Zombie apocalypse! As if the existing one wasn't enough Chapter - 4

Hanna was a seasoned veteran, having grown up in a warzone and faced Endbringers and lived to tell the tale. However, this latest development gave her pause. Upon receiving word that the zombified Hookwolf had gotten close enough to Brookton Bay and they still didn't have any solid strategy that would be able to deal with what he had become, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

The outbreak of Nilbog's virus had caused widespread panic and chaos, with gangs vying for control amidst the government's attempts to contain the situation. Despite this, most people had taken a lackadaisical approach to their safety, not fully comprehending the gravity of the situation.

While some believed that a mere shovel-wielding hillbilly could handle a lone zombie, the true danger lay in the possibility of a massive horde. It was a concern that weighed heavily on Hanna's mind.

The complacency of the populace was shattered when a villain with delusions of grandeur refused to acknowledge her symptoms of Nilbog's virus, leading to catastrophic consequences. In broad daylight, amidst the bustling streets of Chicago, she transformed into a zombie and summoned a devastating hurricane, unleashing chaos and destruction in her wake.

The villain's disregard for her own safety and the safety of others led to the complete breakdown of the government, leaving only the PRT to maintain some semblance of order. The incident served as a wake-up call, and people began to realize the severity of the situation.

Cities that had managed to construct walls and implement strict security checks at their entrances were among the few places that remained relatively safe. However, even within the walls of Brockton Bay, the city was still a nightmarish hellscape, with gangs and what little remained of the PRT fighting for control.

The once-diverse area of Brockton Bay was now fragmented and divided, with gang territories and PRT-controlled zones vying for supremacy. Hanna knew that even though they were behind walls, the threat of Nilbog's virus and the zombie hordes still loomed large, and they had to remain vigilant to survive.

Despite the Empire Eighty-Eight's reputation for being dim-witted, they had shown a degree of intelligence when faced with a zombie horde during one of their supply runs. With the assistance of their capes, they were able to dispatch the horde, but unfortunately, Hookwolf had been infected in the process.

Quick to recognize the danger, Victor had promptly sedated Hookwolf and made a hasty exit from the area. Since then, they had been monitoring the infected Hookwolf's slow approach back towards the city, hoping to find a way to divert his attention elsewhere.

One might think that Victor should have killed him, but that had been tried before and it never worked out. It just completed the zombification process immediately instead of gradually.

They had tried everything in their power to steer the zombified Hookwolf away from the city, but their efforts had proven futile.

The surrounding cities were dealing with their own crises, making it impossible to seek help from outside. As the days passed and the threat drew nearer, the PRT and the hero’s knew that they had to find a way to stop the infected Hookwolf before he reached the city and unleashed his devastating powers.

When Hookwolf had gotten close enough to the city that they couldn't ignore him anymore, they had to set out in force to deal with him. They weren't sure how, but they had no choice.

It became apparent very soon that they couldn't do much against the beast. Just when they were about to be overrun, an unknown parahuman had shown up to help. They had been cautious at first, but the unknown was helping them push back Hookwolf - not by much, but any help would have been appreciated at this point.

However, it soon became too much to handle when Hookwolf unleashed his whirlwind of chains and assault was hit. They could not get close to him anymore.

But then two other parahumans had shown up. That's when Hanna noticed the resemblance of the two girls to the Dallon sisters. The boy was a complete unknown, though.

She had written him off as a civilian when he ran away, but boy was she wrong. He returned after a few minutes, claiming he had something that could help stop the monster they had been struggling with for hours without doing anything more than cosmetic damage.

They didn't have much choice at the moment other than to let him try. Hanna watched as he pulled an ornate-looking bow from somewhere, and that's when she changed her entire view of him.

She could feel the power and heat originating from the arrow that had manifested in the bow.

Although every fiber of her being urged her to flee, Hanna managed to stand her ground, perhaps out of morbid fascination. The events that unfolded before her were over in a mere instant.

Hanna's eyes were fixated on the arrow's trajectory, but it was as if it had vanished into thin air. In the next moment, her vision was consumed by a searing white light, and her senses were overcome by a scorching heat. She instinctively shut her eyes and turned away, but the radiance penetrated her closed lids, and the intense heat pricked her skin.

It felt like she was standing in the proximity of a star, her body trembling with the ferocity of the light and heat. But as abruptly as it had begun, it ceased, leaving only a gaping crater in place of the colossal, metallic mass that had been there a moment ago.

