Apocalypse: King of Zombies

”This thing breaks...” PhD said slowly, his voice calm but edged with warning, ”and it’s a real bitch to fix.”

Every zombie on the battlefield looked up.

Energy pulsed around him in steady, powerful waves. His aura was unmistakable—he’d reached SSS rank. The realization hit them like a thunderclap.

PhD... had become one of the Voidborn Undying?

But the one who looked the most stunned—borderline betrayed—was Bulldozer. As one of Ethan’s original three lieutenants, he’d always thought he was ahead of the curve. Now Laura and PhD had both surpassed him.

”You... When the hell did you break through? How come I didn’t hear about it?” Bulldozer asked, wide-eyed, his voice as blunt as ever.

PhD raised an eyebrow. ”What, you think I need to file a report with you when I level up?”

”Uh...” Bulldozer blinked, caught off guard. The words hit harder than he expected. He could’ve sworn he used to be the strongest of the trio...

But the energy rolling off PhD wasn’t just SSS—it was dense, refined, and sharp. Not quite at the level of a Deathless Sovereign, but definitely stronger than your average Voidborn Undying.

”Sometimes, the more you obsess over something, the harder it gets to reach it,” PhD said, his tone shifting into something more thoughtful. ”And overthinking? That’s not your style. Forget all that crap. Just remember one thing—beat the guy in front of you.”

”...Right!” Bulldozer’s eyes lit up, like someone had flipped a switch in his brain.

In that moment, something clicked.

Why the hell was he overthinking this?

Just smash the bastard!

He turned back to Terrax, and this time, there was no hesitation in his eyes—only raw, unfiltered rage. The mental block that had been holding him back shattered like glass.

Power surged through him, wild and unrestrained, like a dam finally bursting.

”Die!” Bulldozer roared, charging like a rampaging bull, his massive fist swinging straight for Terrax’s face.

Terrax’s expression tightened. He raised his arm to block.

BOOM—

Their fists collided again, but this time, the shockwave was even more brutal, rippling out in a deafening blast.

And this time, Terrax didn’t come out on top. The clash was dead even—maybe even tipping in Bulldozer’s favor.

And Bulldozer wasn’t done.

He raised his other fist, this one glowing with even more force—like a meteor crashing down from orbit.

RUMBLE!

Terrax crossed his arms to block, but the impact made his limbs go numb. The sheer force knocked him back a step—his first retreat.

”RAAAHHH!” Bulldozer let out a primal scream, his mind blank except for one thought: crush the enemy.

His aura exploded outward, his Zombie King energy surging past its limit—shattering the barrier that had held him back.

In that instant, his entire presence changed.

He had ascended.

Bulldozer had officially become one of the Voidborn Undying.

The wild energy inside him erupted, and he let it all out in one devastating punch—slamming Terrax right in the side of the face.

Terrax, already off-balance, took the full brunt of the blow. It was like getting hit by a freight train. His massive body was sent flying, crashing through the battlefield like a meteor.

Bulldozer stood tall, fists clenched, his body humming with newfound power.

He’d done it.

He’d finally broken through.

”Now you’ll see if I’m good enough!” he shouted, grinning like a madman.

”You’re more than good—you’re a damn beast!” the elite zombie grunts cheered, their voices full of awe.

The fresh Voidborn Undying aura rolled across the battlefield like a stormfront. Even Laura, locked in combat, couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder.

”This big lug... finally pulled through. Thank god he didn’t choke.”

And just like that, Ethan’s original trio had all ascended.

PhD. Laura. Bulldozer.

All three now stood among the Voidborn Undying.

And PhD’s strength in particular had caught everyone off guard—even Deathless Sovereign Nightwraith was watching him now, with a flicker of caution in his eyes.

”Long-range attacks can’t even scratch the Dreadnought-class Starcruiser,” Nightwraith said grimly, his voice low and tight.

Endless narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp as a blade. ”He’s got that many Voidborn Undying under his command... and one of them even broke through mid-battle.”

