Apocalypse: King of Zombies

”That’s insane!”

Shrimpy and the others were completely stunned, staring at Ethan’s back as if they were looking at the ultimate king they had always dreamed of.

Standing behind him, they felt an overwhelming sense of safety—a feeling Shrimpy had never experienced since gaining sentience.

For a moment, Shrimpy had thought… Ethan didn’t care about them anymore. (ʘ̥∧ʘ̥)

Ethan’s Domain of the Dead spread out like a tidal wave, covering hundreds of meters and blanketing the entire area. The oppressive energy was everywhere.

But with so many targets, the energy was spread thin. The weaker zombies couldn’t handle it and exploded into pieces on the spot, their remains scattering like dust.

The more elite zombies, however, were still holding on, struggling to resist.

Ethan raised his hand, and a tachi materialized out of thin air. The hilt gleamed with a red crystal core that pulsed faintly, radiating an intense heat that began to fill the air.

Moments later, flames erupted from the blade, gradually engulfing it entirely.

With a single-handed swing, Ethan slashed forward. The flames surged outward in an instant, forming a fiery arc nearly 70 feet long that fanned out in a wide sweep.

Wherever the blade’s energy passed, the zombies were obliterated, reduced to nothing but black ash that scattered into the wind. Not even a trace of them remained.

”ROAR—”

The zombies howled in fury, but under the oppressive control of the Domain of the Dead, they were powerless to resist. All they could do was wait for the inevitable slaughter.

”This is way too cool!” Shrimpy’s heart was pounding with excitement, their eyes practically sparkling with admiration.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield…

The zombie king, Bonefin, furrowed his brow, a sense of unease creeping over him.

Why was it so quiet all of a sudden?

He had sent out a whole squad of underlings to hunt down their prey. To him, it was nothing more than a game—like releasing a pack of hunting dogs and waiting for them to return with their catch.

At first, the underlings had charged out with overwhelming momentum, their bloodlust palpable as they chased their targets far into the distance. But now, the noise had died down, and the city ahead was growing eerily silent.

This feeling… it was like throwing a stone into the ocean, only for it to vanish without a trace.

”Why aren’t they back yet?” Bonefin muttered.

”No idea,” replied Dreadkelp, who stood nearby, shaking his head.

Bonefin’s patience was wearing thin, his eyes flashing with a dangerous light.

”I’ll go check it out.”

”Alright,” Dreadkelp said with a nod, watching as Bonefin’s figure disappeared into the distance.

What Dreadkelp didn’t know was that this would be the last time Bonefin ever left their territory. He would never return.

Bonefin, a speed-enhanced zombie, moved with incredible agility, leaping effortlessly between the crumbling buildings. His movements were swift and precise, his form a blur against the ruined cityscape.

But the further he went, the deeper his frown became.

The air ahead was thick with the stench of blood. It was overwhelming. Clearly, something had gone wrong with his underlings.

Without hesitation, Bonefin quickened his pace, heading straight for the source of the smell.

Moments later, he landed on a desolate street and froze, his gaze locking onto the scene before him. What he saw made his blood run cold.

The ground was littered with severed limbs and shattered skulls, the remains of his underlings scattered everywhere. Thick, dark blood pooled on the pavement, congealing into a sticky mess.

Even the surrounding buildings were splattered with gore, the blood dripping down in long, viscous strands.

Everywhere he looked, there was carnage. The scene was like something out of a nightmare—a hellish bloodbath so horrifying it defied description. And in the center of it all stood a lone figure.

He was tall and lean, dressed in pristine white robes that were somehow untouched by the chaos around him. His expression was calm, almost indifferent, as if the massacre surrounding him had nothing to do with him.

When Bonefin approached, the figure turned slightly, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips.

”You’re here?” Ethan said casually, as if greeting an old friend.

Bonefin sucked in a sharp breath, his unease growing. The tone of Ethan’s voice was light, almost friendly, but it sent chills down Bonefin’s spine.

This guy… his power was absolutely terrifying.

Bonefin’s gaze shifted, and he noticed Shrimpy and a few others standing not far away on the side of the street. They seemed completely unafraid, their confidence bolstered by Ethan’s overwhelming strength.

Shrimpy, in particular, looked downright smug. Puffing out their chest, they pointed a finger straight at Bonefin.

”I’m Shrimpy! My boss told me to come find you!” they declared boldly.

”…” Bonefin was speechless.

