Apocalypse: King of Zombies

The humans in the rear watched the scene unfold, hearts pounding with disbelief and exhilaration. Not in their wildest dreams had they ever imagined this moment—witnessing the fall of a Heartland Deathless Sovereign.

Claire clenched her jaw, pouring every last drop of energy into her Domain of Tides. Her face had gone pale, cold sweat dripping down her temples, but she didn’t stop.

She couldn’t.

And finally—Nerissa broke.

Her screams cut off abruptly. Her eyes widened in shock, as if she couldn’t believe this was how it ended for her.

Her body, caught in the crushing tide of blue energy, began to disintegrate—shredded apart by the overwhelming force. Her life force drained away, her form unraveling into nothing.

Just like that, one of Heartland’s Deathless Sovereigns… was gone.

”Holy shit—we won! Claire did it!”

”She actually killed a Deathless Sovereign!”

”Claire just took down one of the SSS+ monsters!”

Cheers erupted from the human ranks. Some were shouting, others crying outright. The emotional weight of the moment was too much to contain.

For years, Deathless Sovereigns had been the stuff of nightmares—unbeatable, unstoppable, untouchable. Every encounter with them had ended in blood and loss.

But now, they’d finally struck back.

Claire staggered, her body trembling from the exertion. Her legs gave slightly, and she stumbled back a step, barely staying upright.

Her daughter, Aria, saw it and immediately rushed forward, worry etched across her face.

But before she could reach her, a figure dropped down beside Claire—Bloodveil.

”Claire, you okay?” he asked, voice low but urgent.

”I’ll live,” she said through gritted teeth. ”Just… completely drained.”

”Good. Would’ve sucked to win without you.” Bloodveil gave her a crooked grin, trying to lighten the mood.

”Eh…?” Aria slowed, her brows furrowing. What the hell was this guy doing? Why did it feel like he was trying to make a move?

”…”

Meanwhile, at the heart of The Origin Mountain, the battle between Deathless Sovereigns still raged—shaking the earth, splitting the sky.

Ethan stood like a titan, unmoved by the chaos around him. Every breath he took radiated raw, unrelenting power.

The surrounding peaks of The Origin Mountain were crumbling, their outer layers stripped away by the force of the battle. Beneath the shattered rock, the same bluish-gray stone was revealed—identical to the material of the Star Map tablet.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the terrain. The three main peaks rose high into the clouds, and now, with their true form exposed, they looked less like mountains…

And more like a massive altar.

”You’re not taking another step!” Endless roared, his Temporal Domain flaring to its peak. He launched forward, throwing a full-force punch at Ethan.

This was everything he had—his power as Heartland’s strongest Deathless Sovereign, unleashed without restraint.

But Ethan didn’t flinch.

Golden runes blazed across his body, his energy pulsing like a living storm. He raised one hand and caught Endless’s punch mid-air—fingers locking around his fist with perfect precision.

BOOM—

To Endless, it felt like he’d just punched a wall of solid steel. His fist stopped cold, unable to move even an inch forward.

Then Ethan’s other hand came up, fist clenched, and drove straight toward Endless’s face.

Endless tried to block with his free arm, but he was still caught—he couldn’t dodge.

BOOOOM—

The punch landed like a meteor strike. Endless’s body shuddered from the impact, his reinforced frame barely holding together.

But Ethan didn’t stop.

Another punch.

Then another.

And another.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

Each strike was a thunderclap, each blow a quake. The ground split beneath them, the sky howled above. The sheer force of Ethan’s assault made the entire world feel like it was coming apart.

The zombies watching from a distance didn’t dare get any closer. They could only stare, wide-eyed, at the spectacle unfolding before them.

”Unreal…”

”Even Endless is getting hammered like that…”

”Well, he’s still holding on. Gotta give him credit—he’s Heartland’s number one for a reason.”

”Yeah… but for how much longer?”

”…”

Amid the chaos of the battlefield, energy shockwaves rippled outward, shaking the very bones of The Origin Mountain. The outer stone of its towering peaks had completely collapsed, revealing the bluish-gray material beneath—dense, ancient, and unmistakably altar-like in structure.

