Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1212: This Is Stupid Hard

The group sneaked toward the altar's brink, drawing near enough to keenly sense the aura of that colossal skeleton—towering well beyond a hundred meters. Reduced to mere bones, it still bore down upon them like an overwhelming mountain.

Should it have lived... what sheer madness that would unleash?

Heavy chains shackled the full skeleton from cranium to tail. Undeniably, this mutated beast had suffered excruciating agony before its end.

They tentatively extended hands to caress the bones. Silky smooth beneath their touch, akin to lustrous jade.

"This... feels like a masterpiece," Sean murmured in awe. "Back in pre-apocalypse days, archaeologists would've gone wild over it."

"Yeah." Chris agreed with a nod, his gaze sharpening. "Tough as nails, that's what it feels like."

He drew his dagger, its obsidian blade gleaming darkly, and slashed fiercely at a toe bone.

Zero effect.

Not the slightest mark from the blow.

Chris struck repeatedly. Yet the bone remained glossy and flawless, untouched by the edge.

All eyes widened in shock.

Everyone recognized the razor keenness of Chris's blade. For such a deadly weapon to leave no trace... utterly absurd.

"This goes beyond hard," Chris uttered, tone laced with incredulity. "It's insanely tough."

"Let me give it a shot." Ethan fished out his poleaxe from the spatial storage ring and hammered it into the nearby leg bone.

Boom.

A deep, resounding thud reverberated. Ethan reeled back several paces, arm buzzing with numbness from the backlash.

The others' gazes snapped to the impact spot—

—revealing flawless, unmarred bone once more. Zero damage.

Expressions shifted across the group this time.

These bones had lingered here for an unknown eternity, yet endured unchanged. How formidable must this beast have been in life?

"Imagine forging weapons from this skeleton," Sean whispered reverently. "That'd be beyond legendary."

"True, but we can't touch it at all." Ethan shook his head in frustration. A behemoth like this wouldn't fit in any spatial storage ring.

With the bones proving useless, focus turned to the altar proper.

Its composition remained a mystery. Intricate carvings sprawled over it—tangled, interconnected patterns blanketing the platform, connecting to nine pillars. All pathways funneled into a lone central channel.

"What's this?" a voice wondered, drawing the group nearer to inspect the etched design.

"Looks like a ritual array," Henry speculated.

"A ritual array?" Eyes bulged in surprise. Yet after their prior discoveries, it hardly seemed far-fetched. Such a circle here felt oddly fitting.

"Henry nailed it." Ethan affirmed with a nod. "That's precisely what it seems."

He eyed Henry. "Any guess on its purpose? You're the expert here."

Henry indicated the core groove. "Probably drew energy from the mutant beast to cultivate something. Energy flows converge right here. Something lay beneath—unless already looted."

Ethan triggered [True Sight] at Henry's cue, peering downward through the altar.

What met his vision—or lack thereof—chilled his blood.

Complete blockage.

Be it the altar's substance or the array's power, never before had Ethan encountered such impenetrable opacity.

"Can't pierce below," Ethan stated somberly. "We'll need to shatter this altar to investigate."

"Hold on!" Henry interjected swiftly. "Let me snap photos of the ritual circle first. Study it later back at base."

"Okay." Ethan consented.

"Phone with juice?" Henry scanned the group. "Battery required."

"Here." Big Mike produced an iPhone from his pocket and passed it along.

Chris flashed Big Mike a sly grin. "You lug this everywhere? Spill—secret porn stash?"

"N-no..." Big Mike flushed crimson, ears burning.

Chris's eyes popped. "Damn—it's real. Spill the beans. How much ya got?"

"I... not tons," Big Mike mumbled. "Just... some clips."

Chris gawked. "Some clips?"

"L-like... ten gigs or so."

"Holy crap!" Chris feigned outrage. "Your type deserves judgment."

He deadpanned seriously, "Hoarding porn without sharing."

"..."

"What flavor of 'flicks'?" Emily edged closer, curiosity piqued. "Show me."

Chris sputtered. "Er... Emily. Not girl stuff."

"Hmph. Won't share? I've got mine." Emily brandished her phone triumphantly.

"Mia, movie night—you and me!"

Mia: "....."

"Enough fooling." Ethan massaged his temple against the brewing migraine. "Henry, snap those pics fast."

"On it." Henry acknowledged.

He clambered atop a pillar, hoisted the phone, and captured overhead shots of the altar.

"Big Mike," Henry called, peering intently. "Too dim. Light it up!"

"Roger."

Big Mike raised a palm, launching fireballs skyward. The cavern blazed bright, shadows fleeing to the walls.

Soon after, Henry descended.

"Ethan, all captured."

"Solid." Ethan's stare fixed on the altar, face grim.

This relic matched the skeleton's resilience. Destruction loomed as a Herculean task.

Ethan clenched his jaw, leaped high, seized his poleaxe two-handed, and smashed it down with full might.

A thunderous clang shattered the silence. Ethan's palms tore from the vibration. His weapon spun free, propelling him rearward—

—crashing into the rear cavern wall.

"Captain! Good?" The team dashed to him.

"All good." Ethan shook off dizziness, rising battered and disheveled, masking his pain.

He wiggled numb digits, grimacing. "This bastard's rock-solid."

Gazes returned to the altar. Untouched, pristine.

Yeah. That scarcely described it.

"Captain, my turn," Garrick offered. "No matter the hardness, it's earth-attuned. I can rupture it internally."

"Go for it." Ethan yielded space.

Garrick approached the rim, pressed palms flat, and unleashed his power.

No reaction.

Moments ticked by. Then longer. Altar unmoved.

"Even you can't?" Disappointment rippled through sighs.

"Hold." Ethan jabbed a finger. "See—it's shifting."

The group crowded in.

Indeed, a carved section distorted faintly, as if subsurface forces strained against it.

"Yes—there it goes!" Eyes sparkled with hope.

"Push, Garrick!" Cheers erupted.

Sweat drenched Garrick's brow. Despite ability synergy, dismantling this defied ease.

Emily hovered nearby, steadily replenishing his vigor and focus.

Over ten grueling minutes of unyielding effort, a hairline fissure spidered across the surface.

Instant elation lit every face.

Tiny fracture... yet a beacon of possibility.