Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1286: This Isn’t a Hunting Ground

At the base of the majestic Mount Fuji...

Ethan's crew meticulously gathered all the crystal cores belonging to the Infernal horde, then proceeded to stuff the Stage B Infernal bodies into their respective storage rings.

Ethan's own ring, however, was already overflowing with cores, limiting the number of corpses he could carry to only the Stage B specimens.

Nevertheless, it was not a significant issue. A few hundred Infernal bodies remained back in Nova City, ensuring Flint and the others would not go without sustenance.

The Infernals were simply too formidable for the mutated birds to consume entirely in one sitting, and their digestive systems required considerable time. Typically, five mutated birds were needed to share a single Infernal corpse, followed by several days of digestion.

Thus, a few hundred corpses would provide a substantial and prolonged food source. Ethan even considered bringing some back later for Goldie and the white-furred ape.

Infernal bodies proved to be an extraordinarily effective feed for mutant beasts; the rapid growth of Flint and the others was a testament to this.

Given the white-furred ape's potent bloodline, its growth trajectory would likely be even more astonishing.

Once the cleanup was complete, Ethan's gaze ascended towards the summit of Mount Fuji.

"Let's proceed. To the peak," he declared.

"Understood," came the reply.

They mounted their flying mounts and ascended towards the volcano's crest.

The eruption had hollowed out the summit, creating a vast, ink-black void from which heat relentlessly billowed upwards.

Ethan activated his True Sight ability, scrutinizing the oppressive darkness.

No immediate threats were detected.

He guided the group, their mounts descending into the gaping crater.

As they plunged deeper, the temperature escalated, and the air grew heavy, as if the mountain itself was exhaling its fiery breath.

However, with their current formidable strength, these conditions had little impact on them.

After several more minutes of descent, reaching a point roughly midway down the mountain, Ethan raised a hand, signaling for everyone to halt.

"There," he stated, pointing towards a spot ahead.

Not far off, the very fabric of space appeared distorted, warped, and creased, as if reality itself had been violently bent.

It was the entrance to a Void Realm.

"It truly exists!" someone exclaimed in awe. "And in a location like this... if the volcano hadn't erupted, who would ever have discovered it?"

Their observation was accurate. Every Void Realm entrance encountered thus far had been exceptionally well-concealed.

Ethan nodded in agreement. "Indeed. The eruption likely disturbed the Void Realm on the other side, prompting those Infernals to emerge."

Thus far, every manifestation from a Void Realm seemed to be a consequence of an initial trigger from Earth's side.

The white-furred ape was an obvious case—they had directly extracted it.

Similarly, those grotesque creatures from before... the inhabitants of the Riverton City compound had ventured in first, leading to the creatures' subsequent appearance.

This time, it was probable that the encroaching lava and volcanic debris had seeped into the passage, agitating the Infernals enough to force their exit.

This consistent pattern—Void Realm openings requiring activation from Earth's dimension—provided Ethan with a measure of reassurance.

It offered an explanation for why Earth had not been inundated by Void Realm entities after all this time.

Had the passages been perpetually open in both directions, some of the truly terrifying Void Realm species would have undoubtedly discovered them long ago and poured through.

But if activation from Earth was a prerequisite?

That made logical sense.

And for Earth, this was genuinely positive news.

Perhaps some form of inherent rule or protective mechanism was safeguarding the planet.

Otherwise, considering the sheer horror some Void Realm creatures possessed, Earth might have already succumbed to extinction.

Nevertheless, "good news" did not equate to "safety."

A single misstep by an unwary individual, stumbling into a high-tier Void Realm and inadvertently bringing back a pack of Stage A monsters, would be catastrophic.

Such an event would inevitably lead to humanity's demise.

This underscored a critical imperative: while the opportunity to grow stronger still existed, they needed to do so with utmost speed.

Ethan's strategic mind was perpetually focused on the long term. Despite their current dominance over virtually all other forces on Earth, he never allowed complacency to set in. Any chance to enhance their power was seized without hesitation.

His gaze fixed upon the shimmering spatial distortion.

Without a moment's pause, he piloted his mount directly into it.

"I will enter first to scout," Ethan called back over his shoulder. "You all follow one minute afterward."

Judging by the strength displayed by the Infernals, this Void Realm was likely not of the highest tier...

However, "likely" was not a variable Ethan was willing to gamble his life upon.

A wave of intense dizziness washed over him.

As Ethan's vision abruptly cleared, he found himself in a realm bathed in a deep crimson hue.

And his body was plummeting—rapidly.

Directly below him lay a tempestuous ocean of molten magma. The intense heat radiating from it was terrifying, surpassing even the temperatures of the lava spewing from Mount Fuji's crater.

