Apocalypse: King of Zombies

Outside Fallen Star City’s gates…

Two full divisions stood assembled.

Twenty thousand from the Fallen Star Guard.

One hundred thousand from the Fallen Star Corps.

They filled the area in disciplined ranks, armor and weapons catching the light, thralls standing among them like silent shadows. Around them, countless Fallen Star City residents crowded the perimeter, watching with bright eyes and barely contained excitement.

Everyone knew what it meant when both of the city’s strongest forces were called out at the same time.

Something big was about to happen.

”What do you think the Commander’s doing, pulling both teams together like this?”

”Isn’t it obvious? He’s about to go after the Void Realm creatures.”

”Ha! That’s what I think too. Three seconds of silence for those Void Realm bastards—picking a fight with our Commander is basically picking a fight with death.”

”Man… I really wish I could be one of them.” Someone stared at the formation with naked envy.

”Who doesn’t?” others agreed immediately.

In Fallen Star City, who wouldn’t want to join the Fallen Star Guard or the Fallen Star Corps?

In other compounds, plenty of people hated joining official forces—too many rules, too much control. They’d rather form their own teams and do things their way.

But Fallen Star City was different.

Sure, the Guard and the Corps still had responsibilities—maintaining order inside the city, going out to hunt Outland Beasts, keeping the crystal core reserves stocked.

But the待遇? The benefits?

They made people’s eyes go red with jealousy.

And their strength… it wasn’t even close.

Forget the Fallen Star Guard—just the Fallen Star Corps alone, pull out any random soldier and they could crush most outside battle teams like bugs.

So in Fallen Star City, ”joining the Guard” or ”joining the Corps” wasn’t just a career choice.

It was a dream.

Because in the apocalypse, power was everything.

Not long after, Ethan arrived.

Behind him came the Glacial Bear, the roc, and five white-furred apes—each one radiating a heavy, violent presence.

This time, Fallen Star City was essentially going all-in.

And Ethan could afford to.

With Miles’s warding circle protecting the city, there was no need to keep their best fighters home. If anything happened, Ethan could Riftwalk back in an instant.

With a brief command, the massive force began to move.

A sea of people poured out of Fallen Star City in a grand, unstoppable march.

Up on the city wall, Nerissa watched them go, her expression tangled—half awe, half unease.

She knew the truth.

Even if this force appeared in the Southern Region of the Eldoria Continent… it would still be enough to sweep across the major races like a storm.

Nerissa exhaled slowly.

”If the dimensional rift opens again,” she murmured, eyes fixed on the departing ranks, ”I’ll have to talk to the Patriarch—seriously.”

Her gaze sharpened.

”We have to build good relations with the human race.”

Because the speed at which humans were growing stronger…

It was terrifying.

Atlas City Compound…

”General Kane! General Kane! We’ve got a major situation!”

A communications officer burst into the command center, practically vibrating with excitement.

Maxwell and the others turned, confused. ”What’s got you so worked up?”

”Just now—Ethan led Fallen Star City’s two strongest forces out of the city. From the looks of it… he’s going after the Void Realm creatures!”

”Seriously!?”

”Quick—share the live feed to our phones.”

”And loop in the other compounds’ leaders too,” Maxwell added, eyes bright.

It had been a long time since anyone had seen Ethan move with the kind of momentum he’d shown when he swept the Yamato Empire. If this was really happening again… the whole Federation needed to see it.

A moment later, the live satellite footage went out.

Compound leaders across the Atlas Federation received the stream. At first, some didn’t even know what they were looking at—but once they realized Fallen Star City was mobilizing, their reactions were nearly identical.

Meetings got canceled. Work got shoved aside.

Everyone stared at the screen like it was a lifeline.

About 180 miles from Fallen Star City, in a ruined, abandoned city, a cluster of buildings that hadn’t fully collapsed had been crudely repaired. A group of tall Void Realm creatures were resting inside.

They hadn’t managed to occupy a human city, so they’d settled for this.

Honestly, it wasn’t even bad. The environment here was better than their home world—and the mysterious energy at night was richer too. Living in ruins was still living.

Once the dimensional rift opened again, they’d bring more of their people through. Eventually, they’d take a human city. Worst case, they’d enslave humans and have them build a proper, beautiful settlement from scratch.

On a rooftop, several Void Realm creatures were patrolling when they spotted a massive group moving in the distance—human silhouettes running straight toward them.

Their hearts jumped.

But when they realized it was humans, their expressions turned greedy.

They sounded the alarm immediately.

”Large number of humans approaching!”

The creatures inside poured out.

The moment they confirmed it, their eyes lit up.

”Didn’t think humans would deliver themselves to our door.”

”Everyone out. Take them alive. Let them build this place up for us.”

”Got it.”

They cracked their knuckles, excited, already tasting it.

Then the humans got closer.

And the mood snapped.

”Elder… something’s wrong. Their strength—”

”FUCK,” the elder hissed, face changing. ”They’re all Stage A and above. Weren’t humans supposed to be weak? How are they this strong!?”

His instincts screamed danger. He didn’t hesitate.

”Run!”

Too late.

From behind the incoming force, twenty thousand Flamebirds surged overhead—each carrying a Fallen Star Guard soldier. They swept past like a red-and-gold tide, then the soldiers dropped down in unison, landing hard and forming a block directly in the Void Realm creatures’ path.

The Void Realm creatures skidded to a stop, terror washing over their faces as they looked at the men and women in front of them.

”Peak Tier 29…” someone whispered, voice breaking.

”And there are hundreds at Stage S,” the elder said hoarsely, his face drained of color.

This wasn’t a fight.

This was bullying.

Weak?

This was supposed to be weak?

The elder suddenly wanted a very serious conversation with whoever started that rumor—preferably with his fists.

He forced a smile that looked like it hurt.

”Um… may I ask why the esteemed lords have come here? If there’s anything our Highspire Clan can do, just say the word. We’ll go through fire and—”

He didn’t even finish.

A cold voice came from the human ranks.

”Kill them all.”

The next second, everyone moved.

Skills erupted like a storm—spells, beams, blades, waves of force—crashing down on the Void Realm creatures in a sky-filling barrage.

”You—!” the elder’s face twisted. He tried to rally his people, tried to organize resistance.

But against opponents who outnumbered them and outclassed them, their struggle looked pitiful.

In moments, everything below Stage S was erased.

Only a few Stage S survivors remained—barely alive, broken bodies twitching on the ground.

The humans didn’t waste time.

They grabbed the dying Stage S members of the Highspire Clan and kept marching forward as if this had been nothing more than a speed bump.

On screens across the Federation, compound leaders stared, stunned.

”So… this is Fallen Star City.”

They hadn’t even seen Fallen Star Squad take action.

Just Fallen Star City’s regular forces had wiped out thousands of Void Realm creatures in the blink of an eye.

That was their strength?

It was terrifying.

And somehow… it was also cathartic as hell.

For so long, the compounds had been crushed under the Void Realm’s boot, barely able to breathe.

Now, watching the tables flip in real time—watching Ethan clearly prepare to sweep every last Void Realm creature out of the Atlas Federation in one clean, ruthless pass—

It felt like finally exhaling after months of drowning.