Apocalypse: King of Zombies

”?? You can’t beat them?” Bloodveil stared at Umbradrake like he’d just grown a second head. ”Come on, now’s not the time to play dumb. We’re doing this—end of discussion.”

”I’m serious…” Umbradrake opened his mouth, trying to explain.

But Bloodveil was already charging forward, his massive form tearing across the battlefield to meet the enemy head-on.

Umbradrake stood there, speechless. ”I’m not messing with you… I really can’t beat them…”

But at this point, the die was cast. The other Zombie Kings were already stepping up, ready to fight. There was no turning back.

”They’re not running?” Howard raised an eyebrow as he watched the undead forces hold their ground. ”Guess they’ve got a death wish.”

”Heh. Or maybe…” Tharen smirked. ”They’ve got no idea what we’re capable of.”

It made sense. Most of these zombies had probably never even seen a human before.

”Then let’s give them a proper introduction,” Howard said, his eyes glowing red, flames flickering in their depths.

The heat around him surged, his aura flaring like a furnace about to erupt.

As Bloodveil closed in, Howard’s fire energy exploded outward.

’Blazing Dominion!’

In an instant, a tidal wave of fire burst from his body, roaring across the battlefield like a living inferno. The flames spread fast, devouring everything in their path.

Bloodveil skidded to a halt as the firestorm surged toward him. The heat was intense enough to melt stone—and it was still rising.

”This Absolute Domain… it’s fully formed. Stronger than Garrick’s, by far,” Bloodveil thought, eyes narrowing.

No time to hesitate.

’Bloodtide Domain.’

A crimson light erupted from him, painting the sky blood-red. Behind him, a monstrous tide of blood surged forward, crashing toward the oncoming flames.

The two Absolute Domains collided—fire and blood slamming into each other with a deafening roar. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, the ground trembling beneath their feet.

The battlefield was swallowed in chaos.

The destructive force unleashed between them was staggering—possibly even more devastating than the Starbreaker Cannon.

The two Domains were evenly matched, each pushing against the other, neither able to gain the upper hand.

But then Tharen made his move.

’Absolute Zero!’

A wave of bone-chilling cold exploded outward, sweeping across the battlefield. Everything it touched froze instantly, the temperature plummeting to absolute zero. Ice spread like wildfire, creeping into Bloodveil’s Domain.

Even his blood tide began to freeze, a jagged rupture forming in the middle of his Domain like a blade had pierced it.

Tharen didn’t waste the opening.

He shot forward, eyes locked on Bloodveil, his expression sharp and ruthless. A long, gleaming ice spear formed in his hand, aimed straight at the Zombie King’s skull.

The air cracked with the sound of the spear slicing through it.

Bloodveil had seen him coming. He’d been ready.

With a snarl, he clenched his right fist, blood swirling around it, hardening into a crimson gauntlet. He swung it straight into the path of the ice spear.

BOOM!

The impact rocked the battlefield. The ground split beneath them, and the shockwave rippled through both Domains.

The ice spear shattered into glittering shards. Bloodveil’s blood gauntlet dissolved into mist.

Neither side came out on top.

Tharen was blasted backward, skidding across the ground before catching himself.

Bloodveil stumbled too, forced to retreat a few steps, his body rattled by the clash. But before he could recover, Howard’s flames surged in again, licking at the edges of his Domain.

Bloodveil’s eyes widened. He threw up more blood energy, trying to hold the fire back.

”These two… they’re stronger than I thought.”

He was starting to feel the pressure. Taking on both of them alone was pushing him to his limit. If this dragged on, he’d burn out—literally.

He needed backup.

His eyes flicked to the side, searching.

And there he was—Umbradrake, standing tall amid the scorched and shattered earth, his posture straight, his presence commanding.

A dark, oppressive aura radiated from him—cold, ancient, and terrifying.

The unmistakable power of a Voidborn Undying.

Even from a distance, the pressure was suffocating. Serah and Gareth both tensed, their expressions tightening as they felt it wash over them.

”Another one of the Voidborn Undying?!”

Serah and Gareth both tensed, their expressions darkening. Two of them—two—right here on the outskirts of tiny little Southvale? That was way beyond what they’d expected.

