THE ZOMBIE SYSTEM-Chapter 17: The Comeback Fight

The Dungeon's Final Challenge

Leon exhaled, gripping his mana gun tightly. The Dungeon Warlord's corpse was still smoldering, the aftermath of the Elite Undead Sorcerer's Mana Explosion leaving the chamber coated in dust and burnt stone.

But the dungeon wasn't done with him yet.

A deep tremor ran through the ground. The air vibrated with something unnatural. From the far end of the chamber, a massive stone altar split apart, revealing a hidden compartment beneath it.

A single System Notification appeared before Leon's eyes:

[Warning: Core Guardian Activation Detected.]

Leon's fingers tensed on his gun's grip.

From the shadows of the altar, something began to rise.

The Final Obstacle – The Dungeon's Guardian

A statue-like figure stepped forward, its body carved from ancient stone but reinforced with veins of glowing blue mana. Unlike the goblins, this creature wasn't alive—it was a construct.

A sentient guardian, built purely to defend the dungeon's core.

Its head tilted slightly, and in an instant, its arms shifted, forming two massive bladed weapons, each one humming with deadly mana.

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[System Notification: Dungeon Core Guardian – E+ Rank Detected]

Leon's breath slowed.

It's stronger than the Warlord.

The Guardian moved first.

It vanished from sight, and in the next instant, Leon's instincts screamed.

He barely dodged in time as a mana-infused blade cleaved through the air, cutting through the spot where his head had been just a second ago.

The ground behind him shattered from the force of the strike.

Leon rolled, gun already raised, and fired a triple burst of mana bullets.

The shots slammed into the Guardian's chest—

And bounced off.

Leon's eyes widened.

Magic immunity?!

The Fight Turns Dire

The Elite Undead Sorcerer attacked next, releasing a charged Mana Explosion, sending a swirling vortex of destruction toward the Guardian.

The blast engulfed the enemy, energy crackling as the dungeon shook—

But as the smoke cleared, the Guardian emerged completely unharmed.

Leon's stomach tightened.

This thing wasn't just tanky—it completely resisted magic.

His Warrior Zombie lunged next, greatsword flashing down—

Only for the Guardian to parry effortlessly, countering with a devastating backhand strike.

The Warrior Zombie crashed into the dungeon wall, armor dented, cracks spreading across its body.

Leon cursed under his breath.

If magic doesn't work, and my summons can't overpower it...

He clenched his teeth. That means I have to do it myself.

New System Unlock – Gun Upgrade System

As he sprinted across the battlefield, dodging another slicing arc from the Guardian's blades, a new System Notification flashed.

[New Feature Unlocked: Weapon Augmentation – Enhance your weapon using undead mana.]

Leon's eyes narrowed.

Undead mana?

He didn't have time to question it.

The Guardian attacked again, blade ripping through the air, forcing Leon to dodge-roll backward.

He had one chance.

His hand shot out, channeling his undead energy into his gun.

For a split second, the firearm shuddered, mana circuits expanding, the engravings along its frame glowing with dark light.

Leon raised it—and fired.

The first bullet left the barrel with a dark pulse, hitting the Guardian directly in its core.

For the first time, the Guardian staggered.

Leon's lips curled. Bingo.

Dungeon Cleared

"Hit it again!"

His Elite Undead Sorcerer shifted, hurling another Mana Explosion—not directly at the Guardian, but at the ground beneath it.

The floor ruptured, throwing the Guardian off balance.

Leon moved fast, sprinting forward, loading another undead-infused bullet.

As the Guardian struggled to stabilize, Leon leapt forward—

And fired one last shot straight into its exposed core.

The bullet pierced through, the Guardian's mana conduits shattering from the impact.

For a moment, it froze.

Then—it collapsed.

The dungeon trembled one last time, and then fell silent.

A final System Notification appeared.

[Dungeon Cleared – Guardian Defeated]

Leon stood over the wreckage, exhaling deeply.

He holstered his gun.

Finally.

Loot & Growth

Leon received his rewards:

[Undead Reinforcement – Temporarily boost a zombie's power in battle.] [Gun Upgrade Material – Allows further customization of mana bullets.]

Then, another System Notification appeared.

[Status and Growth Tracking Unlocked – View Personal Level, Stats, and Evolution Paths.]

Leon opened his newly unlocked status screen, scanning his level and abilities for the first time.

Name: Leon DrayvenClass: Zombie LordLevel: 8Abilities:

Tactical AI Mode (Zombies can act independently) Undead Reinforcement (Temporarily boost zombie power) Weapon Augmentation (Enhance weapons with undead mana)

Leon's gaze lingered on his level.

He had been fighting blind, relying purely on instinct.

Now, with the status screen available, he could actively track his progress and strategize.

The path ahead had never been clearer.

Moving Forward

The dungeon's exit shimmered before him, signaling his departure.

Leon adjusted his gun, glancing back at his undead.

His Elite Undead Sorcerer's mana burned even brighter. His Warrior Zombie's armor, once fractured, had begun regenerating.

He wasn't just getting stronger.

His army was evolving with him.

As he stepped through the dungeon's exit, a single thought rang through his mind.

He needed more. More dungeons. More fights. More upgrades.

The world had no idea what was coming next.