Apocalypse: King of Zombies

”He’s dead?”

Vulturea’s bloodshot eyes went wide, the flicker of hope that had just sparked in her chest snuffed out in an instant.

The Zombie King who’d come to save her wasn’t weak—far from it—but he hadn’t even lasted a second. That tentacle had been something else entirely.

With a slight flex, the monstrous limb lifted the Zombie King clean off the ground. Thick, black blood poured from the gaping wound, splattering the forest floor beneath him.

Then, with a violent jerk, the tentacle yanked him back into the shadows of the forest.

CRACK—CRUNCH—SQUELCH.

The sounds of bones snapping and flesh being chewed echoed through the trees.

”...What the hell…”

Vulturea’s face twisted in horror.

Could it be… the Overmind Queen?

Ethan’s gaze followed the direction the tentacle had come from. Through the gaps in the trees, he caught a glimpse of a figure—female.

Her arms were shifting, swelling grotesquely, transforming into monstrous tentacles. The base of each limb was as thick as her torso, the mutation jarring and unnatural.

And now, those tentacles were coming for Vulturea.

She was already badly wounded, barely able to stand, let alone dodge. All she could do was watch as the air split with a rush of wind and the stench of rot.

Then—WHAM—the tentacle slammed into her, coiling around her body like a python.

She didn’t even have time to scream before she was yanked into the darkness, just like the other Zombie King.

Ethan didn’t move. He just stood there, watching it all unfold, calm as ever.

Because this was exactly what he’d been waiting for.

The surrounding parasitic monsters, sensing something, suddenly began to retreat. Fast.

They weren’t fighting anymore—they were fleeing.

From the distance, a wave of pressure rolled through the forest. A powerful aura, thick with bloodlust.

Then—WHOOSH—two streams of crimson energy swept through the trees like scythes. The parasitic monsters that hadn’t escaped fast enough were instantly shredded, their bodies dissolving into steaming piles of gore.

Bloodveil had arrived.

He and his elite forces surged into the forest, drawn by Vulturea’s distress signal. The other Zombie Kings, scattered across Razorback Ridge, had also begun converging on the location.

But by the time they got there, most of the parasitic monsters had already vanished.

All that remained was carnage—blood-soaked earth, shattered limbs, and a battlefield littered with corpses. Some were zombies. Others were monsters. All of it was chaos.

”Damn cowards ran fast.”

”Yeah, what the hell? Since when do Xenobeasts retreat?”

”If they hadn’t, I would’ve torn every last one of them apart!”

The zombies growled, their rage barely contained. But beneath the anger was confusion.

Xenobeasts weren’t known for running. They were berserkers—bloodthirsty to the end. This wasn’t normal.

”Vulturea!” Bloodveil’s voice boomed through the trees, his glowing red eyes scanning the wreckage.

No answer.

The other Zombie Kings exchanged uneasy glances. It wasn’t looking good.

But then—from deep within the forest—came a faint, broken voice.

”I… I’m here…”

”Huh?” The zombies perked up, heads snapping toward the sound.

They rushed toward it without hesitation.

And behind them, Ethan’s figure slowly emerged from the shadows, silent and composed. His expression was unreadable, his eyes cold.

He’d seen everything.

Vulturea hadn’t been eaten. Not yet.

Something had entered her body.

Something… interesting.

”Well,” Ethan murmured to himself, ”things just got a lot more fun.”

”Boss! What happened? What’d we miss?” Hammerhead and Snout finally arrived, panting, their squad of zombies trailing behind them. Their faces were lit with curiosity.

Ethan gave a faint smile. ”Nothing major. Come on—let’s go take a look.”

”...”

As the horde of zombies approached, they spotted a battered figure slumped against a tree, drenched in filth and blood. Her shoulder was pierced clean through, her body a mess—but she was still breathing.

It was Vulturea.

”Whoa, you’re not dead?” one of the Zombie Kings blurted out, surprised.

”Yeah… I guess those monsters must’ve sensed our boss’s aura and got scared off,” Vulturea said, forcing a weak smile. ”Lucky me, huh? Barely made it out.”

She sounded relieved, like someone who’d just crawled out of hell.

But Bloodveil didn’t say a word. He just stared at her, eyes narrowing, scanning her from head to toe.

All the other Zombie Kings who’d been caught in that ambush were dead. And yet she—alone—had survived?

A little too convenient.

The Overmind Queen’s disguise abilities were legendary. She could mimic everything—scent, blood, wounds, even aura. Unless you killed her, there was no way to tell the difference.

”You’re not… parasitized, are you?” Bloodveil asked, his voice low and suspicious.

”What? No, of course not!” Vulturea replied quickly, her expression innocent. ”I just fell out of the sky, remember?”

The other Zombie Kings exchanged glances, subtly edging away from her, just in case.

Right then, Ethan—still in his Umbradrake form—arrived with Hammerhead and Snout in tow, strolling up like he’d just taken a casual walk through the woods.

Bloodveil shot him a look. ”My friend Umbradrake, just getting here now?”

”Yeah,” Ethan said smoothly. ”I was a bit farther out.”

”Fair enough.” Bloodveil didn’t press. Instead, he turned back to the matter at hand. ”How’s your perception? Can you check if there’s anything… off about Vulturea?”

Ethan gave a confident nod. ”To be honest, my mental strength is top-tier. If she’s a monster in disguise, I’ll know it the moment I look.”

Bloodveil raised an eyebrow, mildly impressed. That actually tracked—he’d always sensed a strange, subtle energy around Umbradrake. Something different from the rest of them.

Now it made sense. Strong mental power.

Among the Voidborn Undying, only he and Umbradrake had that kind of presence. It was a useful comparison.

Vulturea, meanwhile, tensed. Her brows furrowed, and a flicker of something dark flashed in her eyes. She stared at Ethan, her body coiled tight, like a spring ready to snap.

”You don’t need to be so nervous,” Ethan said gently, his tone almost soothing. ”Relax. I won’t get it wrong.”

”Uh… yeah…” Vulturea muttered, deadpan. God, I hope you do.

Ethan stepped closer, his gaze steady. A wave of mental energy rippled out from him, subtle but unmistakable, wrapping around Vulturea like a net.

The nearby Zombie Kings felt it too.

”Damn… he’s not bluffing. That’s some serious psychic pressure.”

”No kidding. He’s the Overlord of Southvale for a reason—guy’s on Bloodveil’s level.”

”Yeah, anyone who could take down Gravestone solo? Not someone to mess with.”

”...”

Vulturea felt the energy too. Her eyes narrowed, the hostility in them sharpening. She looked like she might lash out at any second.

The tension was thick enough to cut with a blade.

Thirty seconds passed in silence.

Then, Ethan suddenly smiled.

It was warm. Disarming. Like a breeze cutting through the tension.

”She’s clean,” he said. ”Not a parasitic monster. No signs of Overmind Queen infection either.”

”...”

The zombies around him visibly relaxed.

”Ohhh, see? I knew something felt off about that theory.”

”Yeah, she’s just banged up, that’s all.”

”Besides, we only just got into Razorback Ridge. No way the Overmind Queen shows up this early.”

”...”

The Zombie Kings murmured among themselves, nodding. Ethan’s verdict matched what they wanted to believe.

And now that they had minds of their own, zombies weren’t so different from humans—they believed what made them feel safe.

Vulturea’s body finally eased, her muscles unclenching. She let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

Then, she snuck a glance at Ethan.

He really sold that whole ”I can see through anything” act… and still didn’t catch me. Guess his mind-reading’s not as sharp as he thinks.

”Whew… and here I was thinking he was some kind of mind-reader.”

...