Apocalypse: King of Zombies

”Heh heh heh…”

The skeletal figure’s face twisted into a sinister grin, its voice rasping like metal scraping against metal.

The young man convulsed violently, collapsing in terror as he lost consciousness.

Sean’s sharp, curious eyes studied the creature.

”Where’d this freak come from?”

Anyone else would’ve been scared out of their mind, but Sean didn’t flinch. Instead, he lunged forward and threw a punch.

The Bone-Claw Zombie King didn’t dodge. Its bloodstained, skeletal claws clenched into a fist, meeting Sean’s attack head-on.

BAM!

The two collided with a force like steel clashing against steel. A shockwave rippled out from their fists, scattering dead leaves across the ground.

Sean’s arm went numb, and he stumbled back a few steps, shaking it out.

”Damn, this thing’s skinny as a twig,” he muttered, eyeing the creature. ”But it sure packs a punch.”

The Bone-Claw Zombie King sniffed the air, its nose twitching as it caught Sean’s scent. ”So, it was you… messing around in my territory earlier.”

”Oh? Was it?” Sean tilted his head, trying to remember. ”I mess around in a lot of places. What makes your territory so special?”

”…” The Bone-Claw Zombie King’s face darkened. Was this guy for real? It started to wonder if eating his brain would actually lower its own IQ.

But then, the creature suddenly turned its head, gazing into the depths of the forest. Its brow furrowed, as if sensing a powerful presence approaching.

”Forget it. I’ll deal with you next time.” Without another word, it grabbed a nearby corpse. The bones on its back cracked and shifted, sprouting a pair of skeletal wings. With a powerful leap, it shot into the sky.

”This one’s coming with me,” the Bone-Claw Zombie King called out, its raspy voice echoing through the trees. ”If you’ve got a problem, come find me across the river.”

In seconds, it was just a speck in the sky, its voice fading into the distance.

At that moment, Ethan appeared beside Sean, his expression calm as he gazed up at the sky.

”Our prey just got stolen,” Ethan said after a pause.

”What the hell was that thing? It could fly?” Sean scratched his head, still trying to process what had just happened.

Ethan replied, ”The Zombie King from across the river.”

”Ah, that explains it…” Sean nodded, suddenly remembering. ”Oh yeah, I’ve been to the river district before. Last time was during that sugar factory rescue mission… when that black cat possessed me. Guess the Zombie Kings over there are all pretty freaky.”

As Sean was lost in thought, Mia emerged from the forest, her movements swift and graceful. ”What happened?” she asked.

”A flying Zombie King just showed up and took one of our toll fees,” Sean said, gesturing dramatically as he explained.

Mia glanced up at the sky, her sharp eyes narrowing. ”Alright… next time, we’ll rip out its crystal core as compensation.”

...

By now, the Black Hand Legion was completely wiped out. Only one member had been taken by the Bone-Claw Zombie King; the rest had fallen to Ethan and his group.

Ethan’s mind was already racing. Having other Zombie Kings near their territory was a problem. It made everything more complicated and dangerous. Sooner or later, they’d have to deal with them.

The group left the forest and regrouped with Chris and the others.

Though they’d successfully eliminated the Black Hand Legion and made it to Los Angeles, no one felt like celebrating.

A woman was sitting on the ground, clutching a little girl in her arms. She was sobbing uncontrollably, her eyes red and swollen, her voice hoarse from crying. Her grief was so raw, so overwhelming, that it was impossible not to feel it.

The little girl was pale, her lips trembling as she fought through the pain. The parasite inside her was spreading rapidly, its presence unmistakable. Despite her obvious suffering, the girl still managed to smile weakly and wipe her mother’s tears.

”Don’t cry, Mommy,” she said softly. ”It’s okay.”

”Waaahhh!!” The mother’s sobs grew louder, her heartbreak spilling out as she held her daughter tighter.

