Pyromaniacs.
People who enjoyed burning things. Its said these people had an impulse to set things on fire whether its objects or...living beings. At the moment, Ian had an inkling of what pyromaniacs feel from giving in to their impulses as he set another zombie on fire.
Of course, Ian reinforced the thought that he's only laying these people to rest as these worm zombies are simply husk puppets to some sort of monstruous worms to possibly infect more people. By now, he taken out a dozen of them with little to no trouble. The fire and the rotten meat smell seems to have messed with the worms' senses so they couldn't detect him unless he hit them. Though that only happened once from him testing it.
Yes testing it.
His curiosity got the better of him as Ian practically smacked a zombie with his sausage links. It was the only thing on him that had a lot of reach unlike the wooden club or the dagger at hand.
Anyway, that particular zombie noticed and grabbed the tail end of the spoiled sausage links even pulling it forcing Ian to stumble from the raw strength. Ian then let go of the sausage links and torched the zombie right after.
With that recent memory in mind, Ian can only sigh at his recklessness and move on. Too many risks for his stupid curiosity and no gain from it aside from the zombies' senses not being completed dulled by the fiery smoke.
Ian continued marching even deeper into the flames to hopefully reach the edge of the city. The scorching heat was blazing even hotter here causing sweat to drip from his pores. The black smoke stung his eyes even more causing Ian to squint his eyes. Yet he could only march forward in hopes of freedom from this nightmare.
Hope.
It was an emotion that humans cling to when they were desperate much like how Ian was clinging to it right now.
Along the way he came across more monsters but luckily they were dead either due to a battle from before or from suffocating in this blazing heat.
Still the sight of dead monsters added to Ian's theory that the slums were used to bait monsters here as some sort of kill area. Though it kinda stings that poor people's homes were used to accomplish that task. Then again, Ian doesn't have the faintest idea of how this world works or if the original inhabitants were even alive.
For all he knew, those people were properly compensated and promised better homes.
'As if!'
It seemed too hopeful of an outcome for the lower class people when the people in charge were either too busy with the monster invasion or useless politics to care about the bottom of the barrel. Ian moved on from his cynical thoughts to focus on an open area in front of him.
It seemed like a large battle happened here as a massive white statue was knocked down surrounded by human corpses. All of the corpses looked to be soldiers and now with fire lighting the area, Ian could see the details on the soldiers unlike before. Most looked to be regular soldiers from the medieval era wearing red and gold to represent their respected country's color scheme. There was a red flag still standing showing an emblem of a...
'Is that a golden lion with wings on that flag? Probably just an emblem to represent their fancy kingdom then again...'
....the idea of a flying lion existing sounded interesting to Ian who was a fellow fantasy enjoyer. He shook the thought away as the prospect of better gear came to mind. Some of the corpses were intact along with their weapons too. Ian was tired of this useless club as the dagger proved more useful and it was to cut up a piece of cloth.
Ian went over to a corpse but not before poking it with his club to make sure it was permanently dead.
'Huh maybe there are some uses for this stick'
After checking the corpse for any unholy sign, Ian proceeded to scavenge it. He couldn't use the armor as he didn't know how to take it off though he doubted his body could withstand the heavy armor and sadly the gloves didn't fit his hands. Ian silently cursed at his small stature before finding a mace on the corpse's belt.
'Great... a whacking stick with a metal end'
Ian was so excited over finding a mace that he threw it at the knocked down statue before moving on to another nearby corpse.
What Ian really needed was a sword preferably a longsword or even a spear. He needed a sharp weapon with reach as this club had no usage while the dagger's reach was too short.
Ian could also opt to simply move on but the words of Primus saying that this task was simple but the most difficult echoed into his mind as if he was nearing his goal now. He needed to prepare for what's to come then right after Ian came upon an intact spear. Ian quickly picked it up to examine it happy that the wood shaft was intact and the metal tip was still sharp as ever.
But then.
Ian saw large movement in the corner of his eye forcing him to look at the source.
'Fuck my life. Just why now.'
The previous massive white statue wasn't what it appeared at all. In its stead was a massive white lizard with wings making it out to be a dragon in Ian's eyes.
Except the dragon lacked proper eyes or sharp teeth or even scales. Upon a closer look, Ian could see small movements on its skin as if millions of living organisms were interconnected to create what Ian is seeing right now.
The barricades.
The fire.
The worm zombies roaming this fiery district despite fire being their weakness.
It was all created for this monster.
A massive beast created from millions upon millions of parasitic worms. And it was looking directly at Ian as if it had eyes.
Ian sorely regretted throwing that mace towards the monster.
Then the beast surprisingly roared out loud.
"ANNNNNNNGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!"