Apocalypse: King of Zombies

Everyone from the Cathay Republic watched the battle high above with their nerves stretched taut.

This fight would decide whether they lived or died.

If Lord Theron lost, the Cathay Republic would most likely be wiped out.

Still, they had confidence in him. Both fighters were Stage SSS, but judging by the battle, Theron held the advantage.

What truly frightened them was the way the Atlas Federation group kept glancing in their direction. Every look made them tremble, terrified that the intruders might suddenly attack.

For now, though, Ethan had no intention of doing anything to them.

His attention was also fixed on the battle overhead.

He honestly hadn’t expected the Cathay Republic’s Stage SSS fighter to be at the peak of Tier 47—the very limit of the Stage. If he’d known, he would’ve brought Beast Sovereign with him from the start.

He’d assumed that anyone who came to Earth this early would, at most, have only recently reached Stage SSS. Ethan could’ve handled someone like that himself, and even if he couldn’t, he still had Dopey. There hadn’t seemed to be any reason to trouble Beast Sovereign.

So much for that assumption.

Not that Ethan could really blame himself. Peak Tier 47 powerhouses didn’t exactly grow on trees. Beast Sovereign was the only one on the entire continent of Eldoria. Who could’ve guessed that another would just happen to show up here?

Fortunately, Theron was still somewhat weaker than Beast Sovereign. Beast Sovereign had remained at Stage SSS for more than ten thousand years and had long since reached the Stage’s absolute limit.

Theron might also be at peak Tier 47, but he probably hadn’t been at Stage SSS for very long.

Dopey was definitely weaker, but it shouldn’t have any trouble keeping Theron occupied for an hour or two.

More importantly, Theron wasn’t trying to kill it. He genuinely seemed interested only in stopping Ethan’s group from attacking the Cathay Republic, not in hurting them.

That left Ethan with a favorable impression of him. Once Beast Sovereign arrived, Ethan naturally wouldn’t allow it to kill Theron either.

Earth wasn’t as vast as Eldoria, but Dragonspire City was still more than ten thousand miles from New Atlas. Even at Beast Sovereign’s speed, the trip would take over an hour.

All they could do was wait.

Bang!

Theron knocked Dopey back again, then looked at Ethan.

”This thrall is no match for me. Take it and leave. Whatever else it may be, it remains a valuable asset to humanity. I do not wish to destroy it.”

”Theron, I respect the kind of man you are,” Ethan said sincerely. ”I don’t want to fight you either. Stay out of the Cathay Republic’s affairs, and there’s no reason for us to be enemies.”

Theron shook his head once again.

”I swore before my father that if I ever found surviving humans, I would protect them. These people are human as well. I cannot stand by and watch you slaughter them.”

”How many times do I have to tell you? They’re not our people. And if you protect them now, sooner or later they’ll stab us in the back.”

Ethan’s expression turned serious.

”A great catastrophe is coming. I need to eliminate this threat before I can face what lies ahead with any peace of mind.”

”If you know disaster is coming, then that is all the more reason not to kill each other!”

”Holy shit! Why can’t I get this through your head? These bastards have to die!”

”I will not allow you to kill them.”

”Then we keep fighting!”

Ethan’s temper flared, and he ordered Dopey to attack again.

Theron’s face hardened as he went to meet it. This time, his attacks were noticeably more ruthless.

It wasn’t long before wounds began appearing across Dopey’s body.

Fortunately, Dopey was a thrall. Injuries like these had no effect on it.

More than an hour passed. By then, Dopey’s entire body was covered in wounds.

Then an enormous figure appeared on the distant horizon, flying toward them at terrifying speed.

The moment Theron sensed its overwhelming presence, his expression changed drastically.

”All of you, get out of here!”

His warning wasn’t only directed at the Cathay Republic. He was warning Ethan’s group as well.

Abandoning his fight with Dopey, Theron stepped forward and placed himself between the approaching threat and everyone else, his expression graver than ever.

Ethan’s opinion of him rose another notch.

The man might be stubbornly old-fashioned, but his desire to protect humanity was genuine.

”Hahaha! Ethan, you’re pathetic!” Beast Sovereign’s booming voice rolled across the sky. ”You’re in such a weak world, and you still need me to come save you?”

Then surprise appeared on its face.

”Huh? This world actually has a peak Tier 47 fighter?”

Interest lit up its eyes, followed by intense fighting spirit.

”Now this is interesting. No wonder Ethan got his ass kicked. It’s been a long time since I’ve faced someone this strong.”

Theron glanced at Ethan’s group in shock.

”You summoned it?”

”That’s right.” Ethan nodded.

”And now you consort with Beastkind as well?” Theron’s face darkened.

”What’s wrong with that?”

”Hmph. Allying yourself with Beastkind is playing with fire. Are you trying to doom humanity along with yourself?”

Ethan was speechless.

”Could you stop being so damn rigid? Thralls, Beastkind—who cares? If they make us stronger, then they’re useful.”

”I think I finally understand why humanity was wiped out before. If everyone was as stubborn as you, no wonder they went extinct!”

”How dare you!” Theron’s fury erupted as though Ethan had struck his deepest nerve. ”You have no right to pass judgment on humanity’s forebears! You know nothing of what they endured! The only reason you survived at all is because they sacrificed their lives to preserve what remained of humanity!”

”Fine, fine. Forget I said anything.”

Ethan realized he had gone too far and immediately dropped the subject.

”Fine. I’m going to wipe out these Cathay Republic bastards. You still planning to stand in my way?”

Theron stared gravely at Beast Sovereign, but he still nodded without hesitation.

”I gave my word that I would protect them.”

Ethan rubbed his forehead. The man was hopelessly stubborn.

”Ethan, what exactly is going on here?” Beast Sovereign asked, confused. Hadn’t Ethan called it over for a fight? Why were they standing around talking?

”Beast Sovereign, take him down. But remember, don’t kill him.”

”I can’t kill him?” Beast Sovereign frowned.

This was a peak Tier 47 foreign species. If the others ate him, their strength would skyrocket.

”That’s right. Keep him alive,” Ethan confirmed.

”Fine.”

Beast Sovereign let out a disappointed sigh, then threw itself at Theron as if venting its frustration.

Theron gave Ethan a complicated look before raising his greatsword and charging forward without fear.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The two clashed in an instant. The shock waves from their battle were so powerful that the entire Dragonspire City compound trembled.

Ethan shifted his gaze from the fight above to the people of the Cathay Republic below.

His voice turned cold.

”Wipe them out.”