The sight was gut-wrenching. Chris and the others stood nearby, their jaws clenched and fists trembling. They’d seen death and loss countless times, but this… this still hit them hard.

Because in a world like this, moments of humanity were rare.

”What do we do?”

No one could bear to keep watching.

The little girl’s condition was worsening. Her body convulsed violently, and beneath the skin of her forehead, the parasites squirmed more visibly—a clear sign they were about to multiply.

Soon, the parasites would spread throughout her body, taking control of her muscles and movements. And during all of this, the girl’s mind would remain fully conscious, forcing her to feel every excruciating moment.

”I think… we should just end it for her,” someone in the group suggested hesitantly. ”It’s better than letting her suffer.”

”Huh? I mean…” The others exchanged uneasy glances, reluctant to agree but unable to deny the logic.

The girl’s mother wiped her tears, her face pale and trembling. After a long pause, she nodded, her voice breaking as she said, ”Let’s… let’s do it. I can’t let her go through this.”

”Alright then,” someone murmured, though the words felt hollow.

But no one moved. No one could bring themselves to do it. Killing a child, even in mercy, was a line too heavy to cross.

”I’ll do it,” a calm, magnetic voice said from behind them.

Ethan stepped forward, his hand flicking to summon a sleek tachi seemingly out of thin air.

Chris and the others turned to look at him, their tense expressions softening slightly. ”Yeah… if anyone can do it, it’s him. He’s… good at this kind of thing,” one of them muttered, as if trying to justify it.

Ethan’s face remained impassive as he walked forward. The group instinctively stepped aside, clearing a path for him.

The mother knelt beside her daughter, gripping her small shoulders as tears streamed down her face. Her voice cracked as she whispered, ”Abby, don’t be scared, okay? It’ll be over soon. Mommy will… Mommy will come join you soon.”

The little girl tilted her head, her expression confused but calm. ”Okay, Mommy,” she said softly, nodding as if she understood.

The mother’s tears fell harder. She let go of her daughter, staggering back a few steps before turning away. She crouched on the ground, burying her face in her arms, her body shaking with sobs. She couldn’t bear to watch what was about to happen.

Ethan approached the girl, his tachi gleaming in his hand. He looked down at her, studying her small, fragile figure.

For a moment, it reminded him of spotting a wild rabbit in the woods—innocent, delicate, and strangely endearing.

Without hesitation, he raised the blade and swung.

Swish!

The blade sliced cleanly through the air, piercing the girl’s skull and emerging from the other side.

But something strange happened.

There was no blood. No gruesome scene. The little girl didn’t even flinch. Her long eyelashes fluttered, and she stared up at Ethan with wide, curious eyes, as if nothing had happened.

Ethan’s tachi, however, began to emit a strange, high-pitched screeching sound. A cluster of parasites squirmed at the tip of the blade, writhing as they were pulled out of the girl’s body.

With a flick of his wrist, Ethan channeled his energy into the blade, igniting it with flames. The parasites shrieked one last time before being reduced to ash.

”All done,” Ethan said casually, sheathing his tachi as if nothing unusual had occurred.

”Uh…”

The group stared in stunned silence, their faces a mix of disbelief and confusion.

”Did… did I just imagine that?” someone muttered.

”I don’t know. What the hell just happened?”

”Is the kid… okay?”

”This has to be some kind of hallucination, right?”

”…”

The murmurs continued, but no one could make sense of what they’d just witnessed.

Meanwhile, the little girl reached up and touched her head, her expression brightening. The pain was gone. Her body felt light, and the torment she’d endured just moments ago had completely vanished.

She turned to her mother, who was still crouched on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. ”Mommy, don’t cry,” the girl said, her voice soft but cheerful. ”I’m okay now.”

The woman froze, her sobs catching in her throat. Slowly, she lifted her head, her tear-filled eyes meeting her daughter’s.

”What…?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Her daughter smiled at her, standing there as if nothing had happened. The mother’s face shifted from disbelief to shock, her mouth falling open.

”Huh???”

...