It was clear now—Bulldozer’s breakthrough wasn’t some fluke or forced push. He’d been building toward it for a long time. This war was just the spark that lit the fuse.

”I think that’s it,” Lilith chimed in, analyzing the battlefield. ”That should be all of them. No way there’s another Voidborn Undying hiding in the wings.”

But the moment the words left her mouth, a new presence surged through the chaos—one so overwhelming, it made even PhD, Laura, and Bulldozer’s auras feel tame by comparison. This one was on par with Endless and Ethan.

A Deathless Sovereign?

The undead forces froze, stunned. Endless’s expression twisted in disbelief.

Another Deathless Sovereign? How?

It didn’t make sense. There weren’t supposed to be this many.

As the pressure climbed to its peak, the surrounding zombies panicked, scattering like startled birds. A wide, empty space formed in the middle of the battlefield—a vacuum of fear.

The aura of a Deathless Sovereign was no joke. It crushed the air, made the ground tremble.

Then, through the haze of battle, several figures emerged. At the front stood a tall, broad-shouldered zombie with a sharp jawline and a smug glint in his eye.

”You all forget something?” he said, voice loud and clear. ”I’m the official Overlord of Southvale, remember?”

The one speaking… was Umbradrake.

And right behind him, his ever-loyal hype man, Howler, puffed out his chest and started doing what he did best—talking big.

”That’s right! Deathless Sovereign power, baby! You’d better surrender now while you still can! My big bro’s not someone you wanna mess with!”

The surrounding zombies stared, stunned into silence. Some looked genuinely shaken.

They’d always believed the only Deathless Sovereigns in Necroterra were the Five Sovereigns of Heartland—and maybe that white-shirted Zombie King on the fringes.

Now another one had shown up?

Panic started to ripple through the ranks.

Seeing the effect, Howler doubled down. ”You hear me? A Deathless Sovereign! One flick of his finger and a million-strong horde goes poof! You better watch yourselves!”

Umbradrake, meanwhile, kept his expression cold and serious, striding forward like he owned the battlefield.

Heartland’s elite zombies instinctively backed away, unsure what to believe.

But then—cutting through the tension—a voice rang out from the horde, sharp and skeptical.

”Don’t fall for it! He’s faking it! He’s not a real Deathless Sovereign!”

Gasps rippled through the crowd. All eyes turned toward the speaker—a battle-hardened SS-rank Zombie King, his face twisted in a sneer.

”I’ve been digging into this guy for a while. His ability is Aura Disguise. He only looks powerful. Truth is, he’s just SS-rank.”

”No way... seriously?”

The Heartland zombies looked at each other, confused and uncertain.

”You don’t believe me?” the SS-rank zombie growled. ”Fine. I’ll show you the truth!”

With a roar, he launched himself forward, muscles coiling like springs. He was clearly a speed-type—his body blurred into afterimages as he closed the distance in a blink.

His claws slashed through the air, aiming straight for Umbradrake’s throat.

But Umbradrake didn’t even flinch.

He glanced at the attacker, curled his lip in disdain, and muttered, ”Idiot.”

Then he raised one hand and casually swatted downward.

The air screamed as it compressed under the force of his strike. A wave of raw destruction exploded outward.

BOOOOM—

The speed-type Zombie King’s claws shattered on impact. His bones cracked like dry twigs. He was sent flying backward like a ragdoll, crashing into the ground with a sickening thud.

Dark blood oozed from every pore. His body twitched once—then went still.

He wasn’t getting back up.

”...What the hell?”

The Heartland elites stared, eyes wide, jaws slack.

They’d felt it in that moment—the attack wasn’t as overwhelming as a true Deathless Sovereign’s... but it wasn’t weak either.

Umbradrake’s gaze swept across the battlefield, cold and unblinking.

”I might not be a Deathless Sovereign...” he said, voice low and steady, ”...but I am Voidborn Undying.”

Howler jumped in immediately, grinning ear to ear. ”That’s right! This time it’s real! The Voidborn Undying, baby! No illusions, no tricks!”

...