Apocalypse: King of Zombies

A massive horde of zombies from Japan surged ashore like a tidal wave, utterly overwhelming and slaughtering the Mutant Vampire Zombies in their path.

Earlier, when the giant wave hit, many of the Mutant Vampire Zombies had been swept into the sea. Just as they were crawling back onto land, a swarm of Aqua Zombies emerged—like vengeful water spirits—dragging them back into the depths.

With each burst of bubbles, the seawater turned a murky red. Severed limbs and chunks of flesh floated to the surface.

Leading the charge were the Samara Zombie King, the T-Rex, and Mad Dog—unstoppable forces of destruction. These three had clawed their way to the top of Japan's undead hierarchy through sheer strength and countless battles. Their combat prowess was terrifying.

Samara moved like a storm, her claws slicing through the Mutant Vampire Zombies with brutal precision, leaving nothing but shredded corpses in her wake.

Mad Dog's massive, razor-sharp bone blade cleaved enemies clean in half. One hit meant instant death. Even a graze left you maimed beyond recognition.

Together, the Japanese Iron Trio carved a bloody path straight toward the blond vampire youth.

"You dare invade our boss's turf? Die!"

"Shit!" The blond vampire's face twisted in panic. Everything had been going smoothly—until this Japanese Zombie Horde came crashing in out of nowhere.

"Fall back! We need to report this to Lady Scarlet Moon—now!"

There was no way they could stand against a zombie force this massive, especially not with three veteran Zombie Kings leading the charge. The operation in Los Angeles had to be called off.

The blond vampire leapt onto a nearby rooftop, ready to make his escape.

But just then, a sharp whoosh cut through the air. A katana crackling with electricity came slicing straight at him.

He barely managed to twist his body out of the way. The blade missed his face by inches, slicing off a few strands of his golden hair. The electric surge in the air scorched his skin, leaving it raw and bloody.

Eyes wide with shock, he turned—and saw Mia standing there.

"What's wrong? Trying to run now?"

"Damn you!" he snarled, baring his fangs and lunging at her with his claws.

But this time, Mia didn't meet him head-on. She floated backward effortlessly, keeping just out of reach.

The tables had turned.

With Mia keeping him occupied, the blond vampire had no chance of escaping.

Moments later, the Japanese Iron Trio stormed in, followed by a dense wave of zombies that surged like a flood, swallowing the blond vampire whole.

His agonized screams echoed over the skies of Santa Monica.

But within seconds, the sound faded. He'd been torn to pieces.

"These zombies are actually pretty useful," Mia muttered to herself, watching the carnage. Saved her a lot of effort.

Ethan had always treated her like a tool. So now, she figured it was only fair to use his underlings as her own zombie tools.

After the battle, Mad Dog's bone armor retracted smoothly back into his body. The massive bone blade on his arm fused back into his skeleton, returning him to his regular zombie form. The whole transformation looked badass as hell.

"You know where our boss is?" Mad Dog asked, his voice gravelly.

Mia nodded. "Of course. I saw him just a couple days ago."

"Oh? Then take us to him—now," Mad Dog said, clearly eager.

"Hold up," Mia said, her big eyes glinting. "There might still be intruders in your boss's territory."

"What?!" The Japanese Iron Trio's eyes flared with fury, their killing intent practically radiating off them.

Anyone who dared invade their boss's land… would be annihilated.

…

On the outskirts of Los Angeles—

Once the most terrifying zombie nest in America, the area now buzzed with movement. Something… was gathering fast.

No one was more on edge than Nathan. He paced his office like a man possessed, sweat beading on his forehead.

"She's coming! I know it—I can feel it!"

"Mr. Nathan, please calm down," his secretary said gently. "There's just some activity outside. We don't know what it is yet."

But Nathan knew. Deep down, he knew exactly what was coming.

"No. Sophia said it herself—she's coming to kill me. This is revenge!"

Since the apocalypse began, the Genesis Biotech branch Nathan managed had barely made any progress. He had only a handful of A-rank Awakeners under his command—nowhere near enough to stand against the Mutant Vampire Zombies.

If only the Los Angeles Zombie King were still around… She wouldn't dare charge in like this.

Nathan sighed, a pang of longing in his chest.

"Ethan… I miss you so much."

"…"

Just then, the massive screen on the wall in front of Nathan flickered to life. A sharp, composed young man appeared onscreen—handsome, with a cold, no-nonsense expression. It was Simon Blake, the CHRO of Genesis Biotech.

"Nathan," Simon said coolly, "you called?"

"Mr. Blake! Sophia's back! She brought the Mutant Vampire Zombies with her—she's coming to kill me!" Nathan practically sobbed, clinging to the screen like it was a lifeline.

Simon's eyes narrowed slightly. "Didn't I tell you to convert your personnel into Cyborgs? That way, they wouldn't be vulnerable to viral infection."

"Uh… well…" Nathan froze, his mind scrambling. He vaguely remembered issuing that directive… but he'd never followed through.

His eyes darted around, then he blurted out a half-baked excuse. "Mr. Blake, we didn't have enough materials for the conversions. We couldn't even start."

Simon paused, then said flatly, "Fine. Then you'll just have to leave it to fate. If you survive this, I'll send you some materials for the upgrades. Your location is strategically important, after all."

"..." Nathan stared at the screen, utterly deflated. That promise meant nothing right now. It didn't help him survive the next ten minutes.

"By the way, Mr. Blake," Nathan added quickly, "didn't you say we had fifth-gen Cyborgs? Why haven't you sent one to help me?"

"They're in extremely short supply," Simon replied without missing a beat. "The one we have is currently on a critical mission in Canada. Once that's done, he'll be available to assist you."

Nathan's jaw clenched. A mission in Canada? What could possibly be more critical than this? By the time that Cyborg finishes his mission, I'll be decomposing in a ditch somewhere...

If they really had a fifth-gen Cyborg here, even a hundred Sophias wouldn't be a problem.

"Nathan," Simon said, his tone final, "good luck. I hope you make it through this." And with that, the screen went black.

"Ugh…"

Nathan opened his mouth to say something, but it was too late. The call was over.

His face twisted into a bitter grimace. "Hope I make it through"? That's it? They're just leaving me to die…

It was clear now—headquarters had written him off. They were just waiting to see how long he could hold out.

At that moment, Jacob—once one of the infamous Bernardino Four Riders—walked into the office. His expression was grim.

"Mr. Nathan," he said, voice low, "we sent out a recon team. Not a single one came back. They've all gone dark."

"What?" Nathan's eyes widened in shock. He'd sensed something was wrong outside and had sent scouts to check it out… but for all of them to vanish without a trace?

That confirmed it—things out there were bad. Really bad. The Mutant Vampire Zombies could break in at any moment.

Inside the facility, Jacob was the only S-rank Awakener left. He was the last real line of defense—the backbone of the team.

Ironically, he was one of Sophia's "leftovers," but he was sharp, calculating, and always made the right call. Nathan had come to rely on his judgment.

So now, he turned to Jacob, desperation creeping into his voice.

"Jacob… what do we do now?"

...