Apocalypse: King of Zombies

”Damn! That’s impressive!” Damon and his crew stared in awe.

The Crystal Core Armament looked cutting-edge, but they still weren’t sure how powerful it really was.

At that moment, the young man pulled a weapon from the crate and began explaining with a professional air.

”Watch closely—this is called a Crystal Core Blaster. It’s embedded with a B-grade fire-type crystal core. Now, let me show you what it can do.”

He assumed a shooting stance, aiming at a massive boulder in the distance. His finger tightened on the trigger, and immediately, red energy gathered along the gun’s body, radiating intense heat.

A fireball began forming at the muzzle, growing larger and more volatile by the second.

Bang!

With a muffled blast, the fireball shot forward like a blazing comet, streaking through the air before slamming into the boulder.

Boom!

A deafening explosion erupted as the fireball detonated on impact, engulfing the rock in flames. The sheer force shattered it into countless fragments, sending debris flying in all directions.

Thick smoke billowed, and when it cleared, a massive crater was left in the ground.

”Well? What do you think?” The young man smirked.

”Damn, that’s strong.” Damon and his crew nodded repeatedly, their eyes filled with shock.

They couldn’t help but wonder—how the hell did Genesis Biotech develop something like this?

It was seriously advanced.

The young man continued, ”This weapon isn’t just powerful—it’s different from conventional firearms. Since it runs on crystal core energy, it can actually wound a Zombie King. In other words, it’s a Zombie King’s worst nightmare. And the best part? Anyone can use it, even regular people. That means the gap between us and the undead just got a whole lot smaller. It’s a deal you can’t afford to miss…”

”No doubt about it—this is good stuff.” Damon was more than satisfied.

If every Black Hand Legion member got their hands on one of these, they’d basically be as strong as Awakeners who had condensed their own crystal cores. That meant they could take down elite-tier zombies with ease. With firepower like this, the Legion would only grow stronger—unstoppable, even.

The young man smiled. ”So, are we good to proceed with the exchange?”

”Hell yeah.” Damon agreed without hesitation, barely able to contain his excitement.

”Lucas, don’t worry—we’re handling this deal in good faith.”

”Glad to hear it.” Lucas nodded.

In reality, he wasn’t just some random rep—he was Richard Williams’ nephew, personally trained by Genesis Biotech. After being fed countless crystal cores, he had become an S-rank Awakener.

One of Richard’s most trusted lieutenants.

”Same as always—we exchange at the same time.”

”No problem.” Damon signaled to his men.

Everyone’s attention sharpened.

This was the most critical moment.

On the surface, everything seemed smooth and cooperative, but deep down, both sides remained on high alert.

Behind them, their subordinates began pushing forward crates of goods.

The clinking of chains echoed, and the rumble of wheels filled the air.

Mia and Chris were among them. They exchanged a glance—they knew exactly what needed to be done.

Now, they were up against both the Black Hand Legion and Genesis Biotech’s top fighters. They had to be extremely careful.

But it was fine.

Ethan would make his move soon.

All they had to do was provide support—clean up the stragglers, finish off the wounded.

Mia’s gaze locked onto the two crates of Crystal Core Firearms.

No way in hell could these fall into enemy hands.

If they did, things would get messy.

They pushed the crates forward, leading a group of thirty survivors toward the exchange point.

At the same time, Genesis Biotech’s people carried their own crates forward.

Lucas and Damon both kept their eyes on their respective goods, satisfied that everything was proceeding smoothly.

But just as the two groups passed each other—

Chaos erupted.

Mia suddenly let go of the crate, her hand flashing to the hilt of her blade.

Shing!

With a sharp metallic ring, her Tachi was unsheathed in a blur.

She moved fast—a blur of motion as she lunged toward the men carrying the weapons.

Her Tachi slashed through the air, leaving behind streaks of afterimages.

Shing—

Several heads flew through the air, severed cleanly from their bodies. Blood sprayed in arcs, and the corpses collapsed with heavy thuds.

Clang!

The two crates of weapons crashed to the ground.

Lucas’ eyes widened in shock. Something was very wrong.

”What the hell are you doing?” he demanded.

Mia stood in the center of the chaos, her Tachi dripping with fresh blood. Her voice was calm, steady.

”I don’t feel like handing over the people, but I’ll be taking the weapons. So… what do you think we should do?”

Lucas’ expression darkened, fury rising in his chest.

”You’ve got some nerve.” His voice was icy, dangerous. His gaze snapped to Damon. ”Damon, you trying to screw us over?”

”What?!” Damon looked just as stunned.

This wasn’t his plan.

Sure, he’d thought about double-crossing them, but he hadn’t actually given the order.

”Lucas, this isn’t me! She acted on her own!”

Lucas narrowed his eyes.

So this girl—Mia—had the audacity to make a move against both sides?

”Kill her. Take back the weapons.” His voice was icy.

”Yes, sir!”

The Genesis Biotech Awakeners surged forward, their presence overwhelming. Among them were A-rank Awakeners, their weapons drawn, energy crackling as they activated their abilities.

Mia didn’t move.

Her Tachi hummed with power, arcs of electricity dancing along the blade. The air around her crackled, charged with lethal intent.

Her sharp eyes locked onto the incoming enemies, her expression unreadable.

Then—they attacked, power flaring as the battlefield ignited.

Mia moved like a phantom, weaving through the onslaught with effortless agility. Every swing of her Tachi was precise, deadly—each strike claiming a life.

The battlefield descended into chaos.

Damon watched, his gaze sharpening.

She’s this strong?

Something felt off.

But he had his priorities straight. His eyes flicked to the two crates of Crystal Core Armament.

If he could get his hands on them, his power would skyrocket. Then he could deal with the rest later.

”Boys, grab the goods first!”

”Got it!” His core members responded instantly.

That was the Black Hand Legion’s way—screw everything else, just secure the loot.

They moved fast, like a pack of starving wolves, charging straight for the crates.

Damon was among them.

And as an S-rank speed-type Awakener, he was lightning-fast.

His figure blurred as he raced across the battlefield, covering the distance in the blink of an eye.

In an instant, he was right in front of the crates.

”They’re mine!” He reached out—

And then—

The crates vanished.

Just… disappeared.

”...What?”

Damon’s hand grasped at empty air.

His eyes widened in disbelief.

Where the hell did they go?!

A voice, cold and detached, spoke from behind him.

”Looks like you’re a little late to the loot party.”

Damon’s heart lurched.

He spun around—

And there he was.

A young man in a crisp white dress shirt, standing there like he’d been there all along.

His face was sharp, strikingly handsome. But his eyes—his eyes were dead.

No warmth. No emotion.

Just emptiness.

Damon had killed countless people. His heart had long since turned to steel.

But standing in front of Ethan—

He felt fear.

A deep, primal fear.

”Who the hell are you?”

Ethan tilted his head slightly.

”Does it even matter?”

His eyes flashed red.

And then—

Domain of the Dead erupted.

A storm of pure, suffocating terror swept outward, swallowing everything in its path.

Damon had no time to react.

His body froze.

His legs sank into the ground.

The earth itself seemed to drag him down.

...