Apocalypse: King of Zombies

Humanity fought their way forward, cutting down everything in their path with ferocity. It didn’t take long for them to clear the zombies in the hallway and charge into the second-floor lobby.

Inside, there were still plenty of zombies. The moment they spotted the humans, their faces twisted with rage, and they charged forward recklessly, utterly unafraid of death.

Swords and blades swung through the air, the sound of combat echoing nonstop.

Captain Jonathan continued to resist the mental attacks bearing down on him. His sharp gaze swept across the room, searching for the Phantom Infected.

It didn’t take long.

At the back of the horde, he spotted a zombie seated at a piano, her hands moving rapidly across the keys. With every note she played, the soundwaves grew more intense, crashing over the battlefield like relentless waves.

She had switched to a new piece—Flight of the Bumblebee.

The zombies, driven by the music, became even more frenzied and bloodthirsty. Even in death, they lunged at the humans, desperate to tear off a piece of flesh.

It was clear now: Elegy’s music wasn’t just a weapon—it was a buff for the zombies.

”This is her last line of defense! Push harder, everyone!” Jonathan shouted, rallying his team.

The humans behind him perked up immediately, as if victory was just within reach.

A female teammate’s hands ignited with flames, and with a sweeping motion, she hurled fireballs that exploded among the zombies, reducing them to ash.

A young man wielding dual blades danced through the chaos, decapitating zombie after zombie with swift, precise strikes.

Another teammate, a wood-element Awakener, unleashed a flurry of roots that pierced through the zombies’ bodies like spears.

The team focused on taking down the elite zombies, leaving the regular ones to the armed soldiers.

Elegy’s forces numbered around a thousand, with about two hundred elites. But under the relentless assault, their numbers were quickly dwindling.

The dual-blade fighter weaved through the horde with incredible agility, cutting a path straight toward Elegy, the Zombie King herself.

”I’ll take the glory for this one!” he shouted, his blades slicing through the air with a sharp whistle as he aimed for Elegy’s head, clearly intending to end it in one decisive strike.

Elegy couldn’t stay seated any longer. She leapt to her feet, dodging the attack just in time.

Though she was a psychic-type Awakener, she was still a B+-rank Zombie King. Her speed wasn’t to be underestimated, and she had been prepared for such an attack. She narrowly avoided the fatal blow.

But in that moment, the eerie piano music came to an abrupt halt.

”Heh…” Jonathan’s spirits lifted instantly. With the oppressive mental force gone, his own psychic energy surged forward, enveloping Elegy.

”Your time is up!” he declared.

But just as the words left his mouth, a sudden, ominous feeling crept over him. Danger was closing in—fast.

Ethan’s figure materialized behind him.

”An A-rank psychic… Worth the effort,” Ethan murmured.

”Huh?” Jonathan sensed something was wrong and spun around, only to find a man standing behind him, seemingly out of nowhere.

His heart sank. A cold wave of dread washed over him as the scent of death filled the air.

Jonathan tried to dodge forward, but Ethan’s hand moved faster. With a single, fluid motion, Ethan slashed downward. A sharp, glowing blade of energy tore through the air, slicing cleanly into Jonathan’s skull and sending the top of his head flying.

Blood sprayed everywhere as a crystal core shot out from Jonathan’s head.

Ethan caught it effortlessly, his movements smooth and practiced, like a master craftsman finishing his work. By the time Jonathan’s lifeless body hit the ground with a heavy thud, Ethan was already standing there, calm and composed.

”Did you learn something?” Ethan asked casually.

”Huh?” Elegy, standing in the distance, stared at him in stunned silence. Her fierce, glowing eyes were filled with shock. Just moments ago, when Ethan had vanished, she thought he had fled the battlefield.

But no—he had been lurking nearby the entire time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And now, he had killed the captain of the Operation King Hunt squad in a single, decisive blow.

It was effortless. Almost casual.

Jonathan wasn’t weak. He was well-known in San Bernardino, a hunter who had taken down several Zombie Kings in the past. And yet, today, he had fallen—just like that.

”Captain!” A nearby Awakener roared, his eyes bloodshot with rage as he raised his blade and charged at Ethan.

Ethan turned his head slightly, his expression calm, and with a mere thought, the Domain of the Dead expanded outward. A crushing, suffocating pressure rolled through the air like a tidal wave.

