Apocalypse: King of Zombies

”Big Mike!”

The moment Ethan released the Deadlock Dimension, everyone shouted his name in panic.

Then they froze.

Big Mike was standing there unharmed, still locked in a staring contest with the Celestials Patriarch.

”You’re okay?!” Everyone stared at him in disbelief.

His damage immunity had expired eight minutes ago. How was he still alive?

The instant Big Mike saw them, his calm facade crumbled. He burst into tears and threw himself at Ethan.

”Boss! You finally came out! I almost never saw you guys again!”

Big Mike was trembling. This time, Ethan didn’t push him away.

He understood the pressure Big Mike had endured for the past eight minutes. A Stage SS fighter had stood face-to-face with a Tier 47. Without damage immunity, any random skill from the Patriarch could have reduced him to ash.

The fact that Big Mike had held out for eight whole minutes under those circumstances shocked even Ethan.

The Celestials Patriarch’s face darkened. He finally realized he’d been played. Big Mike’s ability had expired long ago.

”You’re dead!”

Furious, he launched a terrifying Radiant Blade straight at Big Mike.

Before it could reach him, a figure appeared in front of the group and shattered the Radiant Blade with a single spear thrust.

Dopey immediately charged the Celestials Patriarch, denying him any chance to attack the others.

”Big Mike, that was incredible! How did you do it?” everyone asked in amazement.

For once, Big Mike didn’t brag. His legs had gone completely limp, and only his grip on Ethan kept him upright.

”When my time was almost up, I tricked him into thinking I had another ten minutes,” he said, his voice still trembling. ”Bought myself ten extra minutes.”

”And he believed you?”

”It makes sense,” Ethan said. ”If Big Mike had claimed he still had half an hour or an hour, the Patriarch never would’ve bought it. But ten minutes was close enough to what he already expected.”

He looked at Big Mike.

”You did great this time.”

”Hell yeah, Big Mike!”

Everyone showered him with praise.

It sounded simple enough, but they all knew how difficult it must have been to stay calm in that situation.

Big Mike had genuinely impressed them this time.

As they spoke, a figure suddenly lunged at them.

”Die!”

The Gildari Patriarch brought his iron staff down with terrifying force.

Everyone’s face changed.

They’d been so focused on Big Mike that they’d forgotten the Gildari Patriarch was still alive.

The staff was already above them. Ethan immediately activated Absolute Stasis.

But this time, three Tier 47 fighters were present, including the Celestials Patriarch, and they were no longer inside the Deadlock Dimension.

Absolute Stasis lasted for only a fraction of a second.

Ethan had intended to drive his Poleaxe into the Gildari Patriarch’s wounded head, but he was forced to intercept the staff instead.

A strike to the head might have worsened the Patriarch’s injuries or even killed him. But then the iron staff would have landed on the others, and none of them could survive a direct hit from a Tier 47.

Ethan had no choice but to meet it head-on.

Thud!

His arm exploded into a cloud of blood. The Poleaxe went flying, and Ethan was smashed into the ground, leaving a massive crater. He lay at the bottom, unconscious.

Whenever Ethan fought someone above his Tier, he relied on Absolute Stasis or his eye abilities to lock them down, then went straight for the head. He never traded blows with stronger opponents head-on.

This time, he’d had no choice.

The gap between Stage SSS and Tier 47 was simply too vast. If the Gildari Patriarch hadn’t already been gravely wounded and on the verge of death, that blow would have killed Ethan outright.

Even so, taking the attack head-on had left him in critical condition.

”Ethan!”

”Boss!”

Everyone rushed over and formed a protective line in front of him. Henry immediately began healing him.

The Gildari Patriarch, meanwhile, had only been forced back a few steps. He quickly regained his balance and charged again.

Then a spear appeared out of nowhere and plunged directly into the wound in his skull.

”Ambush Strike!”

Powered by Chris’s strength boost and Ambush Strike, the spear’s black edge drove deep into the Patriarch’s head.

”AAAGH!”

The Gildari Patriarch roared in agony, reflexively sweeping his iron staff sideways.

”Ethereal Form!”

Chris vanished.

In theory, Ethereal Form could nullify any attack, but maintaining it consumed an enormous amount of mental energy.

The instant the staff swept through him, Chris’s mental energy was almost completely drained. His body reappeared before the attack had passed.

Bang!

Forced out of Ethereal Form, Chris took the blow squarely in the chest.

His chest caved in, and he was hurled through the air. He slammed into the ground and stopped moving.

Fortunately, Ethereal Form had absorbed most of the impact. Otherwise, that one hit would have killed him outright.

”Chris!”

Emily raced over and gathered him into her arms.

”Bring him here!” Henry shouted.

”Right!”

She quickly carried Chris over to him.

Henry placed one hand on Ethan and the other on Chris, healing them both at once. Emily immediately linked herself to Henry and began restoring his mental energy.

The sight of their two strongest fighters lying unconscious weighed heavily on everyone.

Now they were on their own.

Fortunately, the Gildari Patriarch had also collapsed. Chris’s attack had dealt him a fatal wound.

”Is he dead?” Garrick asked quietly.

”Not sure. I’ll check.”

Sean started toward him. The Gildari Patriarch was far too dangerous to leave any doubt. If he wasn’t completely dead, Sean would make sure he stayed down.

Sean had only made it halfway when the Patriarch’s body twitched.

Then, under everyone’s stunned gaze, he struggled back to his feet.

”Urgh...”

A low, hellish growl escaped his throat.

”You think... the likes of you can kill me?”

Covered in blood, the Gildari Patriarch looked like a demon crawling out of hell. His long iron staff dragged behind him as he advanced one slow step at a time.

Everyone’s expression hardened.

”He’s barely got any health left,” Sean scoffed. ”If he’s not dead, we’ll just kill him again!”

He activated Adamantine Form, layered Thornmail and Damage Reversal over it, then grabbed his club and charged.

The others moved with him.

Henry cast Divine Shield on Sean, while Emily added Warding Armor.

Skinny Pete raised a hand and fired an Annihilation Bolt. Black lightning slammed into the Gildari Patriarch.

The seemingly fragile Patriarch only faltered for an instant before continuing toward them.

Even with one foot in the grave, he was still a Tier 47. A group of Stage SS fighters couldn’t do anything to him.

Garrick’s Void Hand and Big Mike’s Blazing Cleave produced the same result. Each attack made him pause for only an instant and failed to inflict any real damage.

The Gildari Patriarch kept coming.