The Void Realm entrance hovered precariously above this infernal sea.

"Shit—"

Ethan executed an instantaneous teleportation, reappearing on a protruding slab of crimson rock just ahead.

He gazed down at the flowing magma, his heart still pounding a frantic rhythm in his chest. A fall into that molten abyss... even he would suffer grievous consequences.

He surveyed his surroundings.

Everything was rendered in shades of dark red. What appeared as rivers were channels of lava, and the ground beneath was composed of red-black stone. The very air felt heavy and oppressive.

No wonder the Infernals were all red-hued.

With no immediate threats in sight, Ethan turned and exited through the passage once more.

He needed to alert the others. If they had advanced without caution and fallen directly into magma, it would have been a catastrophe.

Emerging back into the crater, Ethan found everyone staring at him, blinking.

Chris frowned. "That was remarkably quick. Is it perilous inside?"

"Not right away," Ethan replied. "However, the entrance is situated above a river of magma. I didn't want you all to enter and end up taking a lava bath."

"I'm sorry—magma?" Big Mike exclaimed, astonished. "That's a rather unforgiving entrance."

"Fortunate that you scouted it first," someone murmured, still visibly shaken. "Had we all proceeded together, we'd be swimming."

Ethan shook his head. "It's not merely 'swimming.' That lava possesses extreme heat. Should one fall in, even if survival is possible, significant skin loss is inevitable."

"...Good heavens."

"Indeed."

Chris exhaled through his nose. "Very well. We shall enter mounted."

"Affirmative," Ethan stated. "Everyone aboard your avian mounts. Maintain a tight formation."

They mounted their respective creatures.

Ethan led the way, phasing through the distortion once more. One after another, the rest followed, soaring on their flying mounts.

The instant they crossed the threshold, an intense heat enveloped them from all directions—amplified several times over compared to the interior of Fuji. It wasn't merely temperature; it felt as if the very air was afire.

Flint and the other flying beasts instantly stabilized, beating their wings with force to maintain their position, before carrying everyone to the opposite side and landing on solid rock.

"This place is utterly wild," Skinny Pete said, wiping perspiration from his brow. "It's no surprise those Infernals are all fire-type creatures."

Big Mike's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Yes, and I can feel it—the fire element is considerably more potent here. My fire-based skills ought to be more impactful in this realm."

Chris shot him a critical glance. "Why are you expressing excitement? That's hardly a positive development."

"It's a positive development for me," Big Mike insisted.

"It's a positive development for the Infernals," Chris retorted sharply. "Your fire attacks are ineffective against them. This is their domain. If anything, their power is likely augmented by—what?—fifty percent?"

Big Mike's expression turned serious. "...Alright, yes. That is a valid point."

Ethan intervened. "Enough. Remain vigilant. Let us scout ahead. I have a strong premonition that more Infernals inhabit this place."

"Understood."

They ascended once more, flying forward.

The world was vast, yet it all presented a uniform appearance—dark red stone, flowing rivers of molten rock, and heat waves incessantly distorting the air. After ten minutes, the unceasing environmental pressure began to subtly fray everyone's tempers.

Then—a disturbance ahead.

A broad expanse of the sky became occupied by crimson shapes. Winged monstrosities, converging upon them.

Skinny Pete squinted. "Hold on, are there creatures other than Infernals present?"

"Naturally," Ethan affirmed. "An entire world populated by a single species would be quite peculiar."

Sean leaned forward on his mount. "Captain—what tier are they?"

Ethan's eyes flashed with True Sight as he scrutinized the approaching flock. "Tier 15 up to Tier 17. Precisely what you all need."

"Seriously?!" Big Mike's face lit up.

The remainder of the group followed suit in their elation.

They had been stagnating within the awkward Tier 14–15 bracket. They possessed numerous Tier 16 and Tier 17 cores, even Stage B (Tier 18) cores—sufficient for each person to possess one—but none of them could currently utilize such high-level items.

It was akin to possessing a vault filled with sports cars yet lacking a driver's license.

If they could gather Tier 15 cores here, they could advance directly and commence their ascent towards Stage B.

Therefore, yes—Tier 15 mutant beasts appeared to be a welcome boon.

Then, Chris's voice pierced through the burgeoning excitement, sharp and cutting.

"Are you fools celebrating prematurely?" he snapped. "Observe the Infernals."

"And we are airborne," he added, gesturing. "Flint and the others are merely Tier 12 or Tier 13. How precisely do you intend to confront a Tier 15–17 swarm whilst riding mounts that cannot withstand even a single blow?"

The collective mood immediately deflated.

"..."