Apocalypse: King of Zombies

Everyone stood frozen, staring at the scene before them, unable to calm the storm in their hearts.

”He’s… too strong…”

”Is that really just raw physical power?”

”…”

The sheer presence of this Zombie King was enough to make their blood run cold.

Ethan sensed the human presence and turned his head. In a blink, he was standing right in front of them.

Everyone’s breath caught. Instinctively, they took a step back, their bodies tense, skin clammy with sweat. Even Claire felt her scalp prickle and her heart race.

For a split second, she was actually thankful she hadn’t killed Ricky and dragged Aria away by force. If she had, this Zombie King might’ve flown that Dreadnought-class Starcruiser straight to human territory, wiped them out, and still made it back in time to crush Heartland.

But even now, the situation was dangerously unstable. No one knew what this Zombie King was thinking. Would he just wipe them out on the spot?

No one dared to breathe too loudly. All eyes were locked on Ethan.

”He’s not… gonna just snap and kill us, right?”

But then, just as tension peaked, Ethan calmly raised his hand.

”Huh?” Claire flinched, instinctively pulling Aria two steps back.

But instead of unleashing an attack, Ethan pulled out a white dress shirt and casually slipped it on, buttoning it up one by one with unhurried ease.

”…This guy,” Claire muttered through clenched teeth, realizing it was a false alarm.

Then Ricky, practically glowing with excitement, broke the silence. ”Boss! What were those golden markings on your body just now? That was badass!”

”I’m not really sure myself,” Ethan replied offhandedly.

Just like that, the heavy atmosphere melted away like snow under the sun.

”Oh.” Ricky didn’t press further. Instead, he turned to the others and added, ”By the way, Aria’s mom’s here. She wants to talk to you.”

Ethan had already figured out who they were. The fact that they hadn’t killed Ricky or taken Aria by force said a lot—they came in peace.

”You bring the Dreadnought-class Starcruiser?” he asked, straight to the point.

”Uh…” Claire opened her mouth, caught off guard. ”Handing over the Dreadnought-class Starcruiser just like that? The other major families would never agree. Hell, all of human civilization would be against it. So that’s just not gonna happen.”

”But,” she continued quickly, ”if you’re planning to attack Heartland in Necroterra, I’m sure a lot of people would support that. When the time comes, I can help you—lend you the Starcruiser for the campaign. That way, it’s still technically under your command.”

”…”

It was a deal Claire had thought through carefully. It would appease the public, offer Ethan real value, and keep her hands clean. A win-win.

Ethan nodded. ”Fine. Honestly, the Starcruiser’s not that important to me anymore.”

”…” Claire’s face twitched. That answer made her even more nervous.

This Zombie King was so confident, he didn’t even care about a Dreadnought-class Starcruiser? That level of arrogance… was terrifying.

”The Deathless Sovereigns of Heartland are no joke,” Claire warned. ”Especially Endless. Ever since he awakened, he’s been unstoppable—swept through Heartland without a single loss. And after all these years, he’s probably even stronger now…” civilization had long documented the Five Sovereigns of the Heartland. They’d clashed with them before. Endless, in particular, was a nightmare—a mountain pressing down on their collective chest.

Ethan raised an eyebrow. ”What kind of ability does this Endless have?”

”No one knows,” Claire said, shaking her head. ”To this day, no one’s figured it out.”

Ethan’s brows furrowed slightly. That was surprising.

Humans had fought him and suffered heavy losses, yet still didn’t know what he could do?

That alone said a lot about how dangerous Endless was.

Claire’s eyes grew distant, her voice low. ”My elders used to say his powers are strange… he can kill without a trace. People just die, without even knowing how.”

”…Alright,” Ethan said, brushing it off. ”You guys can head back. When I’m ready to hit Heartland, I’ll let you know.”

”Got it,” Claire replied, exhaling deeply.

She hadn’t expected the negotiation to go this smoothly. This Zombie King was surprisingly chill—nothing like the bloodthirsty monster the rumors made him out to be.

Still, she shot a quick glance at Ethan, then gave Aria a subtle look. ”Aria, come on. Let’s go.”

”Huh? I…” Aria looked around, clearly torn.

Ethan spoke up, voice calm but firm. ”She’s not going anywhere. Your daughter stays here—as collateral. If all of you leave, what’s stopping you from backing out later?”

Claire’s expression tightened.

So this Zombie King didn’t trust them after all.

Aria quickly chimed in, seizing the moment. ”Mom! If that’s how it is, then I’ll stay. You don’t have to worry about me—I’ll be safe here with Ricky…”

Claire’s face darkened instantly, her jaw tightening so hard it looked like she might grind her teeth to dust.

She could see it now—clear as day.

Her daughter had no intention of going back with her.

Ever since Aria was born, Claire had been vigilant, doing everything she could to keep her away from bad influences. And now? She’d still ended up getting swept away by that damn punk.

”Fine,” Claire said at last, her voice low and tight. ”Just be careful. If anything happens, contact me immediately.”

Aria nodded eagerly. ”I will. Don’t worry, Mom. Bye!”

”…”

And just like that, Claire turned away, shoulders heavy with frustration, leading the Monroe family warriors back the way they came.

A few of them, however, let out quiet sighs of relief. The tension that had been choking them finally eased. The negotiation had gone far better than expected.

After they’d walked a good distance, the young man from earlier spoke up thoughtfully, ”Aunt Claire… honestly, if Aria can build a good relationship with that White-Shirted Zombie King, it might not be such a bad thing.”

Claire’s eyes snapped toward him, sharp and commanding. ”What did you just say?”

”N-Nothing! Just thinking out loud, haha…” The young man laughed awkwardly, waving his hands in surrender.

But Claire Monroe wasn’t laughing.

Deep down, another worry gnawed at her.

She muttered, ”Do you think… that White-Shirted Zombie King actually has a chance of conquering Heartland?”

The others fell silent, their expressions uncertain.

The Five Sovereigns of the Heartland were infamous. Humanity had fought them time and again—and lost every time. The psychological scars ran deep. Even just talking about defeating them felt like wishful thinking.

If Ethan failed, the Dreadnought-class Starcruiser would be lost for good. And with it, countless human lives.

The fallout would be catastrophic.

Claire herself would end up like Harren and Howard—leaders who gambled and lost everything.

Was this… the fate of all human leaders?

She looked up at the sky, her voice heavy with resignation. ”Joining forces with that White-Shirted Zombie King to attack Heartland… it’s a gamble. If we win, we’ll be remembered in history. If we lose, we’ll be left with nothing.”

And that’s assuming he even keeps his word.

Which, frankly, wasn’t guaranteed.

Her gut told her the odds weren’t great.

The young man stepped up beside her, his tone calm but resolute. ”Aria’s with them now. We’ve already crossed the line—there’s no turning back. And besides… isn’t everyone’s life just one big gamble anyway?”

…