Investing in My Harem in the Apocalypse Makes Me Stronger

Cain’s eyes narrowed.

Dark gray Ruin energy immediately spread around the wound in the Zombie King’s forearm.

The flesh that had already begun closing turned black before the regeneration slowed considerably, while several tiny sections around the injury started crumbling apart instead.

The Zombie King looked down.

For the first time, something resembling confusion appeared on its face as the Ruin energy remaining inside the wound continued spreading.

The flesh surrounding the embedded spearhead darkened further and refused to recover properly.

Cain’s expression improved slightly.

’Good.’

The Zombie King could stop the physical force behind his attack, but it could not completely stop the Ruin energy once it entered its body.

Its regeneration was powerful, yet Ruin Dragon Force directly interfered with it. More importantly, the creature would have to continuously spend energy repairing whatever the Ruin energy destroyed.

Cain had already learned what he needed.

”Ron. Nathan.”

Both immediately looked at him.

”Go back to the others and handle the zombies behind it. When I reach the group, tell Evelyne to connect Life Link to me and focus her healing entirely on me.” Cain glanced briefly toward Ron before continuing, ”Stay ready too. We’re probably using Plan B.”

He gave every instruction in a single breath.

Nathan nodded immediately, but Ron remained still for a moment as he looked between Cain and the Zombie King.

His usual relaxed expression had completely disappeared.

”Don’t fucking die before I get strong enough to beat the shit out of you myself.”

Cain chuckled in response.

”Can’t wait for that to happen.”

Ron snorted before turning around, while Nathan immediately followed him.

The two had barely moved several steps when the Zombie King shifted its gaze toward them.

The enormous group of zombies gathered behind it reacted at almost the same moment.

There was no roar or spoken command, yet hundreds of heads turned toward Ron and Nathan before the entire horde began moving.

The ten 1st Echelon zombies near the front stepped forward first.

Their pressure was noticeably stronger than the creatures they had fought during Plan A.

Cain briefly focused on one.

[1st Echelon Zombie | Level 50]

Another was Level 47.

The weakest Cain saw was still above Level 45.

’So it really sent the weaker ones first.’

That explained why none of the ten 1st Echelon zombies from earlier had been particularly close to the upper limit of the Echelon.

The thought barely passed through Cain’s mind before the horde surged after Ron and Nathan.

Nathan immediately accelerated.

Ron deliberately remained slightly behind him, keeping enough distance from the pursuing zombies while ensuring they continued following.

Cain did not interfere as those creatures were no longer his concern.

His attention returned to their king.

The Zombie King reached toward the spear stuck through its arm.

It grabbed the shaft.

Crack!

The metal shaft snapped beneath its hand.

It pulled the remaining section free and threw it aside, leaving behind a fist-sized hole still covered by dark gray Ruin energy.

Its face distorted as it looked directly at Cain with a furious expression.

Cain smiled faintly as he opened his Inventory again.

A pale blue sword appeared in his hand before Ruin energy immediately flooded into the blade. The pale patterns along its surface disappeared beneath the dark gray energy as Cain continued forcing more into the weapon.

Crack!

A thin fracture appeared near the tip.

That was enough as Cain drew his arm backward.

The Zombie King lowered its body.

This time, it was ready before Cain released the weapon.

Cain immediately threw the sword.

The sword crossed the distance even faster than the spear.

The Zombie King did not cross both arms again as it pulled its right fist backward and used its (Flesh Armament) skill.

Its hand enlarged as dense layers of dark tissue wrapped around its fingers and knuckles.

Energy Reinforcement followed immediately.

Then it punched forward.

The fist collided with the incoming sword.

Bang!

The fist collided directly with the incoming sword.

The blade pierced through the center of its hand, forcing the Zombie King’s arm backward.

However, the enormous force coming from both sides quickly became too much for the already damaged weapon.

Crack!

The blade shattered, fragments scattered through the air.

Several pieces embedded themselves inside the Zombie King’s forearm.

Its hand remained intact, but a deep wound had been opened through the center of the fist.

Combined with the earlier hole in its forearm that was still deteriorating from Ruin energy, Cain had already inflicted noticeable damage before the real battle even began.

Even so, his smile disappeared.

He could injure it.

That much was certain.

But killing it quickly was going to be extremely difficult.

The Zombie King finally stepped down from the enormous creature it had been using as a chair and stood upright.

Its height was approximately 185 centimeters, close to an ordinary human, and its proportions remained almost completely normal.

If not for the gray skin and dark veins spreading across its body, someone looking from a distance might have mistaken it for a surviving man.

The next moment, it instantly vanished into thin air.

Cain’s pupils contracted.

His hand immediately moved toward the Crimson Fang Sword at his waist.

The moment he drew the blade, Faultline Vision filled his perception with information and revealed an approaching opening slightly to his left.

Cain moved without hesitation.

The Zombie King’s fist passed beside his face.

Even though the attack missed, the pressure behind it was enough to disturb his hair.

Cain immediately swung toward its ribs.

Shhk!

The sword entered several centimeters into the flesh before the Zombie King twisted its body.

Cain followed the movement and pushed Ruin energy through the blade, deepening the cut before the creature’s left hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder.

’Shit.’

Cain tried to pull away, but it was too late as the Zombie King’s knee struck his stomach.

BOOM!

Pain exploded through Cain’s abdomen.

His feet left the ground.

He flew backward and crashed through a park bench before slamming against a tree.

Bang!

Cain fell onto one knee.

Blood immediately entered his mouth as several ribs had fractured and something inside his abdomen had been damaged.

The Undying God Body reacted instantly, mana flowed toward the injuries, causing the fractures to begin reconnecting.

Cain spat blood onto the grass.

”That fucking hurt.”

The Zombie King was already approaching again.

Cain forced himself upright as dark gray energy surged through his body.

This time, he met it head-on.

The Zombie King’s right fist changed halfway through the attack.

Flesh thickened around the knuckles while Energy Reinforcement concentrated through the entire arm.

Faultline Vision immediately revealed the result.

The right arm had become far more difficult to damage.

However, the Zombie King had concentrated so much energy there that its left side had weakened slightly.

Cain stepped outside the incoming punch.

The reinforced fist missed his chest.

His sword immediately moved toward the exposed side.

His sword swept beneath the Zombie King’s ribs, tearing open a deep wound as Ruin energy entered its body.

The Zombie King responded immediately by twisting around and driving its elbow toward Cain’s head.

Cain raised his forearm.

Bang!

The impact fractured the bones beneath his skin, but Cain ignored the pain and drove his shoulder into the Zombie King’s chest.