Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1314: One Punch Was Enough

"So unfathomably powerful...?"

The instant these words left Ethan’s lips, every member of the Fallen Star Squad felt a tremor run through their very beings.

Even after they had already tried their best to mentally prepare for a formidable opponent, it was still woefully insufficient.

Tier 28. This descriptor was far beyond merely "strong."

It was akin to an annihilation from a completely different plane of existence.

"Captain..." Even Big Mike’s voice, usually so steady, held a trace of doubt. "Can Dopey truly face this threat?"

"He can," Ethan affirmed, his tone unwavering.

As Dopey’s master, Ethan couldn’t perceive the full extent of his disciple’s capabilities, but he could sense it—a subtle, imposing pressure lurking just beyond an unseen threshold.

And that threshold was most certainly not below Stage S.

"Fall back," Ethan commanded. "If a true battle erupts here, there won’t be enough space for any of you to evade."

"Understood!"

Without a moment’s hesitation, they retreated immediately.

In such a perilous situation, their presence would not be of assistance—they would be nothing but hindrances. Should matters take a turn for the worse, aside from Ethan, none of them would possess the means to escape.

Ethan instructed Ember to accompany them as well. Then, he dismounted from Ember’s back, landing gracefully on the ground.

Moments later, the formidable group from the Void Realm made their grand entrance.

By that time, only Ethan remained, waiting in the open expanse.

The Stoneborn did not charge him; they did not launch an immediate assault. Instead, they fixed him with a calm, appraising gaze, much like one would regard livestock.

"Tier 19," the leading man stated impassively. "Not unimpressive. Slightly more potent than the insects we encountered previously."

His voice retained its flat intonation as he continued, "You are human, correct? You can comprehend my words, can’t you?"

Ethan’s expression shifted to one of sheer bewilderment.

He could indeed comprehend—for the individual was speaking the Federation's common language.

This made absolutely no sense whatsoever.

He had already perceived an anomaly when those grotesque humanoids had spoken earlier, but they had been on Earth for a considerable duration. Ethan had surmised they had simply acquired the local dialect. At their level of power, mastering a new language would present no significant challenge.

However, these Stoneborn had only just arrived. They had not yet interacted with anyone.

Ethan was the very first human they had encountered.

So, why on Earth were they conversing in the Federation’s language?

"Why do you speak the Federation’s language?" Ethan inquired directly.

"Federation language?" The leader tilted his head, as if Ethan were the one displaying peculiar behavior.

"I have no understanding of what you are referring to. This is the common tongue spoken by the human race."

"...What?" Ethan stared, dumbfounded. "The common tongue of the human race? Then, what would you call the languages spoken in other countries?"

"I comprehend not your meaning," the man replied with growing impatience. "Young one, you are the first human we have encountered in this realm. Well—aside from those few individuals earlier."

His tone then underwent a subtle transformation, becoming slow and assured, as if he were bestowing a great boon.

"I shall grant you an opportunity. Submit yourselves to the Stoneborn. I will elevate you to the highest position within this world, second only to the Stoneborn themselves."

"Do you accept this offer?"

Ethan finally grasped the reason why Garrett had eventually allied himself with those monstrous, grotesque beings in the past.

This was a blatant attempt at manipulation, a form of psychological coercion.

Only... it was not going to ensnare him. Even without the presence of these individuals, Ethan had already ascended to the apex of Earth’s power hierarchy.

Nevertheless, he did not issue an immediate refusal. Instead, his countenance displayed an almost... intrigued demeanor.

"If I were to submit," Ethan inquired, "what benefits would I accrue?"

"..."

The leader’s eyes narrowed slightly, conveying disbelief that his authority was being questioned.

"Is it not sufficient to be granted the highest status in this world?"

"That is far too ambiguous," Ethan stated, extending his hand. "Are there any tangible rewards? Such as high-Tier crystal cores. Items that can genuinely enhance my strength."

He recalled the astonishingly rapid power surge Garrett had experienced—that rapid advancement must have originated from the high-Tier crystal cores possessed by those abominable humanoids.

And these Stoneborn were demonstrably more powerful than their predecessors.

Therefore, if anyone possessed such potent resources, it would undoubtedly be these beings.

At Ethan’s outstretched gesture, the visages of the formidable Stoneborn figures darkened instantly.

"To permit you to become our inaugural thrall is an immense honor," the leader scoffed. "You ought to be kneeling in gratitude. And yet, you dare demand compensation? You are actively seeking your own demise."