At the center peak, Ethan’s eyes locked onto something.

Intricate patterns were etched into the exposed rock, weaving together in a complex, almost divine design. All the lines converged at a single point—an indentation, perfectly square, exactly the same size as the Star Map tablet.

Ethan’s gaze sharpened.

So that’s where it goes.

His blood energy surged to its peak, and with a roar, he launched another devastating punch.

BOOOOM—

Endless’s arm cracked audibly—ka-ka-ka!—before his entire body was blasted backward, slamming into the central peak’s altar wall.

The mountain trembled. Dust and debris exploded outward.

”Did… did Endless’s arm just break?!”

”He’s bleeding! Endless is actually bleeding!”

”No way… that’s impossible!”

Heartland’s zombies stared in disbelief. To them, Endless was untouchable—just like Ethan was to Bulldozer and Laura. A living legend. Invincible.

But now, he stood amid the rubble, one arm hanging limp, bone shattered, blood dripping from his fingertips.

He looked down at the damage, face darkening.

”…This is the first time I’ve ever been injured.”

”Oh?” Ethan replied coolly, stepping forward. ”Then it’ll also be your last.”

Endless was strong—no doubt about it. But with Ethan’s Blood Rite fully unleashed and the golden sigils amplifying his every move, the balance had clearly shifted.

Endless’s eyes narrowed. The Temporal Domain around him pulsed, and a strange energy began to flow toward his injured arm.

Then—crack!

In the blink of an eye, his arm was whole again. Not just healed—restored. Even his torn sleeve was back in place. No blood. No scars. No sign he’d ever been hit.

Ethan paused mid-step, eyes narrowing.

That wasn’t regeneration.

That was… time reversal.

He hadn’t healed the wound—he’d turned back the clock on his own body.

Endless stood tall, calm and composed, the embodiment of Heartland’s number one Deathless Sovereign.

”I’ll admit it—you’re strong,” he said, voice steady. ”But it doesn’t matter. You can’t kill me.”

”No matter how powerful an individual is, they’ll eventually run out of energy. Your Blood Rite burns through power like wildfire. Even with those runes boosting you, you won’t last forever. And when you fall… it’ll be at the foot of The Origin Mountain.”

”I told you before—time will give us the answer.”

His tone was calm, almost regal, as if everything was still under his control. The aura of a true Deathless Sovereign radiated from him.

Heartland’s zombie kings howled in unison, their morale reignited.

”That’s our Endless!”

”He planned this all along!”

”Victory still belongs to Heartland!”

Their roars shook the battlefield, echoing like thunder.

Ethan’s golden eyes flickered, his expression unreadable.

So this is why Endless stood at the top of Necroterra. His mastery over time made him nearly invincible.

But Ethan’s voice remained calm, even amused.

”You’re trying to mess with my head? Please. That’s kid stuff.”

”…Huh?” Endless blinked, caught off guard.

Why did that sound so familiar?

Ethan’s gaze sharpened. ”Your time reversal is impressive—but it’s not infinite. I can break you once, I can break you a thousand times. You’re bluffing.”

As he spoke, the golden sigils across his body flared to life again. His energy surged, and in a flash, he launched forward like a missile.

”Here we go again…” Endless braced himself, Temporal Domain flaring as he prepared to counter the incoming blow.

But at the last second—Ethan twisted.

His body veered off course, redirecting mid-air, and shot straight toward the summit of The Origin Mountain.

”Shit—he faked it!”

Endless’s eyes widened in realization. He’d been baited. That bastard had been bluffing the whole time!

In battles between true powerhouses, it wasn’t just strength that mattered—it was the mind. The will. The ability to outthink your opponent.

And Ethan had just played him.

He was almost at the summit now.

”Lilith! Stop him!” Endless roared.

Lilith’s brows furrowed. Her spectral forces had already been shattered by Ethan’s earlier attacks—she couldn’t match him head-on.

But at this point, there was no choice.

She had to try.

Even if it meant throwing everything she had left into one final stand.

…