Apocalypse: King of Zombies

”You agree?”

The Dread-Eyed Lion stared at Ethan in surprise. It clearly hadn’t expected him to decide so quickly.

Abyron was a Tier 47 thrall. Ethan was really willing to give that up?

The Dread-Eyed Lion had expected convincing him to be difficult and prepared a long list of arguments. Instead, Ethan had agreed outright, catching it completely off guard.

”What’s with that look? Did you think I’d refuse? Do I seem that selfish to you?” Ethan asked.

”It’s not that you seem selfish.” The Dread-Eyed Lion answered with complete sincerity. ”I’m pretty sure you are.”

”...”

”Are we doing this or not? Keep stalling and I might change my mind.”

”We’re doing it. Of course we are.” The Dread-Eyed Lion immediately grew anxious. ”Quick, bring him out.”

Ethan raised his hand, then hesitated.

”Dopey isn’t going to attack me after he comes back to life, is he?”

The Dread-Eyed Lion rolled its eyes. ”Don’t judge Abyron by your own narrow-minded standards. He’s a far better man than you. You helped him, and even if you hadn’t, he would never attack you simply because you’re human.”

”Narrow-minded? That’s a perfectly reasonable concern,” Ethan grumbled.

Still, he was relieved.

After thinking for a moment, he asked, ”Will Dopey remember anything from when he was a thrall?”

”No. A thrall is fundamentally just a corpse. How could he retain memories without a soul?” the Dread-Eyed Lion patiently explained.

”Fair enough.” Ethan nodded.

He believed he had treated Dopey well, but a mighty Tier 47 fighter might not appreciate being ordered around as someone else’s servant. It was probably for the best if Abyron remembered none of it.

”If you have any other questions, ask them now. Once you’re done, hurry up and bring him out. I’ve been waiting to resurrect him.”

”That’s everything.” Ethan waved his hand, releasing Abyron from his spatial ring. He pushed the body toward the Dread-Eyed Lion with obvious reluctance. ”He’s all yours.”

The Dread-Eyed Lion was speechless at his pained expression.

”Stop acting like you’re being robbed. Abyron’s resurrection will only benefit you.”

”How is there no downside? Once he comes back to life, will he still obey my every command like Dopey did?”

”No.”

”Exactly. That’s a huge loss for me.”

”...”

”Did you really think you had nothing to worry about as long as he remained a thrall?” the Dread-Eyed Lion asked mockingly.

”What do you mean?”

”A thrall does obey its master, but the secret art that binds you isn’t unbreakable. My Demonic Eye can forcibly erase your connection to him. What do you think would happen once that bond was severed?”

”Holy shit! You can do that?” Ethan’s eyes widened.

”Countless worlds exist, filled with every kind of ability imaginable. Why is that so surprising?” The Dread-Eyed Lion looked at him like he was some clueless country bumpkin.

”Fine.”

Ethan narrowed his eyes at it.

”Since you have that kind of ability, were you planning to erase my bond with Dopey by force and resurrect him if I turned out to be weaker than you?”

”Yes,” the Dread-Eyed Lion admitted without hesitation. ”You were too weak. Staying with you would only make Abyron suffer, so naturally, I intended to take him away.”

”And were you planning to kill me while you were at it?”

”No. Abyron forbade me from killing humans. If I killed you and he found out afterward, I’d never hear the end of it,” the Dread-Eyed Lion muttered.

Ethan nodded. He believed it.

The Dread-Eyed Lion hadn’t gone too far with him the last time they met, despite how weak he’d been. In fact, it had treated him fairly well, probably because of Abyron.

And there was nothing strange about it wanting to take Abyron away. In the same position, Ethan wouldn’t have stopped at stealing him. He would have killed the other person too.

”I’ve been wondering. What exactly is your relationship with Abyron?”

The Dread-Eyed Lion looked gently at Abyron.

”He is my master, though we never formed a contract. He said a contract would limit my growth.”

”Oh, that explains everything. No wonder you care so much about him.”

Ethan stepped aside.

”All right, let’s get started. What do you need me to do?”

”Nothing. Just stand over there and don’t disturb me.”

”How long will it take?”

”About two hours.”

”Fine. Do your thing. I’ll keep watch.”

”Why would anyone need to keep watch in here?”

”...”

”Can’t you at least let me feel useful?” Ethan snapped.

”Fine. Keep watch.”

The Dread-Eyed Lion ignored him after that. A third eye opened on its forehead, casting a beam of light over Abyron.

Ethan soon felt his connection to Abyron disappear completely.

He stared at the Dread-Eyed Lion in surprise. It had already claimed that it could forcibly erase his bond with Dopey, but seeing it happen still shocked him.

Fortunately, it must have needed Ethan to break Dopey’s seal and had therefore held off. Otherwise, they would have all died on the continent of Eldoria.

As the secret art was undone, Dopey’s body toppled stiffly to the ground.

The Dread-Eyed Lion floated above him, keeping the light from its third eye fixed on his body.

A short while later, Ethan saw a translucent figure slowly drifting toward Dopey’s forehead within the beam.

He activated True Sight. The figure resembled a miniature Dopey, hanging completely motionless inside the light.

It soon reached Dopey’s forehead and passed inside without resistance, merging directly into his body.

The Dread-Eyed Lion slowly closed its third eye and descended to the ground.

”That’s it?” Ethan asked.

”Yes. All I could do was return his soul essence to his body. The rest is up to him. Now we wait.”

”Okay.”

With nothing else to do, Ethan and the Dread-Eyed Lion waited inside the Void Realm.

Nearly two hours later, Ethan’s shout broke the silence.

”Whoa... He moved!”

He stared excitedly at Abyron, who was still lying on the ground nearby.

One of Abyron’s fingers had twitched.

The Dread-Eyed Lion instantly appeared beside him and watched with undisguised tension.

Abyron’s finger moved again. His eyelids began to tremble, and moments later, his eyes slowly opened.

This time, they were no longer blank and lifeless. They were filled with confusion.

”Where am I?” Abyron asked.

It was the first time Ethan had ever heard his voice.

He had to admit, the guy didn’t just have a handsome face. He had a great voice too. Before the apocalypse, there was no telling how many girls he would have driven crazy.