Apocalypse: King of Zombies

Because powerful human explorers had once ventured into the Forbidden Zone—only to never return—finding their corpses here could only mean one thing:

This place was deadly.

Aria felt a chill crawl up her spine. ”Ricky… this place might be even more dangerous than we thought. Can you untie me now?”

Ricky glanced at her, skeptical. ”What if you run off the second I do?”

”...” Aria’s face darkened, a vein twitching on her forehead.

”Where the hell would I even run to?!”

”Oh. Yeah, good point.” Ricky looked around. The room was clearly sealed—no doors, no windows, just four creepy statues and a whole lot of stone.

With a shrug, he finally gave in and started untying her.

Aria stretched her arms the moment she was free, rolling her shoulders with a relieved sigh.

”We need to figure out a way out of here.”

”Got any ideas?”

”Not yet,” she admitted, scanning the room. The walls were covered in strange runes, each one different in shape and design. Judging by the complexity, they weren’t just for show—probably defensive in nature.

And those statues in the corners? Still as death, but way too lifelike to be just decoration.

”Let’s check the bodies first. Maybe there’s a clue,” Aria said, stepping forward.

But she hadn’t taken more than a few steps when the entire chamber rumbled.

BOOM.

The dog-headed statues’ eyes lit up, glowing with golden light.

One of them raised its massive stone fist—and brought it crashing down toward her.

”Shit!”

Aria’s heart jumped into her throat. She leapt back just in time.

BOOOOM!

The fist slammed into the floor where she’d just been, shaking the entire room.

She barely had time to catch her balance when a gust of wind hit her from behind. She spun around—another statue’s fist was already mid-swing, heading straight for her.

There was no time to dodge.

”Just untied you, and you’re already running around like a headless chicken!” Ricky growled.

He launched himself forward, leaping into the air. With a powerful kick, he struck the statue’s forearm, knocking its trajectory off course.

CRACK!

The fist slammed into the ground beside Aria, missing her by inches. The shockwave blew her hair back, the force of it nearly knocking her over.

”And you’re supposed to be Pinnacle Academy’s top student?” Ricky scoffed.

”I—”

”Move!”

Before she could even respond, Ricky shouted again.

The statues were positioned in all four corners of the room—meaning attacks could come from any direction.

And they were.

The third statue’s fist came crashing down.

Aria twisted her body, barely slipping out of the way. The stone fist grazed her side, but she managed to avoid a direct hit.

But this was just the beginning.

All four statues had come to life now, their massive fists pounding the ground in a relentless rhythm. The two of them were forced to dodge and weave through the barrage, the air filled with the deafening sound of stone smashing stone.

Each strike hit with the force of an SSS-class powerhouse. One wrong move, and they’d be paste on the floor.

Now Aria understood exactly how those other explorers had died.

”This place is insane... no one should be here,” she thought bitterly, ducking under another blow.

But then—pain exploded in her shoulder.

One of the fists clipped her, shattering her water-element barrier. Blue light scattered like mist, and her body was sent flying.

She hadn’t even hit the ground yet when another fist came down from above, aiming to finish the job.

Her eyes widened. There was no time to react.

But then—

SHING!

A blade cut through the air, slicing upward at an angle. Black, vengeful energy surged with it.

BOOM!

Ricky’s katana met the descending fist with a thunderous clash. The impact split the skin on his hands wide open, blood dripping down his arms—but he held firm.

He’d blocked it.

Again.

Aria’s lips parted, stunned. He’d saved her—again.

But there was no time to dwell on it. Her eyes flashed blue, and the water element inside her surged to life. She raised her hands, summoning several Tidal Shields that formed a glowing barrier behind Ricky, protecting his back from the next incoming strike.

”Huh?”

Ricky’s eyes narrowed in confusion as he turned his head—just in time to hear a series of bang bang bang impacts. One of the massive stone fists had shattered the freshly-formed Tidal Shield Aria had conjured.

So… she was trying to protect him too.

Taking advantage of the brief window her shield had bought, Ricky quickly retreated, stumbling back to her side.

By now, the four dog-headed statues had moved from the corners of the room and were standing shoulder to shoulder in a single line, completely blocking the wall ahead.

Their towering forms loomed like a living barricade, radiating pure menace.

They weren’t just attacking anymore—they were advancing, slowly but surely, closing the distance, shrinking the space the two of them had left to dodge.

”We’re screwed. This just got a whole lot worse,” Ricky muttered, standing beside Aria.

She was already in bad shape—her shoulder had taken a hit earlier. Even though it was just a glancing blow, the bone had cracked, and blood was seeping through her torn uniform.

”Hey, you good? Don’t go dying on me now,” Ricky asked, glancing sideways at her.

”I’m fine,” Aria gritted out, jaw clenched. ”Worry about yourself.”

”Tch. Still so stubborn,” Ricky snorted, then suddenly tossed something her way.

The blue-glowing katana.

”Here. Take your busted weapon back. Thing’s useless anyway.”

”Uh…”

Aria caught it instinctively. The moment her fingers wrapped around the hilt, a familiar surge of energy pulsed through her.

This wasn’t just any blade—it was hers. Custom-forged from rare materials, designed to amplify her water element. A true personal weapon.

”…Thanks,” she muttered, gripping it tighter.

The two of them stood side by side, facing down the advancing statues.

Blue and black energy flared around them—water and wrath, swirling together.

The chamber shook violently as the battle reignited.

But the statues weren’t just strong—they were tanks. Their defense was on par with the illusion maze pillars. Even if they just stood still, it would take Ricky a hundred swings to break through.

And now? They were fighting back. All four of them.

Worse still, Ricky had already burned through most of his energy breaking the illusion maze earlier.

Now, every swing of his katana felt heavier. Every breath, harder.

In one brutal clash, his blade met a stone fist head-on. The impact sent a shockwave through his body.

His aura flickered—his vengeful energy sputtering like a candle in the wind.

CRACK!

A sickening sound echoed as his arm twisted unnaturally. Bone. Definitely bone.

He hit the ground hard, gasping.

And the statue didn’t stop.

Its massive fist came down again.

BOOM!

The floor trembled. Dust exploded outward.

Ricky crossed his arms to block, but his aura was gone. The blow crushed him into the stone, blood spilling from his mouth.

”Ricky!” Aria’s voice cracked with panic. She blinked forward, appearing beside him in a flash.

Another statue was already winding up for the next strike.

She didn’t hesitate.

Raising her katana high, she shouted, ”Domain of Tides: Azure Aegis!”

A brilliant blue light erupted from her blade, expanding outward in a dome of shimmering water energy.

It enveloped them both like a fortress.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

The statues surrounded them, fists raining down like a storm.

Just like Ethan had said—no matter how clever the trap, in the face of overwhelming power, it meant nothing.

And while Domain of Tides was beautiful, powerful, and one of the strongest water-element defenses in existence…

It wasn’t invincible.

Not against four relentless, SSS-tier juggernauts.

Each blow cracked the barrier. Aria’s energy drained fast, her body trembling from the strain.

She bit down hard, refusing to scream, even as pain lanced through her.

Ricky, still on the ground, bloodied and dazed, looked up at her.

She was standing over him. Protecting him.

No one had ever done that for him—except Ethan.

And now this girl, who’d been his prisoner just hours ago, was burning herself out to keep him alive.

”…Why?” he rasped, voice hoarse. ”Why are you saving me?”

”I…” Aria opened her mouth, but nothing came out at first. She hadn’t even thought about it. She’d just moved. Instinct.

”I… I’m taking you back to the Inner City,” she blurted, flustered. ”You still have to stand trial!”

...