The next day, after the message from the System, informing them of the global event, the sky turned dark...

The sun was blocked as if it were informing them that Vampires had arrived...

Then, the notification had barely faded when the alarm bells rang across Draconic Fort.

Phase One had begun!

"Everyone! Get ready!" Tris shouted as he brushed off the notification.

Every Survivor received the notification, and as expected, the fortress immediately moved.

Soldiers rushed to their posts, healers prepared their medical tools, and commanders gave orders to reinforce the walls.

Outside the gates, the five mecha remained hidden, cloaked by barriers that made them appear like mounds of stone.

They were Shane’s trump card, reserved for later when the enemy’s strength escalated. For now, they would wait.

Soon, the first path of enemies emerged from the horizon...

At first, the islanders thought they were ordinary zombies.

But as the lights revealed their forms, shock rippled through the defenders.

These were not the Sea‑Type zombies they were used to, nor the simple Crawlers, Walkers, and Runners that plagued the island.

These were new Zombies indeed!

They saw Jumper Zombies that leapt across the land with unnatural agility... They were scaling rocks and walls with terrifying speed!

Perhaps, their traps wouldn’t work well against them.

Then, there were Flasher Zombies that could emit bursts of blinding light and disorient the unsuspecting Survivor. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

There were also the Screamer Zombies. According to Shane, their cries could rattle bones and affect their minds.

They had to be careful. Then, there were also the Brutes and Crushers slowly moving forward while protecting a specific type of Zombies behind them.

"They’re here..." Tris muttered as he saw the group of green and round zombies being encircled by Brutes and Crushers.

Apparently, they were the Spitter Zombies, bloated creatures that spewed acid in arcs across the sky.

"Acid spit... We have to treat them like the Toxic Dragonoids! We can’t be complacent! Just remember that they explode after death!" Caesar reminded.

This was all the information they had obtained from Shane.

A few months ago, they didn’t really care about the other Zombie Types since their island was small. They were only encountering five or so types of Zombies because of it.

But now, their outlook had changed. They knew that they really had to continue doing their research about Zombies.

Then, behind them, vampire thralls marched in formation.

"And those are the Vampires? They looked nasty." Nika muttered as she expected the Vampires to be a bit more bearable to look at.

However, these vampires looked like monsters with large mouths, dangling tongues, and long, sharp, yellowed teeth. Their bodies even seemed as if they were about to wither at any time.

Nika wrinkled her nose. "Ugh... that’s disappointing. I thought vampires were supposed to be alluring, not... whatever this is."

Garron snorted. "What kind of vampire movies have you been watching? You expected pale nobles in fancy coats?"

Nika shrugged. "Well, yes! Dark suits, elegant dresses, maybe a castle backdrop. You know, the whole Victorian vibe. These things look like failed experiments."

Pascal laughed, shaking his head. "Don’t worry... Those aren’t real vampires, Nika. They’re thralls. Cannon fodder. The real ones are probably hiding behind them, waiting to strike."

Tris smiled, seeing that his commanders were relaxed in front of these enemies.

He liked their confidence, and he didn’t mind this lighthearted conversation.

"So you’re saying the real vampires are stylish? Human‑like? Wearing silk gloves and sipping blood from... maybe crystal goblets?"

"Exactly!" Nika shot back, though she seemed to be teasing already.

"Anyway, that’s what makes them terrifying... Vampires should blend in, since they seduce, they manipulate. These... these look like zombies with dental problems."

"Dental problems?"

Caesar chuckled as he liked that description a lot. "Well, whether they’re elegant or ugly, they’ll still rip your throat out if you’re not careful. Don’t let appearances fool you."

Hannah smirked. "At least they have lighter skin color. That’s something, right? Maybe they’re trying to keep up appearances."

The group laughed as the tension had truly eased this time.

"Fine," Nika muttered, rolling her eyes. "But I’m telling you, if a vampire lord shows up in a top hat and cape, I’m not fighting him. I’ll just applaud the fashion sense."

"Ha! You’ll fight him," Garron said while gripping his axe. "And you’ll thank Shane for selling us silver weapons when you do."

In any case, their short conversation didn’t last that long as the enemies got closer.

Soon, they also noticed that these thralls do not carry weapons. So they should only be worried about long nails like claws and sharp fangs instead.

