Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1295: Next Tribe

Garrick reacted with promptness, instantly erecting his Protective Dome and encircling everyone within its barrier.

In the very next second, the squad unleashed their offensive.

A barrage of skills exploded upon the Infernal pack in rapid, successive bursts—layered, overlapping, and ceaseless.

Big Mike executed Toxic Rain followed immediately by Rain of Flames. Henry’s Rain of Light descended in piercing curtains, while Skinny Pete tore through the air, conjuring a vortex. Mia’s Ice Blade Storm transformed the combat zone into a churning maelstrom.

Under such relentless, wide-area onslaught, the Infernal ranks began to diminish swiftly.

The Infernals quickly activated their Immolation Aura, attempting to incinerate anything that dared to approach—however, the squad had ascended to Stage B. Even with their auras active, Tier 16 and Tier 17 Infernals could not withstand the assault.

The Tier 17s managed to endure for a short duration.

The Tier 16s were, in essence, instantly annihilated.

And the Stage B Infernals?

Those formidable foes were assigned to Ethan.

His daggers moved like enraged, dark fish through the air, darting from one target to the next. One moment an Infernal would be intact, the next a blade would pierce its eye socket or penetrate the back of its skull.

Regardless of being Stage B (Tier 18), the Infernals found themselves unable to counter Ethan’s blades—particularly when the knives originated from improbable trajectories, shifting targets mid-flight, preventing any predictable defense.

Naturally, they retaliated.

But every fiery blast, every scorching meteor, every ability they hurled—

—was rendered null by Garrick’s dome before it could inflict any harm upon those sheltered within.

Ultimately, the Infernal horde, numbering over three thousand, was simply… annihilated.

A complete and utter demolition.

Ethan let out a single breath, then signaled to Skinny Pete with a nod. "Inform the Flamebirds to retrieve the crystal cores. They may keep the remains."

"Understood!"

Skinny Pete relayed the message to Ember. The leader’s eyes seemed to ignite, and with a piercing screech, it issued a command, sending the flock surging downwards like a tidal wave.

The Flamebirds descended upon the fallen bodies with an almost ravenous enthusiasm.

Moments later, one by one, they deposited crystal cores at the squad’s feet before eagerly returning to their feast, tearing into the flesh as if they had not eaten in weeks.

Which, in all likelihood, was precisely the case.

In this desolate world, sustenance was exceptionally scarce. For both Flamebirds and Infernals, enduring ten days or even half a month without a substantial meal seemed commonplace.

Little wonder then that conflict was perpetual.

Little wonder so many species had vanished entirely.

These particular Flamebirds had been on the brink of starvation. Now, finally able to gorge themselves, Ethan could almost perceive the driving force behind their frenzy:

For them, animosity was a choice.

Survival was not.

Ethan efficiently gathered the cores into his storage ring.

Utilizing the Flamebirds for harvesting proved to be extraordinarily effective, far surpassing manual collection.

He had deliberately refrained from engaging them in the earlier battle for a specific reason: their overall tier was still a notch below the Infernals, and involving them directly could have led to significant casualties.

He had not gone through such extensive efforts to secure premium mounts only to witness their demise.

Ethan retrieved the Tier 18 cores and distributed them among the team. "Here. Everyone replenish your reserves—advance to peak Tier 18."

Chris and the others required no further instruction.

A single day spent within the Void Realm had propelled them from Tier 14 to the cusp of Tier 18.

The experience felt almost illicit.

However, upon reaching Tier 18, the accelerated progression ceased.

This particular Void Realm offered no challenges beyond Stage B (Tier 18), meaning no higher-tier crystal cores were available for rapid advancement. From this point forward, their leveling would require the conventional method: gradual absorption of mysterious energy, or the discovery of another Void Realm inhabited by more formidable adversaries.

By the time everyone had concluded their absorption, the Flamebirds had also largely satisfied their hunger.

Ethan signaled them to ascend. "We're moving out."

They took to the skies once more, heading towards the next isolated Infernal contingent.

This group was more substantial—exceeding four thousand Infernals, with over two hundred Stage Bs among them.

Still within their capability.

They replicated their prior strategy. And now that every member had reached peak Stage B, the engagement proved even less challenging. The Infernal unit was swiftly eradicated.

Once again, they permitted the Flamebirds to gather the cores, and the bait team, responsible for "luring" the Infernals, received the corpses as their reward.

Ethan collected the cores, not even waiting for the Flamebirds to finish their meal. He immediately urged the team onward, guiding the same Flamebird unit towards the subsequent objective.

However, on this occasion, a subtle shift had occurred.

Upon their arrival, the next Infernal cluster—still numbering around four thousand—was already in the process of withdrawing, retreating towards their main encampment.

They had detected the anomaly.

Ethan granted them no opportunity to regroup.

"No hesitation," he commanded, his gaze icy. "Engage them."

The squad descended and initiated their assault.

And once more, that Infernal contingent was annihilated to the very last member.

Ethan found himself without the luxury of time to collect the crystal cores. He pushed the Flamebirds relentlessly, racing towards their next target.

Nevertheless, he was fractionally too late.

By the time they reached the designated location, the previously scattered Infernal groups had already coalesced into a single, larger formation. Ethan surveyed the imposing numbers and clicked his tongue in mild frustration.

No exploitable opening presented itself.

Giving up was not an option. He had to push forward.

They retraced their steps back to the previous combat zone, finally managing to collect the crystal cores they had previously left behind.

