CHAPTER 38: HOLLOW WOODS

As the threat of forest undead approached, the Don Capo Gang took positions around the makeshift camp. Ace walked over to the group enjoying the barbecue and told them what was coming.

"Forest undead are headed our way. The smell and smoke pulled ’em in," Ace said.

"Will we be okay?" someone asked.

"Yeah," Ace said with a nod. "Stay on guard and defend. Don’t even think about attacking them. It’s just Hollow Woods."

Although the forest undead were similar to Black Umi in strength, the weak rankers gulped and braced their weapons and shields to protect themselves or their families. They were weak for a reason.

Yet the presence of a Rank One Ranker and his calm attitude helped them accept the coming assault. He didn’t leave their side, either. He stayed in the middle of the camp as their last line of defense.

His presence here eased their worries.

The Hollow Woods’ numbers seemed higher than average. With Heaven Village going up and more rankers hiding inside it, those undead were getting hungrier and never settled down. The ones outside Heaven Village, or in other safe zones, would feel it sooner or later, us included.

If he covered one side of the camp, the other sides would be far more vulnerable. In Ace’s Sixteen, only three people were high level so far. The rest were slightly above average and had grown comfy with safety and steady work inside Ace’s Bank Grotto. Being pushed out to fight startled them and made them even more nervous than the weak rankers.

Chaewon will cut them down fast and bounce between bases. As for Alex... he’ll be the first to run into the Hollow Woods, Ace thought, a smirk crept in.

The reason was simple. Alex’s fun had surely been interrupted.

A few breaths later, a loud bang echoed, followed by the roar of a bear man.

"Those damned zombies!" Alex shouted as he strode toward the camp. Three women he’d just been with hurried beside him, clutching their clothes as they tried to keep up.

Looking at Alex’s shield, with blood trickling from the rim and smeared thickly across the center, Ace could tell how his tank had fought.

"Did you smash your shield on their heads?" Ace asked.

Alex nodded. "Yeah. I even got an active skill for it. Lets me stun ’em with a clean shield bash. Don’t know how that’s gonna work on rankers, but it’s useful anyway." He jerked his chin at the three brunettes. "Stay with the others. Since I saved your plump asses, I want you again next week."

"Yes..." the three women agreed, happy to stick with Alex and his huge, muscular body, definitely full of stamina and durability!

Ace chuckled. "Saving on potions? I like it."

"Heh. More for our gang is always better, even if it’s just three potions! Anyway, Don Capo, what’s goin’ on?" Alex asked, eyeing the terrified weak rankers gripping their weapons. He couldn’t see anyone else, so he figured the others were covering bases.

"Just a few Hollow Woods are threatening us," Ace said.

"They’re easy to kill, though. I smashed my shield on ’em and even got an active skill," Alex said, matter-of-factly.

"You’re a different breed, remember," Ace said with a shrug. "Good to see you back. You’re staying here with me to protect everyone. We’ll keep it simple. I’ll drop ’em with arrows. You intercept any undead that get close enough to kill someone. My volleys should thin the numbers, but stay sharp."

"Heh, got it," Alex said with a nod.

Ace took out his bow and quiver. He strapped the quiver to his hip and waited for the monsters to show. These Hollow Woods would go down to his arrows. His steel spear from Earth could hurt Black Umi, so weapons from Earth were more than enough for monsters like these.

Soon, battle sounds rose from all around Ace and Alex. The gang fought the undead at each base. With better weapons and tight formations, they held their own despite being outnumbered. Meanwhile, Chaewon slipped from one base to another, dropping monsters with a single slash before dashing to the next.

She put in the extra work because it was her idea to help so many humans. She also knew that, in the heart of the camp, Ace would kill every threat himself. She believed in him completely.

"Here’s the first batch," Ace said as he spotted five Hollow Woods heading for the camp.

Hollow Woods were undead adapted to life in the forest. Their rotten skin had patches of gray, dead wood that formed as their flesh was lost when they became undead. Their movement matched that of forest beasts.

Most of them ran on all fours like bears or boars. Some variants mimicked bugs, scaling tree bark and attacking from above.

"They all share the same attack pattern," Ace said.

"Yeah. They lunge with their mouths open," Alex said, finishing the thought.

"Exactly. Which makes ’em so predictable I might not break a sweat," Ace said with a small smirk.

When the first wave reached the weak rankers and lunged, Ace’s arrows zipped past the humans and buried deep in the Hollow Woods’ heads. Brains pierced, the undead dropped to the forest floor like puppets with cut strings.

Ace lifted his chin. "Pull the arrows and check if they’re still good. Any good ones, bring ’em to me."

Reluctant but pressured not to displease their "heroes," the weak rankers walked to the defeated Hollow Woods and pulled Ace’s arrows from their foreheads. Arrows with broken heads were tossed aside, and the usable ones flew again to defeat more monsters.

Before long, all monsters were defeated.

"I can’t believe it..." someone whispered.

"Yeah... it was much safer than during the Heaven Village assault."

"He’s Rank One for a reason! Wow!"

"Hey now!" a brunette raised her voice. "Alex, Rank Seven, did a lot too! Give him his due!"

"That’s true!" the other two chimed in.

Hearing them, Alex’s ears went red. He caught Ace’s smirk and looked away, unable to meet his Don Capo’s eyes. Even after losing his virginity, his confidence wasn’t enough to face Don Capo!