This… this was definitely the behavior of someone riding on someone else’s coattails!

Shrimpy’s crew couldn’t help but give him a thumbs-up, their admiration practically radiating off them.

Following Shrimpy all this time, they’d never imagined they’d witness a moment like this—a true highlight since gaining sentience.

Bonefin’s gaze shifted back to Ethan, narrowing as he studied the man standing calmly amidst the carnage.

”Where did you come from?” Bonefin growled.

”Does it even matter?” Ethan replied slowly, his tone cold and final, as if he’d already passed judgment.

After all, for a soul about to leave this world, explanations were pointless.

”Damn you!” Bonefin snarled, his sharp teeth grinding together as his killing intent surged.

”Let’s see what you’ve got!” he roared.

With a flick of his wrist, the flesh of his palm split open, and several sharp, bone-like projectiles shot out. They were jagged and deadly, resembling Bonefin’s own skeletal structure. The air screamed as they tore through it, their speed and power far surpassing that of bullets.

In the blink of an eye, the bone spikes were right in front of Ethan.

”Buzz—”

But just as they were about to pierce him, the spikes froze mid-air, stopping about three inches from Ethan’s face. They trembled violently, emitting a low hum, as if some invisible force had seized them.

Ethan’s expression didn’t change. With a mere thought, the power of his Domain of the Dead flung the bone spikes away, sending them clattering to the ground. The energy didn’t stop there—it surged forward, expanding toward Bonefin like an unstoppable tide.

Within the Domain of the Dead, Ethan was the absolute ruler.

Bonefin’s eyes widened as he saw what looked like a vast ocean of blood rushing toward him, the oppressive force crashing down like a tidal wave. The pressure was suffocating, enveloping him completely.

”Crack! Crack!”

The bones in Bonefin’s body creaked and groaned under the strain. If not for his advanced evolution and reinforced skeletal structure, he would’ve been crushed on the spot.

Gritting his teeth, Bonefin refused to back down. With a sharp motion, he swung his arms, and two long, razor-sharp bone blades extended from his forearms. They gleamed menacingly, harder than any human-made alloy.

”Die!” Bonefin roared, embodying the ferocity of a zombie king. With reckless abandon, he charged forward, dual blades in hand, pushing through the crushing weight of the Domain of the Dead.

Ethan watched him approach, his gaze steady and unflinching.

He had to admit, Bonefin wasn’t weak. With his speed and mutated bone structure, Bonefin could’ve been a formidable force on the battlefield—perhaps even on par with someone like Laura.

But unfortunately for Bonefin…

He was already dead.

As Bonefin lunged forward, blades poised to strike, Ethan sidestepped with a fluid motion. In one swift turn, he extended his hand, his long fingers piercing Bonefin’s skull with surgical precision. Without hesitation, Ethan plucked out the glowing crystal core nestled within.

Bonefin’s greatest strength—his speed—was utterly neutralized within the Domain of the Dead. It was a natural counter, leaving him helpless.

Bonefin froze mid-motion, his body stiffening as if paralyzed. His eyes bulged wide, but the ferocity in them quickly faded, replaced by a dull emptiness.

”Thud!”

His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, lifeless. Just like that, the zombie king was no more.

The battlefield fell silent once again.

Shrimpy and the others stared in stunned disbelief, their eyes wide and unblinking. The sheer power and elegance of Ethan’s actions left them utterly shaken.

That was… incredible.

A zombie king as powerful as Bonefin, taken down in a single move. It was almost too much to process.

Shrimpy’s heart raced with excitement, their entire body trembling. They couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of awe. Ethan wasn’t just strong—he was unstoppable.

Ethan, however, didn’t linger. His gaze shifted to the horizon, already focused on his next target.

Dreadkelp.

But he knew that killing a major zombie king like Bonefin wouldn’t go unnoticed. It was only a matter of time before Azure Scaled and the rest of the Zombie Horde were alerted. And when they came, they’d come in force.

”Not much time left,” Ethan muttered to himself as he began walking forward.

Behind him, Shrimpy called out, their voice tinged with panic. ”Boss, what about me? What should I do?”

”Go,” Ethan said without looking back, his tone firm and distant.

”Oh…” Shrimpy’s voice faltered.

They watched as Ethan, a lone figure, strode deeper into the city’s forbidden zone. Shrimpy opened their mouth to say something, hesitating. ”But… I don’t want to leave you…”

…