Apocalypse: King of Zombies

Dopey’s eyes were still empty, but the moment he stood in front of Ethan, Ethan felt completely safe.

Ethan might have had nerves of steel, but facing the Stage SSS Netherfang Tiger had scared the hell out of him.

The pressure radiating from a Stage SSS being had been almost unbearable. Fortunately, Dopey blocked it the moment he appeared.

The Netherfang Tiger frowned at the sudden arrival. It couldn’t sense any presence from Dopey, nor could it determine his strength.

”A soulless thrall?”

”I thought you had some incredible trump card. It’s only a soulless thrall!”

”You don’t seriously think that thing can defeat me, do you?” the Netherfang Tiger mocked.

”Uh… I actually do.” Ethan smiled.

”Dopey, attack!”

The moment the command left his mouth, Dopey vanished. Before either Ethan or the Netherfang Tiger could react, he reappeared above the beast.

This time, he didn’t use the plain, straightforward punches he’d always relied on before.

He simply extended one hand and pressed it down toward the Netherfang Tiger.

An invisible force instantly descended upon the beast.

The Netherfang Tiger’s expression changed dramatically.

”ROAR!”

A deafening roar shook the dimension. Powerful black energy erupted from its body as it tried to resist the unseen force.

But the invisible pressure was overwhelming. It continued bearing down without slowing.

The black energy around the Netherfang Tiger was steadily compressed. Its enormous body sank inch by inch, its four legs slowly buckling beneath it.

”How… how can a soulless thrall be this powerful?” The Netherfang Tiger’s face twisted as it stared at Dopey in disbelief.

Dopey remained expressionless. He continued increasing the pressure, forcing the tiger lower and lower.

Ethan was just as stunned.

He had grown accustomed to Dopey’s no-frills fighting style. Seeing him use an ability like this felt almost strange.

Floating in the air and suppressing a Stage SSS beast with one hand…

He looked ridiculously badass.

”What kind of ability is that? It doesn’t seem tied to any element, so it must be special-type. Damn, that’s cool.” Ethan couldn’t help feeling envious.

As the force released by Dopey continued to intensify, the surrounding space began to distort. Ethan started worrying whether the Deadlock Dimension could withstand it.

Fortunately, after several minutes—

Thud!

The Netherfang Tiger’s legs finally gave out, forcing it to its knees. Blood flowed from its mouth and nose.

It struggled to raise its head and looked at Ethan.

”Who… are you? I suggest you make… that soulless thrall stop! If anything happens to me… all your races will suffer!”

”Oh, that’d be great.” Ethan’s eyes immediately lit up.

”…”

”If you kill me, the Beast Sovereign will fly into a rage! Not even this soulless thrall will be able to protect you!”

”So let it get mad.” Ethan shrugged. ”At worst, it’ll start an all-out war with the other races. I’m just some weak Stage SS nobody. Why would anyone suspect me?”

”Hmph! If I die, the Beast Sovereign will know exactly how it happened. You won’t escape!” the Netherfang Tiger snarled.

”Uh… you might not know this, but we’re inside an independent dimension. No information can get out.” Ethan smiled. ”You’ll die in peace, and the Beast Sovereign won’t receive a thing.”

”You—”

”Pfft!”

The Netherfang Tiger spewed blood from its massive jaws. As if it had finally reached its limit, its enormous body crashed to the ground.

It glared at Ethan, its eyes still filled with defiance. It tried to rise, but couldn’t move.

Dopey’s power pressed it down like an invisible giant hand. It couldn’t even twitch, much less get back up.

”ROAR!”

The Netherfang Tiger let out an unwilling roar.

It was a mighty Stage SSS being, the ruler of the Netherveil Range, yet a soulless thrall had pinned it to the ground like a helpless animal.

The humiliation was unbearable.

But other than roaring in impotent fury, there was nothing it could do.

Dopey didn’t let up. The pressure continued to increase.

Crack. Crack.

The sickening sound of breaking bones filled the dimension. Blood began seeping from all over the Netherfang Tiger’s body, and the defiance in its eyes finally gave way to pleading.

”Please… spare me…”

”If you… let me live… I’m willing… to become your servant…”

Ethan shook his head.

”I’d love to have a Stage SSS servant, but you’re too powerful. I can’t control you.

”Besides, you have to die. My plan won’t work otherwise.”

”You…”

”One day… the Beast Sovereign will avenge me!”

Boom!

The Netherfang Tiger’s head exploded. Its massive body was torn apart along with it, and its presence vanished.

The Stage SSS ruler of the Netherveil Range was dead.

Dopey withdrew his hand and returned to Ethan’s side, his face still completely expressionless.

Ethan stared at him in amazement.

Just how strong was Dopey now?

He had crushed a Tier 42 beast to death without even moving from where he stood.

That was insane.

After considering it for a moment, Ethan shook his head. He had encountered too few Stage SSS beings to make any accurate judgment.

”Whatever. The stronger Dopey is, the more unstoppable I am!”

He returned Dopey to his spatial storage ring, then immediately picked up the gray crystal core lying on the ground.

A Stage SSS crystal core!

Excitement filled Ethan’s eyes as he looked at it.

This was a Tier 42 crystal core. With it in his hands, Stage SSS suddenly felt within reach.

Unfortunately, he was still only Tier 39. Even absorbing this core wouldn’t necessarily be enough to push him to Stage SSS.

He also had two Tier 41 crystal cores, though. If he absorbed all three, perhaps he could make it.

Ethan couldn’t be certain.

Advancing from the peak of Tier 41 to Stage SSS undoubtedly required a staggering amount of energy.

The Eldoria Continent had plenty of Stage SS fighters, yet only a few dozen at Stage SSS. That alone showed how difficult the breakthrough was.

To be safe, I should collect a few more Tier 41 crystal cores. I need to reach at least the middle or late part of Tier 41 before absorbing this one.

If I use a Stage SSS crystal core and still fail to break through, that’ll be a disaster. It’s not like I can find another one whenever I want.

Ethan recalled several Tier 41 Outland Beasts he had spotted in the Netherveil Range earlier.

Killing them should get me close.

And if I’m right, those pinnacle races will send people here soon. I’ll throw the entire Netherveil Range into chaos, let them come clean up the mess, then find somewhere quiet to absorb my crystal cores and make the breakthrough.

A wicked smile spread across Ethan’s face.

Pulling strings from the shadows was way too damn satisfying.