His HUD flashed with a sharp alert:

[SYSTEM ALERT!]

[Zombie Classification Identified]

[Armed]

[Condition: Humans reliant on tools or weapons before infection.]

[Background / Evolution: Retain warped muscle memory; hands fused to weapons. Swing with clumsy but brutal persistence.]

Sid frowned at the notification.

"Yeah, I've fought these before in the game. They hit hard, but their moves are slow and clumsy. Gotta use that to my advantage."

He peeked over the column, gauging their patrol rhythm. The four knights moved with a staggered delay, clanging boots echoing through the marble hall.

His Combat Vision flickered to life automatically, outlining each zombie with faint blue tracers. Prompts began to appear in his sight like a ghostly HUD.

[Combat Vision Activated]

Sid smirked.

"Alright, game mode on. Let's do this."

He studied the arena— pillars, broken benches, shattered armor stands. Lots of cover, plenty of noise. He knew if he rushed, he'd be done in seconds. His knee made sprinting impossible, so timing was everything. He exhaled, then whispered to himself,

"Plan: isolate the archer first. That guy ruins stealth every time."

The crossbow zombie stood apart from the others, its stance rigid, the lantern hanging from its waist. Sid crouched low, sliding from cover to cover. Every step made his knee protest, but adrenaline drowned the pain. He rolled behind a fallen suit of armor just as the zombie shifted, its crossbow rising.

[Hold Ctrl + Space Bar: Dodge Roll]

Flashed on his vision just in time. He obeyed instinctively, rolling sideways as a bolt hissed past his shoulder and buried itself in the wall. The clang echoed through the hall.

"And we're live!"

Sid muttered, voice trembling with both fear and excitement. The spear knight turned toward the sound, armor screeching as it moved. Sid sprinted forward, the [Shift + W] indicator blinking at the edge of his vision. He lunged behind the crossbowman just as it tried to reload.

[Execute (Stealth Kill from Behind): Hold F]

"Gotcha!"

He hissed, plunging his knife through the exposed neck joint. The head snapped back, the glow in its eyes dimming as the body crumpled. He snatched the fallen crossbow, aimed fast, and fired at the approaching axe knight. The bolt hit the creature's shoulder— barely a scratch but it bought him a second.

"Man, I miss actual guns… But this isn't bad. Gotta love that built in noise reduction. Perfect for stealth kills."

Sid muttered, tossing the empty weapon aside. The spear knight charged, thrusting forward with terrifying speed.

[Q: Block/Parry]

Sid lifted his forearm and twisted, deflecting the spear's head just enough to miss his ribs. The impact jarred his arm, and his knee nearly buckled as he sidestepped. He stabbed forward— light attack.

[Left Mouse Button: Quick Strike]

The blade dug between the plates at the waist, but the zombie didn't flinch. It swung the spear butt and knocked Sid flat onto the floor.

"Ugh— freaking parry timing!"

He groaned, scrambling backward. His HUD blinked, [Hold Q: Break Free] and he slammed his elbow down, wrenching free from the zombie's grip. He ducked behind a pillar, breathing hard.

"Okay, okay— plan B: make them hit each other. Classic crowd control."

The sword knight advanced now, methodical and steady, while the axe brute lumbered behind it. Sid rolled out from cover, grabbing a loose iron rod on the floor.

[E: Pick Up Object] → [G: Improvised Projectile]

He hurled it toward the spear knight's lantern. The impact shattered the glass, fire spilling across the floor. The flames flared, the light reflecting in the undead knights' helmets.

"Ha! Bet you didn't expect environmental damage!"

Sid shouted, limping back toward the stairs. The axe knight swung wide, cleaving through the fire and knocking its partner sideways. The sword knight, blinded by the blaze, turned its back for just a second.

[Execute (Stealth Kill from Behind): Hold F]

Sid lunged, knife flashing. The blade sank under the chin plate, and he twisted hard. The head came free with a wet crunch. He caught the body before it fell, easing it down.

"Two down. Two to go,"

He whispered, panting. Sweat rolled down his temple. The axe knight roared— a sound like steel grinding stone and swung down, splitting the marble where Sid had been standing.

[Ctrl + Space Bar: Dodge Roll]

He rolled sideways, wincing as his knee flared with pain.

"Damn it, knees! Don't give up on me now!"

He shouted, ducking under another swing. The spear knight tried to flank him, thrusting from the side. Sid pivoted, using the momentum to push the axe knight forward into the spear's path. The spear drove straight through the axe knight's chest. Both froze for a second, impaled and tangled.

[E: Stun/Grab Enemy]

Sid dashed forward, grabbed the spear shaft, and shoved both back into the fire.

"Combo move, baby!"

He yelled, his laugh echoing through the ruined hall. Flames crawled over the armor, and the two burning knights collapsed together, their lanterns bursting in a cascade of sparks. The battle quieted, the only sound his ragged breathing and the crackle of fire. Sid limped to the foot of the staircase, leaning on the banister. Sid grinned weakly, muttering,

"Hard mode complete… with a solid D+ in grace."

He looked up the staircase, the way forward finally clear, and exhaled. He pushed himself up one step at a time, knife still in hand, every joint aching but his grin unwavering. The mansion loomed darker ahead, waiting.

"Alright, next level. Let's see what's hiding in the boss room."

Sid stopped mid step, frowning.

"Wait… Why am I walking away like some under leveled NPC?"

He turned back toward the smoldering heap of metal and corpses.

"One thing this real-life Dead World Online has taught me— always loot the dead."

He limped back through the smoke, the faint glow of burning lanterns reflecting off the charred armor. One by one, he crouched beside each fallen knight, scavenging whatever hadn't melted or broken. His HUD flickered again—

[LOOT ACQUIRED!]

[Axe acquired x1]

[Spear acquired x1]

[Sword acquired x1]

[Crossbow acquired x1]

[Iron Bolts acquired x8]

[Scrap Metal (Armor Fragments) acquired x6]

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