Apocalypse: King of Zombies

Under Satoshi's lead, the group made their way toward downtown Los Angeles.

They moved cautiously, eyes scanning their surroundings. The buildings on either side were cracked and crumbling, overgrown with moss and weeds.

The streets were just as desolate—ruined, abandoned—but eerily devoid of zombies. It was the perfect post-apocalyptic scene.

A gust of wind swept through, carrying the stench of decay. The rusted metal of wrecked cars rattled in response.

A massive rat, startled by the noise, let out a sharp squeak before scurrying away.

"Looks like I was right—no zombies around. This route is safe," Ryuji said, clearly pleased.

David and the others glanced around.

This was the infamous no-man's land, a place long deemed uninhabitable for humans.

But standing here now, it didn't seem all that terrifying.

If they made it out alive, this would definitely be a story worth bragging about.

As they pressed forward, they soon reached the heart of the city. The eerie silence persisted—no threats, no danger.

It was almost too easy.

David couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. "Not a single zombie? Seriously?"

Satoshi, walking ahead, turned back with a smirk. "What? You doubting my scouting skills?"

"Uh… no, not at all." David quickly shook his head.

Ryuji, standing beside him, smirked. His people were handling things flawlessly—this was a good look for him.

"I told you, you don't know Satoshi like I do. This is nothing. If we couldn't even manage this, we wouldn't have taken on such a dangerous bounty in the first place."

"Yeah, yeah… you're right," David muttered, nodding along.

A few moments later, they arrived at the heart of the zombie nest. Not far ahead stood a towering skyscraper—the core of this entire area.

Ryuji turned to Satoshi. "Where are our people?"

"Just up ahead. We're almost there," Satoshi replied.

"Oh…" Ryuji nodded, already thinking ahead. Once they rescued their people and took down the Zombie King, this would be the turning point for the Takahashi Family's rise to power.

Risk and opportunity always came hand in hand.

Go big or go home.

The road to a family's ascension was never without danger.

Satoshi stepped onto a wide street and finally came to a stop.

"This is it."

"Huh?"

The group hesitated, confused. The area was still eerily quiet—nothing in sight.

Ryuji frowned. "Satoshi, what is this place?"

Satoshi's lips curled into a smirk. "Your grave."

The surrounding clan members tensed, sensing that something was very, very wrong.

"Satoshi… what the hell are you talking about?"

"How dare you speak to the Patriarch like that?!"

"What the hell are you saying, idiot?!"

"お前,正気かよ?"

A chorus of voices erupted—angry, confused, disbelieving.

But then—

Silence.

Because from the direction of the skyscraper, a figure emerged.

Tall. Lean. Dressed in pristine white. His face was strikingly handsome.

And behind him—

Bulldozer.

And countless other Zombie Kings.

And beyond them—

A sea of undead.

An endless, suffocating horde.

At the same time, from every direction, zombies began pouring in.

Some, swift and agile, leapt onto rooftops.

Others, spider-like, clung to the walls, crawling forward with unnatural speed.

Thousands upon thousands of zombies, their grotesque faces twisted with hunger and malice, had completely surrounded them.

The sight was nothing short of terrifying.

"Oh, shit!"

The group in the middle stood frozen, eyes locked on the scene before them, completely dumbfounded.

Only now did they realize—they had walked straight into a trap.

Ryuji clenched his teeth, rage surging through him.

"Satoshi! Why the hell did you betray us?!"

A smirk curled on "Satoshi's" lips.

"Because I'm not Satoshi. I'm Lil' Shroom."

As they watched in horror, the young man's body twisted and shifted, the disguise melting away to reveal a female zombie. Without hesitation, she ran over to Ethan, her face lighting up with excitement.

"Boss, delivery's here." Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire

Ethan barely spared her a glance. "Not bad."

Behind them, David and the others stood in stunned silence, their eyes practically bulging out of their sockets.

This couldn't be real.

"Ryuji… this is the Satoshi you were talking about?" David's voice was laced with disbelief.

"I…" Ryuji was at a loss for words.

He never saw this coming.

Satoshi had been a zombie in disguise all along.

And the transformation was flawless.

From appearance to mannerisms, it was an exact replica. Even his own people hadn't noticed the difference.

"Where's the real Satoshi?"

"You mean that dumbass human?" A voice rang out from the zombie horde. Big Ears stood with his arms crossed, grinning smugly. "He gave himself away ages ago—couldn't keep his damn mouth shut."

Ryuji's face darkened. Gave himself away… because of his low tolerance for jokes? What the hell kind of reason was that?!

"Then… what about the rest of my people?"

Ethan's lips curled into a faint smile. "Oh, them? They're everywhere now. Some might've already been… digested."

Ryuji's jaw tightened, fury boiling inside him. But he understood the implication.

His people had been devoured.

Ethan's smile widened. "Don't worry, though. You'll be joining them soon enough."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the surrounding zombies let out guttural growls, inching closer.

The attack was imminent.

They were about to be "reunited" with their fallen comrades.

"Ryuji, what do we do?!" David's voice trembled with fear.

Ryuji gritted his teeth. "There's only one way out of this. If we want to survive, we have to take down the Zombie King."

"Then it's all on you, Ryuji!" David's hope rested entirely on him.

After all, Ryuji was an SS-ranked fighter. If anyone could stand a chance against a Zombie King, it was him.

A quick, decisive kill—that was their only shot.

"I'll do my best."

Ryuji's hand tightened around his sword hilt. His long coat fluttered in the wind, energy crackling around him.

"ROOOOAAARRR—"

A deafening chorus of roars erupted as the zombie horde surged forward.

Like a tidal wave, they came crashing down.

Elite zombies leapt from rooftops, descending like a chaotic Black Friday mob, piling over each other in a frenzied rush.

In that instant, every human in the group tensed, their energy flaring to its peak.

Awakener abilities activated in rapid succession—

Ice Wall. Torrent Barrier. Stone Bastion. Arcane Ward.

Defensive structures rose from all sides, desperate attempts to hold back the undead onslaught.

But Ryuji's focus was locked onto one target—Ethan.

Because if Ethan didn't die, none of them would make it out alive.

Wind Slash!

With a burst of speed, Ryuji launched himself forward, cutting through the air like a storm. The sheer force of his movement sent nearby zombies flying.

Ethan watched him approach, his crimson eyes flashing.

And then—

Domain of the Dead.

A crushing wave of oppressive energy exploded outward, engulfing Ryuji in an instant.

His speed plummeted.

His body stiffened.

His eyes widened in shock.

What the hell…?!

The sheer power of it was overwhelming.

But Ryuji wasn't done yet.

Electricity crackled around him, arcs of lightning snapping through the air.

With a roar, he unleashed his thunderous energy, pushing back against the suffocating force of the Domain of the Dead.

And then—

He charged at Ethan once more.

...