Bloodveil, watching from the side, couldn’t help but smirk.

Just as I thought…

The pressure rolling off Umbradrake was real. That aura—cold, ancient, oppressive—was unmistakable. The guy was still strong. Maybe even stronger than before.

And with several SSS-grade crystal cores up for grabs in this human hunt, there was no way Bloodveil was walking away empty-handed.

The battle between elites was about to explode.

”I’ll take him,” Serah said, her voice sharp and confident. Without waiting for a reply, she launched forward, her body vanishing in a blur of speed.

She closed the distance in a heartbeat, her form flickering like a mirage. As she neared Umbradrake, her body shifted—speed giving way to raw power. Her muscles swelled, her arms thickening with strength.

She threw a punch straight at his face.

”Huh?!”

Umbradrake’s eyes went wide. One second, she was gone. The next, she was right in front of him.

He didn’t even have time to react, let alone dodge. Instinctively, he threw up his arms to block.

BOOM!

The impact cracked through the air like thunder. A sickening snap followed as his arm bent at an unnatural angle—bone shattered, twisted grotesquely.

The force of the blow launched him like a ragdoll. He flew back thousands of feet, smashing through boulders and cliffs, until he finally crashed into the ground in a cloud of dust and debris.

He lay there, covered in dirt, looking like he’d just been hit by a freight train.

”Boss!” Howler shouted, sprinting over in a panic. ”Boss, are you okay?!”

”It’s… it’s broken…” Umbradrake whimpered, cradling his mangled arm, looking utterly pitiful.

Serah and Gareth exchanged a glance, both frowning.

”This guy’s supposed to be a Voidborn Undying?” Serah asked, clearly skeptical.

”Judging by the pressure he gave off, he should be,” Gareth muttered, brows furrowed. ”But that punch… he folded like wet paper.”

Then a thought hit him.

Maybe… he’s not actually a Voidborn Undying at all.

But the one most shaken wasn’t them—it was Bloodveil.

He stared at the scene in disbelief.

What kind of ally is this?!

One punch. One punch! And the guy was down for the count.

Bloodveil’s heart sank. He couldn’t hold the line alone. Not against four SSS-class humans.

And the worst part? During the Xenobeast hunts, Umbradrake had been the MVP—crushing monsters, taking down Overminds. He’d been unstoppable.

”Umbradrake, what the hell is going on?!” Bloodveil snapped, sending a mental transmission. ”Stop pretending and show your real power already!”

Umbradrake groaned, still clutching his arm. This is bad…

His ability wasn’t strength. It was deception.

He didn’t have the power of the Voidborn Undying.

”I’m not pretending,” he replied mentally, voice full of misery. ”I am Umbradrake.”

”…What?” Bloodveil’s mental voice dropped to a dangerous growl. ”You trying to get me killed? Let the humans wipe me out so you can swoop in and take all the crystal cores for yourself?!”

”No! I swear I’m not—”

”Then where the hell is your Absolute Domain?! Use it! Crush them!”

”Wait, wait…” Umbradrake paused, something clicking in his brain. ”You’re talking about the Absolute Domain…?”

Suddenly, it all made sense.

Last time, when Bloodveil had gone to Eastreach, he’d disguised himself as him—as Umbradrake.

Which meant…

He thinks I’m the fake.

”I don’t have an Absolute Domain,” Umbradrake said, exasperated. ”I’m really just… me. I’m the real Umbradrake!”

”WHAT?!” Bloodveil’s face twisted like he’d just swallowed a rotting corpse.

He’s the real one?

Looking at the guy now—broken arm, dirt-covered, totally useless—it actually made sense. He didn’t have the aura of a true Voidborn Undying. Just the look.

Bloodveil’s stomach dropped.

So the real Umbradrake’s alive… and I mistook him for the fake.

Which meant…

I’m the only Voidborn Undying on this battlefield.

And the humans?

Four SSS-class elites, all charging straight at him.

In Bloodveil’s mind, it felt like a marching band of elephants had just trampled through his brain.

Oh, come on—this fight’s a damn joke!

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