart by these flesh-hungry zombies.

 

Hakeem protected himself as he swung his mallet and shield striking down those zombies who came at him. Every time he downed one of them, more kept on coming back. At times he noticed the increase in his level, but there was no time for celebration.

 

He gripped tight on the mallet as he struck it right on the floor.

 

“Shock Smash!” Hakeem said.

 

Electrifying bluish lightning spread in an area as his skill knocked back any zombies neared him while dealing lightning-based damage. Some burnt into crisp while some still moving partially.

 

As he thought he was in the clear, he let his guard down as a huge fist came rushing at him from within the far end of the darkness.

 

“Garrrr,” a fist accompanied by a disgusting snarl.

 

It was a split-second moment and Hakeem managed to raise up his shield. The fist slammed right at the shield as a loud bang exploded. He was knocked back and crashed against the wall by the sheer strength of this zombie abomination.

 

As dust went up the air, blocking whatever that was still visible, Hakeem opened his eyes as he realized that he was still living and breathing. Then he noticed the green light enveloping him. It was like a symbol as he knew who it was. Then he heard Jason's voice.

 

“Come on man, you said you want to handle the boss alone,” said Jason as he appeared from the side with his hand resting on Hakeem’s shoulder.

 

“Shut up and help me out,” said Hakeem with a smirk.

 

“You’re still taking the lead, I’m just going to assist,” said Jason as his eyes stared at the sight of the gigantic zombie abomination. His eyes met those black soulless eyes as he said.

 

“Time for round two.”