Since Shane couldn't give his Mythic Items due to their Soulbound status, he had to think of something that would be very powerful and also strong…
After some thought, Shane decided to give Ibrahim one of his weapons.
Ibrahim was the leader of this expedition group.
He was only 22 years old but he was incredibly Talented. He was one of the best marksmen he had ever recruited.
Furthermore, Ibrahim only had level 5 Skills before. However, with constant training and battles, he was able to level them up and reach Level 9 or 10!
[ Self-Taught Marksman Lv10: A specialized skill that grants mastery over all forms of firearms, with a focus on precision and efficiency. It provides the following benefits:
+100% accuracy with all firearms
+75% range for long-range weapons like rifles
+100% critical hit chance on headshots or vital shots]
[ Hunter's Instincts Lv9: A specialized skill that enhances the user's awareness and ability to track and hunt down targets in any environment. It provides the following effects:
Predator's Sense: +80% boost to tracking efficiency and perception in the wild
Keen Eye: +80% chance to identify weak points in enemies
Stealth Mastery: +500% increase in stealth ability when hunting or ambushing. ]
Of course, Ibrahim also had other skills like Trained Gunslinger Reflexes, Quickdraw, Map Awareness, and others that would help him as a leader of the mission.
Then, with all of these abilities combined, Shane was confident that he would be strong enough to deal with the Zombie Lords together with the rest of the team.
After that, Shane turned his attention to Cloud.
"Cloud… Map the shortest route to Greenshade Valley. Help them arrange their approach and plot firing lines for the ambush."
[ Mapping initiated. Estimated arrival time: 32 to 42 minutes. Enemy movement projection is underway. ]
After confirming this, Shane handed over the Golden Revolver to Ibrahim who was approaching the vehicle that he would use.
The young marksman's eyes lit up… He already had an Exceptional Grade Rifle, so holding the Legendary Golden Revolver made him really excited...
He held the weapon reverently, knowing that this was more than just a gesture—it was trust…
He believed that Shane was truly aware of his talent.
"Ibrahim... Don't try to be a hero—lead like you've trained. You're not out there alone."
"I won't fail, sir," Ibrahim replied, sliding the revolver into the quick-draw holster at his hip.
Shane gave a final nod, then turned toward the rest of the soldiers that he had selected to join Ibrahim.
He wanted to give them a quick speech, but suddenly, the scouts called out reports.
"New horde is approaching from the east! Smoker Zombies is confirmed! Sirens too—repeat, Sirens in the mix!"
"Lickers incoming! At least three groups!"
The next Zombie Horde of the Eclipse Domain was coming…
Shane narrowed his eyes.
"No time to waste. Launch the strike force now. We'll hold the line here."
Soon, the Strike Force led by Ibrahim started moving… The two Titan-Class APCs, the Hellfire Gunner Truck, the Stormbreaker Tank-Hunter, and the ten Specter Recon Bikes surged out of the Eclipse Domain's main gates.
Their engines roared as dust sprayed behind them.
In the meantime, Shane stood atop the northern tower, watching the convoy vanish into the distance.
Then, behind him, the terrifying shriek of a Siren Zombie rang out.
Shane frowned at this as he swiftly gave his command.
"All defensive positions—prepare for Horde Containment Protocol! Let's kill them all!
Just like that, the horizon was soon filled with Zombies…
The Smoker Zombies, with their long fingers, launched some grappling moves toward walls…
They were blocked by the Barriers but it was already too weak at this point. Because of that, Shane wasn't really relying on its capability.
Licker Zombies, on the other hand, were incredibly fast, and they also crawled like spiders across the field… They easily leaped over the front barricades.
As for the Siren Zombies in the back, they just continued to use the piercing sonic wails, disrupting communication channels and momentarily jamming Cloud's radar.
Well, being this close, there was really no need for Cloud's radar.
Soon, the turrets activated.
It was followed by the Flamethrower Squadron as they started burning the Zombies trying to climb or destroy the wall.
"Let's not make them destroy the barrier…" Shane muttered as he leaped down into the battlefield himself, wielding his Meteor Greatsword…
Just about ten seconds after joining, Shane had already slashed a dozen Licker Zombies clean in half.
"Focus fire on the Sirens! Don't let them sync their shrieks!" He shouted.
Well, the Siren Zombies' sound attack wasn't easy to block. It would be great if their Snipers, Automated Turrets, and others would be able to kill them quickly…
Meanwhile, at Greenshade Valley.
"We're close…" Ibrahim muttered as he looked at their surroundings.
The Hellfire Gunner Truck came to a halt near a raised land overlooking the valley.
The terrain here was rocky and filled with black trees, ideal for an ambush. Ibrahim peered through the scope of a long-range smart rifle, checking the projected approach vectors that Cloud had fed into their HUDs.
"Get the turrets online. Plant land mines near the choke points. Recon Bikes, scatter—don't get seen." Ibrahim said as he gave them a series of orders.
Around him, soldiers moved quickly.
There was no need to ask questions as they all had the same plan…
Soon, the Hellfire's high-speed turret was locked in place. Then, on either side, its flamethrowers were already prepared and were just waiting for activation.
Ibrahim tapped his comm.
"Specters, report in." He said. Their Strike Force was called Specter, according to Shane. Because of that, he decided that the groups would be called Specter 1 to 7
"Specter-3 here. Eyes on Western Stream. No movement."
"Specter-7 here. Scouted the dry gorge. Clear."
"Specter-6—contact! We've got a group of Spitter Zombies crawling through the southern slope! They're trying to block the path!!
Ibrahim gently nodded as he already expected this much… He knew that getting into position and waiting for Asad's arrival wouldn't go so smoothly.
"Get ready for battle!"