Still, Tris and his commanders couldn’t help but compare the Thralls to some enemies they’ve encountered in the other realm.

"They’re probably comparable to those Berserk Dragonkins," Nika whispered as she felt the same aura from them.

"Alright... Let’s get serious." Tris ordered. "We’ve trained for this. Hold the walls!"

***

The defenders of Draconic Fort, strengthened by draconic blood, roared to show their readiness...

These soldiers’ bodies were bulkier. Their strength had been enhanced and became even sharper. Soon, they lined the ramparts with their weapons drawn.

Then, Shane’s Warden Units moved.

The robotic soldiers marched in unison... Their cloaks even fluttered as they took positions atop the walls. They seemed just like any other elite ranger unit.

Apparently, each carried a crossbow or sword instead of rifles since they had limited bullets anyway.

They couldn’t waste them on weaker enemies.

Still, unlike the human defenders, they felt no fear or hesitation.

In short, the acid spit, shrieks, and blinding flashes from the Zombies meant nothing to them. They were machines built for war.

The first clash came swiftly.

After the traps were exhausted, the Jumper Zombies launched themselves at the walls!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Claws scraped the stone as they prepared for another jump...

However, the Warden Units raised their crossbows and fired!

Swoosh! Swoosh!

In just a few moments, numerous bolts pierced the skulls of the Jumpers.

Then, the machines moved in perfect rhythm, reloading and firing without pause.

At the same time, Flasher Zombies burst with light!

This light blinded most of the defenders on the walls but the robotic soldiers were unaffected!

"Sunglasses are a must when dealing with these creatures!"

"Hurry! Wear them!"

Human defenders staggered as the glare hit them... However, the Warden Units didn’t care as they continued firing.

Nonetheless, the Screamer Zombies unleashed their cries, shaking the ramparts.

Some soldiers faltered, clutching their ears, but the Warden Units just started, cutting down the Zombies climbing up from the pile of bodies below them...

Even shrieking monsters could not harm them.

"Ahhh! Annoying! I’m just surprised!"

"Urgh! Now I know how they attack. I’m not going to make the same mistake!"

"Those screams aren’t as strong as we expected. Let’s just activate our blood essence if that happens again!"

"Roger that!"

The group of Draconic Fort Soldiers immediately came to their senses as they promised not to let their guard down again.

Still, they were thankful for the presence of the Warden Units as they slowly adjusted themselves against these unique Zombies.

Then came the Spitters.

Acid spit rained down, sizzling against stone and armor.

Soldiers frowned as droplets burned through shields and flesh. Of course, they didn’t panic, but the acid hurt!

"Shields up! Protect the ramparts!" Tris shouted, but even enhanced by draconic blood, his men struggled against the corrosive barrage.

They could probably endure it for a few seconds, but getting hit constantly could be a problem.

Finally, Caesar moved.

The commander of the first battalion leapt onto the ramparts.

"Haa!"

With a roar, he raised his shield, infused with draconic essence, and blocked a stream of acid mid‑air.

The corrosive liquid hissed against the enchanted metal but did not break through!

"Hold the line!" Caesar shouted. "With me!"

His presence rallied the soldiers.

They tightened formation, raising shields and spears. Acid continued to blot the sky, but Caesar moved like a wall of steel, intercepting the worst of the attacks.

Though his shield was small, it seemed to have an activated ability that could cover an incredibly huge range, allowing the defenders not to worry about the Spitters.

Meanwhile, the Warden Units finally jumped down!

Furthermore, they advanced without concern.

Acid splashed against their mechanical bodies, sizzling but leaving no mark.

They fired relentlessly, bolts piercing Spitters one after another.

Soon, they brought out their blades as they targeted the group of Zombies trying to open the gates!

Apparently, Brutes and Crushers slammed against the gates with their massive fists, shaking the fort.

Thankfully, they had barrier generators, making it harder for the enemies...

Still, it wouldn’t last long if they continued.

The gate was already groaning under the impact.

"Alright... It’s time to move, Tundra..." Shane muttered as he didn’t want his Warden Units to be completely annihilated.

Although they were strong enough to deal with the Brute and Crusher Zombies, they would get overwhelmed really soon...

At the very least, they must stop their momentum and give the Warden Units below some space...

"Got it, Shane... I’ll start with Graviton Imploder." Tundra said as he finally stepped out.