With a flick of his wrist.

A blade-sharp spike of earth erupted towards Ethan with blinding speed.

If this human proved uncooperative, they would simply find another. The elimination of an insignificant ant was no more than a casual gesture.

But just as the earthen spike was poised to impale him, Ethan dissolved from his original position—only to rematerialize a short distance away, having narrowly evaded the projectile.

"Teleportation." The leader’s brow furrowed.

"You possess a spatial-type ability after all?"

Spatial abilities were exceedingly rare, even on the continent of Eldoria. To witness such a phenomenon here, on a world like this... it was entirely unanticipated.

"Intriguing," the leader mused, his eyes narrowing with a burgeoning avarice. "Humans are truly favored by the heavens. To even master abilities of the spatial variety."

He lifted his chin, his voice adopting an almost indulgent tone.

"Fine. I’m a little interested now. I’ll give you one more chance. Submit to me. Not only will I make you the ruler of this world—I’ll take you to see a much broader sky."

"A broader sky?" Ethan inquired, genuine curiosity coloring his tone. "You mean your world?"

"Yes."

"And what’s your world called?"

"Eldoria," the man stated with evident pride. "The Eldoria continent."

"Oh." Ethan gave a slight nod.

"...Never heard of it."

"..."

The leader’s expression faltered momentarily.

Ethan continued, seemingly oblivious to the shift in atmosphere. "What’s the strongest Tier in your world?"

The leader’s gaze hardened. "Don’t think teleportation makes you untouchable. At your level, your maximum teleport distance won’t exceed six thousand feet. If I go all-out, you won’t escape."

Ethan regarded him as if observing someone boast about a victory in a dream.

"Look at you, talking big." He casually waved a hand. "If you’re that fearsome, go play with my buddy for a bit."

With that gesture, Ethan flicked his wrist—

And a figure materialized before him.

If he couldn’t extract information through conversation, he would simply extract it through force.

The Stoneborn initially showed a frown, then examined the newcomer with keen interest.

"This is... a soulless thrall?"

"No soul aura. Yeah—a soulless thrall."

"I didn’t expect you to know how to create soulless thralls," the leader remarked, his intrigue growing. "This makes me even more curious."

"Still," he added with a dismissive flick of his wrist, "a Tier 19 piece of trash like you—how strong could your thrall possibly be?"

He snapped his fingers.

An earth spike erupted from directly beneath Dopey’s feet.

Dopey sensed the incoming attack. Then, with an almost languid motion, he stomped once.

The half-formed spike instantly disintegrated, crumbling into nothingness.

"—!"

The faces of the Stoneborn tightened in unison.

"Chief," a younger-looking Stoneborn stated grimly, "that soulless thrall isn’t normal."

"Yeah," the leader affirmed, his eyes now sharp and focused. "I see it. You—go test it."

The younger man hesitated for less than a heartbeat.

"...Alright."

Rocky armor flowed over his body in an instant, encasing him in a formidable earthen carapace. Simultaneously, a long spear materialized in his grasp—an object forged from pure earth element, compressed to the point of appearing almost metallic.

He lunged forward, driving the spear directly at Dopey.

Dopey remained stationary, his expression vacant. Ethan had not commanded him to attack, thus he would not initiate combat.

As the spear closed in—

Dopey reached out and seized it.

Then, he yanked.

With considerable force.

The younger Stoneborn’s eyes widened as his footing gave way. He and his spear were pulled forward dramatically, akin to a fish on a line.

Dopey moved in and delivered a punch.

The younger man’s expression contorted. Reacting purely on instinct, he thrust his palm forward—

A thick earthen wall sprang into existence before him.

Thud.

A deep, heavy sound resonated through the air.

The wall exploded outward as if constructed from sodden clay, and Dopey’s fist continued its trajectory unimpeded, smashing into the Stoneborn’s chest.

His Earthen Armor offered no resistance, shattering upon impact.

The punch continued its devastating path.

A hole was torn through his chest—a clean, brutal wound.

The younger Stoneborn stared at Dopey, his eyes bulging, a look of frozen disbelief etched onto his face.

He attempted to speak, to draw breath—

But his legs gave out.

And he collapsed, his final moments filled with an unwilling fury as life ebbed away.

"!!!"

Every Stoneborn present widened their eyes in shock.

For a stunned moment, absolute stillness descended. No one moved.

No one even seemed to recall how to.