Apocalypse: King of Zombies

Aurelian Settlement

A dimensional rift opened above the settlement, and a figure stepped out.

By now, the Aurelians were used to this sight. They knew Lord Ethan had returned.

Solren immediately came forward with the Aurelian elders.

”Welcome back, Lord Ethan!”

”Enough with the formalities.” Ethan waved a hand and stepped down to the ground. ”Are the others finished yet?”

”Only Lord Chris. The others are still absorbing their crystal cores,” Solren replied.

”All right.” Ethan nodded, unsurprised.

Sean and the others had entered the training chambers later than Chris, so it made sense that they hadn’t emerged yet. They should be almost done.

”Ethan!”

Chris approached excitedly.

Just as Ethan had expected, absorbing those crystal cores had raised Chris to Tier 39.

”What’s happening out there?” Chris asked.

He had no idea how the situation had developed.

In fact, none of the others knew much about the war in the Central Region. Ethan was the only one who had taken part.

All they knew was that Ethan had returned several days ago with the critically wounded Beast Sovereign. Once it recovered, he had taken it away again. They had no idea what happened after that.

”It’s settled.” Ethan smiled, looking completely at ease. ”We’re getting ready to go home.”

”Settled?” Chris stared blankly. ”What’s settled?”

”The intelligent races suffered a crushing defeat. The pinnacle races lost most of their strongest fighters and no longer pose much of a threat. I’ve also established a good relationship with the Outland Beasts, so the danger from the Eldoria Continent has basically been dealt with. We can return to Earth.”

”That fast?” Chris’s eyes widened. ”Don’t wars like this usually last a long time? How did it end so quickly?”

”Usually, they do.” Ethan smiled. ”But things move faster when I’m involved.”

”…”

”But if we return to Earth now, will we really be strong enough to defend it when the Void Realm passages open?” Chris asked. ”Shouldn’t we collect more crystal cores and raise our tiers before leaving?”

”No. The Outland Beasts are on our side now. We can’t keep killing them.” Ethan shook his head.

”Don’t worry. Once the passages open, the Beast Sovereign will come to the Atlas Federation and help us. With its strength, it should be able to deter almost anything—as long as no one above Stage SSS appears.”

”Damn, Ethan! You actually talked the Beast Sovereign into helping us?” Chris stared at him.

”Talked it into it? I saved its life and helped the beast races win the war. I asked it for one favor. That’s hardly tricking anyone.” Ethan rolled his eyes.

”Go get the others. We’ll visit the Azure Nereids first, then return to Earth.”

”Got it.”

Chris nodded and hurried into the settlement.

Ethan turned to Solren, his expression growing serious.

”Do the Aurelians truly intend to follow us?”

”Yes.” Solren nodded without hesitation.

”We aren’t from the Eldoria Continent. If you follow us, you’ll have to leave for our world. Are you still certain?”

”Absolutely,” Solren said firmly. ”Lord Ethan, without you and your companions, the Aurelians would no longer exist. We’ve already discussed this. Wherever you go, we will follow.”

Solren was no fool. He had witnessed the Fallen Star Squad’s terrifying potential firsthand. Now that the Aurelians had finally found such powerful patrons, there was no chance he would let them go.

”All right. Spend the next few days packing, then head to the Southern Region and find the Azure Nereids. I’ll make the arrangements. When the time comes, they’ll take you to our world with them.”

”Understood!”

Solren’s face lit up, but he soon frowned.

”There is one problem. The regions of the Eldoria Continent are separated by vast mountain ranges filled with Outland Beasts. We… can’t cross them.”

”That’s nothing. I’ll talk to the Outland Beasts and have them clear a path for you,” Ethan said casually.

”!”

”Have the Outland Beasts clear a path for us?”

Solren and the elders stared at him.

How much influence would that require?

Even the pinnacle races couldn’t order the Outland Beasts to let them pass.

Then they remembered the Beast Sovereign Ethan had brought back, and their doubts vanished.

Lord Ethan clearly had an excellent relationship with the Beast Sovereign. If the Beast Sovereign gave the order, forget clearing a path—the Outland Beasts might even help the Aurelians move.

Their gazes grew even more fervent.

Lord Ethan was incredible. He had even won over someone as powerful as the Beast Sovereign. If the Aurelians followed him, how could they possibly fail to rise?

Before long, Chris returned with Sean and the others.

”Boss, Chris said we’re going home?” they asked before they had even reached him.

They had been on the Eldoria Continent for nearly a month. Of course they missed home.

”Yeah. Is everything packed? If so, we’re leaving.”

”We’re ready. We didn’t have much to pack anyway.”

”Good. We’ll visit the Azure Nereids first.”

Ethan waved a hand, opening a dimensional rift.

The squad waved goodbye to the Aurelians, then entered the rift one after another.

During their early days on the Eldoria Continent, they had constantly been hiding and running, terrified that a single wrong move would get them all killed.

Their stay with the Aurelians, however, had been remarkably comfortable.

And the Aurelian dancers had been incredible.

Once they returned to Earth, they definitely needed to arrange another performance.

After Ethan and the others disappeared, Solren turned to the elders behind him.

”Tell everyone to start packing. We’ll be relocating within the next few days.”

”Yes, Patriarch.”

The Aurelians didn’t question the decision. They had already discussed it.

They understood that if their race wanted a greater future, they needed to follow the strong.

After spending so much time with these humans, they had seen exactly what the Fallen Star Squad was capable of.

This was their opportunity.

If the Aurelians tied their future to these humans, their race would undoubtedly rise to new heights.

Southern Region — Azure Nereid Settlement

When the war between the intelligent races and the Outland Beasts erupted, the Azure Nereids chose to stay out of it.

Normally, no race could have escaped a conflict that engulfed the entire continent.

The Azure Nereids were an exception.

One of their ancestors had once fallen in love with a powerful human. That human had possessed some knowledge of ritual circles and left behind a concealment ritual circle for the Azure Nereids. If their race ever faced a catastrophe, they could hide inside it.

The ritual circle concealed sight, sound, and presence. Anyone hidden within it was almost impossible to detect.

Of course, it wasn’t invincible. A Stage SSS fighter who came close enough could still notice something unusual.

But in the Southern Region, where there wasn’t even a single Stage SS fighter, it was more than sufficient.

On the third day of the war, Matriarch Seraphine led the Azure Nereids into the concealment ritual circle.

There, they safely avoided the entire conflict.