The Awakener, who had already condensed a Neurocore, was caught within the domain. His bones cracked and shattered audibly, his body collapsing like a puppet with its strings cut. He hit the ground with a lifeless thud.

In the blink of an eye, over twenty people fell dead.

The others froze in terror, their faces pale as they instinctively backed away.

For a moment, the space around Ethan became a vacuum. No one dared to step closer.

A demon.

He had to be a demon.

The thought echoed in their minds, a silent scream of horror. They had never seen anything like this before. This wasn’t just strange or supernatural—it was monstrous. Ethan wasn’t just killing; he was devouring lives.

But as the humans retreated in fear, their panic threw them into disarray. Some stumbled, others hesitated, and many were pounced on by nearby zombies. The undead tore into them, dragging them to the ground and ripping them apart.

Their screams of agony filled the air, a symphony of despair.

The three remaining Awakeners who had condensed crystal cores scanned the battlefield. Just moments ago, they had held the upper hand. But the instant Ethan appeared, the tide had turned completely against them.

”What… what kind of monster is he?” one of them muttered, his voice trembling.

”I don’t believe it! I don’t believe the Captain is dead! This has to be an illusion… We’re under psychic control!” The wood-element Awakener clutched his head, refusing to accept the reality before him.

”I’ll take you down with me!” he screamed, pushing his energy to its limit. Countless roots sprouted from his body, lashing out like steel whips toward Ethan.

But before they could even reach him, the Domain of the Dead froze them mid-air, as if someone had hit a pause button.

Ethan’s figure flickered, and in an instant, his tachi swept through the air. As he passed by the wood-element Awakener, the blade sliced cleanly through his neck.

The man’s head tumbled to the ground, rolling to a stop. His body crumpled lifelessly beside it.

”Wuuu… wuuu…” A female teammate covered her mouth, her wide eyes fixed on the scene. Tears streamed down her face as she began to sob uncontrollably, overwhelmed by fear.

She was new to the squad, barely out of her rookie phase. This was far beyond anything she had ever imagined.

Ethan glanced at her, his gaze cold and detached, like a predator sizing up its prey.

”If you want to kill zombies, you’d better be ready to be killed by one,” he said, his voice calm but cutting.

”Stop! If you’ve got guts, come at me instead!” The dual-blade fighter, seeing Ethan’s attention shift toward the girl, panicked. He abandoned his attack on Elegy, the Zombie King, and sprinted toward Ethan, placing himself between the girl and the monster.

”Eli, no!” the girl sobbed harder, her tears flowing like rivers.

The young man stood firm, his chest heaving as he tried to steady his breathing. His heart pounded in his chest, his brow furrowed with tension. He was terrified, but he refused to back down.

”Don’t be afraid! I’ll protect you. If he wants to kill you, he’ll have to go through me first!” he shouted, his voice filled with determination.

Ethan looked at the two of them, his expression unreadable. In a world like this, such selflessness was rare. Most people would sell out their teammates in a heartbeat to survive. Few would willingly die for someone else.

In the young man, Ethan saw a faint glimmer of humanity’s better nature.

”It’s touching, really,” Ethan said, his tone almost sincere. ”So… I’ll grant your wish.”

The Domain of the Dead surged forward, locking the young man in place. Ethan raised his blade and swung. With a sharp whoosh, the blade cleaved through the young man’s head, splitting it open.

His eyes widened in shock, and his body fell backward, lifeless.

”Eli!” the girl screamed, rushing forward to catch his body. She cradled him in her arms, her tears mixing with the blood that poured from his wound, staining her face. She looked utterly broken, her sobs wracking her entire body.

Just moments ago, this man had been comforting her, promising to protect her. And now, he was gone.

”Wuuu… wuuu…” Her cries grew louder, more desperate. But when she looked up through her tear-filled eyes, she saw Ethan standing right in front of her.

Her heart stopped. Fear gripped her like a vice.

”Please… don’t kill me,” she begged, her voice trembling. ”Let me go… just this once. I’m begging you… wuuu…”

Ethan tilted his head slightly, his expression as calm as ever. ”Would you have let me go?” he asked, his tone almost curious.

”Uh…” The girl froze, her mind blank. She had never considered that question before. Killing zombies had always felt like the right thing to do, the just thing to do. It was what humanity was supposed to do.

”So, stop crying,” Ethan said, his voice devoid of emotion.

He raised his blade and swung it down, silencing her sobs forever.

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