Upon witnessing the sheer volume of cores and feeling their considerable weight within his storage ring, Ethan’s heart began to race.

There were more than ten thousand high-tier crystal cores in the haul.

And remarkably, the weakest among them were no lower than Tier 16.

If he could successfully transport a substantial quantity of these back, Fallen Star City’s collective might would not merely increase—it would skyrocket.

As more and more gateways to various Void Realms were consistently being revealed, the sense of pressure in Ethan’s chest grew increasingly intense.

It was an unsettling premonition, as if some great danger was on the horizon.

A peril far exceeding anything they had encountered thus far.

When that ominous day finally arrived, a select group of cultivators would prove insufficient. They would inevitably be overwhelmed.

What was desperately needed was for Fallen Star City as a whole to undergo rapid advancement, to fortify its strength swiftly, thereby ensuring they possessed a tangible chance of surviving whatever looming threat lay ahead.

"Ten thousand is a decent haul," Ethan breathed, his lips curling slightly. "However, it is still insufficient."

"We must embark on another expedition."

Sean’s brow furrowed in concern. "After being deceived once, they are unlikely to fall for the same trick again."

"Indeed," Ethan responded, his gaze sharp and decisive. "That particular tribe will not be fooled."

A sly smile touched his lips. "However, this world is not comprised of a single tribe. We shall relocate, change our approach, and employ the same strategy against a different group."

Big Mike’s eyes gleamed with understanding. "Heh. Aye. If we strike each tribe once, we’ll be positively drowning in cores."

"That plan actually holds merit," Mia chimed in, a wide grin spreading across her face.

Ethan swung himself back onto his mount, a steed of considerable power. "Then let us depart. Onwards to the next target."

All individuals mounted their respective Flamebirds, their mounts of choice. The assembled flock ascended into the sky and followed their leader seamlessly, requiring no further direction to maintain formation.

This time, the Flamebirds exhibited an unusual eagerness.

They had come to understand the arrangement: accompany these humans, and sustenance would be provided.

In a world plagued by scarcity, the promise of food swiftly dissolved past grievances.

While Ethan and his specialized squad ventured deeper into the perilous Void Realm...

Meanwhile, back on Earth.

Yamato Empire — The Supreme Command Center.

Ryuji Takahashi practically bounced with excitement. "Hahaha! Those fools from the Atlas Federation ventured into the volcano's caldera and simply vanished without a trace. There must be significantly more formidable Infernals residing within its depths. Their arrogance led them to their own demise!"

Around him, Yamato's high-ranking officials displayed expressions of sheer jubilation, as if celebrating a grand festival. Their faces radiated with joy, their voices crescendoed—a palpable giddiness stemming from the delightful prospect of their adversaries finally meeting a humiliating end.

Earlier that very morning, they had initiated contact with the Atlas Federation’s leadership once more... only to be subjected to a torrent of verbal abuse.

The individuals on the other end of the communication line had not even permitted them to utter a single word—they had taken turns berating them, as if a dam of pent-up fury had finally burst, unleashing weeks of accumulated anger directly upon them.

Ultimately, Yamato had been rendered incapable of conveying a single coherent or constructive sentence. They had merely endured a complete and utter serving of verbal degradation before the call was abruptly terminated.

The experience was akin to forcibly swallowing an entire bucket of filth.

Therefore, when they observed Ethan’s group disappearing into the volcano with no sign of reappearance?

They found it almost impossible to believe the unfolding events.

They waited, their anticipation mounting.

Hours bled into one another.

The sky above gradually darkened.

Still, no word, no sign.

By the time twilight began to cast its shadows, they were finally compelled to accept the undeniable truth.

Those incorrigible individuals were definitively deceased.

This unexpected and fortuitous news sent waves of exultation through the command center, prompting many to leap from their seats in sheer delight.

Ryuji brought his fist down upon the table with a resounding thud, erupting in laughter. "Hah! The Atlas Federation only dared to exhibit such arrogance because they possessed those few extraordinary powerhouses among them. Now that those powerhouses are gone—let us observe how they dare to act so vaingloriously."

He leaned forward, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity. "We shall dispatch our troops. We will strike them again while they are still reeling from their loss. My intention is to utterly humiliate them."

Takeo's expression shifted subtly, his face twitching. He spoke in a subdued tone. "Um... perhaps we should... refrain. It might be prudent to cease our aggressive posturing."

He sounded like a man whose pride had recently sustained a significant blow—coupled with a palpable dread of enduring further injury.

Ryuji’s laughter momentarily faltered, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face. While he was reluctant to admit it, the earlier telephone exchange had indeed left its mark.

"...Very well," he conceded, forcing a veneer of bravado back into his voice. "Then we shall not initiate an attack. Instead, we shall transmit the recorded footage—detailing their people’s entrance into the crater and their subsequent failure to emerge—to them. Let it fester within their group chat. I desire to incite their fury."

He straightened his posture, his eyes narrowing with a potent and insatiable ambition.

"Just you wait. When our strength reaches its zenith, the very first course of action we shall undertake is the complete eradication of the Atlas Federation. We shall enslave those Atlas individuals, reducing them to our personal servants."

His voice escalated, resonating throughout the entire command center.

"We shall abandon this island. We will conquer the entire world. We will plant the Yamato banner upon every corner of the globe."

His gaze glittered with a visionary fervor, as if the triumphant future was already vividly unfolding before his eyes.

"Our ancestors could not complete their grand conquest... therefore, we shall be the ones to fulfill their unfinished legacy."