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After Amy fixed my hand, I decided that using divine bows without the proper physique was a mistake I shouldn't repeat.

My next summon should be in a direction that is aligned with permanently boosting my physical capabilities.

My thoughts were interrupted when the heroes approached us, and Miss Militia was the first to ask the inevitable question, "So who are you?" Both Amy and Vicky turned to me expectantly.

"It's complicated," I hesitated.

Amy gave me a quick whack on the head and said, "The simplest explanation is that we're from an alternate world."

"Aleph?" Miss Militia asked.

"No, a different version," Vicky interjected.

"How did you get here?" she pressed.

"No idea," she admitted. "We died in our previous world and woke up here."

I saw Militia communicating through her earpiece, presumably with the remnants of the PRT in Brookton Bay; she didn't remain quiet for long.

"The PRT is willing to offer you shelter within the city, as long as you adhere to our laws,"

I considered the offer before speaking up, "Let's put the shelter part on hold for now. We would, however, appreciate being allowed into the city."

Armsmaster interrupted before Miss Militia could agree. "What was that weapon you just used? My sensors indicate that it started nuclear fusion and somehow stopped it from spreading beyond that crater."

"I don't really have any clue how it works. It's kind of my power," I shrugged, not really having any plans to explain what exactly my power was.

Armsmaster didn't seem satisfied with my answer and pressed for more information. "How often can you fire such attacks?" he asked.

"As long as I don't mind shredding and burning my arms a few times a day, I would guess. Haven't tried testing it though," I replied.

Armsmaster looked like he wanted to ask me a million more questions, but Assault cut in this time. "We can play 20 questions with them later. I need to go back home and sleep for the next week."

He was obviously trying to get Armsmaster to back off and not make us uncomfortable. Armsmaster reluctantly agreed, and we started walking towards some sort of tinkertech vehicle that had been parked quite a few ways from the place we were fighting. It was probably the smart decision, I thought, giving one last look at the aftermath of my attack.

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Inside the conference room, Director Piggot and the others watched the video captured by Armsmaster's camera. It was the second time they had viewed the footage, while the people involved were making their way towards the city.

"So, any thoughts?" Piggot asked the room full of Heros and wards who were here as backup in case.

"We have another pair of Dallon sisters with almost swapped personalities. Vicky is by some miracle the silent one and Amy is the chatty one. And there's an unknown parahuman whose power somehow manifested in the form of a bow and nuked a mini Endbringer out of existence," Dennis summarized, summing up what everyone was thinking.

Ignoring him, Piggot turned to Dragon, the world's most powerful tinker, who was attending the meeting virtually. "What are your thoughts on the footage, Dragon?" she asked.

"It's not entirely wrong to call that a nuke, but it's not entirely right either," Dragon paused for a few seconds. "That was a controlled fusion reaction rather than a fission reaction."

Half of the people in the meeting room understood the implications, while the other half was still confused.

"I noticed one more thing," Dragon spoke up. "He whispered something when he released the arrow. Due to all the commotion, the microphone didn't capture it clearly, but I was able to figure out what was said." She played a clearer version of the sound she had fixed.

"Suryastra."

Blank looks filled the room, so Dragon explained, "It's Sanskrit for 'star weapon.' And from the readings I got from Armsmaster's sensors, he literally created a sun that destroyed everything inside it and extinguished itself."

A deafening silence filled the room as everyone absorbed the gravity of the situation. They were dealing with a parahuman whose power was beyond normal, and it was a dangerous situation that required immediate attention.

After a long while, Director Piggot finally broke the silence. "Preliminary ratings?" she asked, her voice low and tense.

"Blaster 9+, easily," Dragon responded, leaving everyone in the room in shock. The air was thick with a sense of unease as we all considered the implications of such a high rating.

“Not a tinker then?” Piggot asked, even though she expected him not to be. She had to be sure.

“I do not believe he is a tinker. The bow he summoned did not show any visible cues that I would associate with tinker tech. I believe it to be more directly related to his power,” Dragon replied.

“Why a 9+?” Piggot asked, her voice still tense.

“I suspect that the attack he used was the most powerful one he had. Because him getting harmed by his own power suggests that he is still a new trigger and hasn't gotten to using them to his full potential yet.”

With that terrifying thought lingering in everyone's minds, they prepared to meet the cape in question.