Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1325: The Window Is Closing

A single fruit had propelled Ethan’s mental energy by nearly ten percent. This alone caused him to fixate on it as if it were a lifeline.

What if he could locate ten more?

His mental energy reservoir would nearly double in capacity.

Following this, the entire team transformed into a group of treasure hunters, meticulously scouring the mountains and woodlands like gold prospectors.

They spent a full day searching.

However, the fruit proved to be exceptionally rare. After the initial discovery, they unearthed merely one more specimen throughout the entire day.

Ethan consumed that second fruit as well.

Within the Fallen Star Squad, an unwritten protocol dictated that any item providing a direct advantage to the leader was to be given to Ethan first.

Presently, no one required mental energy more urgently than Ethan. All of his abilities were voracious consumers of mental energy, and his arsenal was the kind that only intensified with increased fuel.

Consequently, the fruit was naturally allocated to him.

Yet, after consuming the second fruit, Ethan’s brow furrowed.

The effect… was not quite as potent as the first.

Not drastically, but noticeably, setting off internal alarms.

If his physique began to acclimate, then the notion of 'consuming ten to double my pool' would not unfold so smoothly.

He gazed toward the progressively darkening tree line and exhaled a breath.

"Whatever. I'll take any advantage I can get." He gave a slight shake of his head. "This was a fortunate bonus from the start."

As the sky finally deepened into dusk, there was no debate; they immediately withdrew from the forest.

It was perilous even during daylight hours.

At night, it would invite certain demise.

Unpredictable vine ambushes. Noxious gas-emitting flora. Blossoms with the capacity to engulf an individual entirely…

Even for their seasoned group, the endeavor had been a grueling trial.

Thus, once darkness descended, they retreated without hesitation.

Upon their return to Fallen Star City, Miles located Ethan with remarkable speed—and he carried a piece of information that dramatically shifted the atmosphere in the room.

"The Void Realm entrances have vanished."

Ethan’s eyes widened instantly. "Are you certain?"

"Absolutely positive." Miles nodded emphatically. "Atlas City registered it first. To verify, I instructed our personnel stationed near the Riverton City entrance to approach cautiously and observe directly. They are gone. Completely evaporated."

Ethan fell silent.

The disappearance of the Void Realm entrances represented, for humanity, the kind of positive development one dared not even hope for.

Having witnessed the destructive capabilities of Void Realm entities, Ethan had consistently regarded the Void Realm as a loaded weapon aimed directly at Earth.

A perilous blade suspended overhead.

Learning that it was gone—at least for the present—allowed even him to exhale with a measure of relief.

But would the entrances cease to exist without cause?

He struggled to comprehend the situation.

"Could this be related to The Crimson Star’s reappearance?" Ethan inquired, pondering aloud.

"The genesis of the apocalypse was The Crimson Star," he elaborated. "And the Void Realm passages emerged post-apocalypse. Therefore, those passages should logically be linked to The Crimson Star as well."

"Then why would The Crimson Star’s return precipitate the closure of the passages?" He frowned, finding the logic flawed. "It doesn't align."

Miles paused, then stated deliberately, "Perhaps the closing of the passages had nothing to do with The Crimson Star."

He scanned the room, his voice lowering.

"Perhaps… something is granting Earth a period of respite to strengthen itself."

Ethan’s gaze intensified.

"This mysterious surge of energy," Miles continued, "I cannot shake the conviction that some powerful entity perceived a threat and intervened to elevate Earth's power level—regardless of the cost."

Ethan’s expression grew peculiar.

On the surface, the notion sounded utterly preposterous.

Yet… he too had sensed something akin to it. An underlying strangeness, as if the world itself had been propelled—.

"If that hypothesis holds true..." Ethan murmured quietly, "then the closure of the entrances is likely a temporary measure."

He addressed the assembled group. "However, temporary is still time. We must capitalize on it. We will extract every possible advantage and continue our ascent."

"Indeed." The others nodded in agreement.

Then, one individual voiced a concern, frowning. "But Captain… while the zombies have grown stronger, they remain of limited utility to us. Their crystal cores are of too low a tier. Are we meant to solely rely on nightly stargazing and the slow absorption of mysterious energy?"

Ethan countered with a shake of his head. "Energy absorption is merely one component. Pursuing only that path would be excessively slow. We require alternative strategies."

He began to enumerate them.

"Firstly: the Infernals within the Yamato Empire. We will soon ascertain if they have emerged. If they have—and if they benefited from the energy surge—their Tier will likely not be insignificant."

"Secondly: I suspect it is not confined to the Atlas Federation and Yamato. Other nations probably host Void Realm entities roaming freely. We shall conduct scouting and hunting expeditions."

"Thirdly: the Mindfruit found within the forest." He tapped his temple. "That is a genuine power-enhancing item. The more we acquire, the better."

He surveyed the group, his voice firm.

"So, yes. We will not be lacking in tasks."

"...Understood." The speaker exhaled, a mixture of reluctant acceptance and slight bewilderment present in their tone. "Yes, that sounds right."

That evening, subsequent to their meal and a brief period of rest, everyone rose once more and resumed their energy absorption practices.

That colossal Crimson Star had vanished after its solitary appearance, leaving only the familiar nine stars of the Nine-Star Dipper hanging in the night sky. Ethan harbored a suspicion, perhaps only a figment of his imagination, that the Nine-Star Dipper’s brilliance seemed somewhat subdued compared to its usual intensity. This mystical nocturnal energy also felt less potent than it had just before the recent surge, though the difference was subtle enough that Ethan didn't dwell on it initially.

They engaged in their training through the entire night. When the designated stopping time arrived, Ethan, foregoing any need for sleep, instructed Henry to retrieve the runic disk so they could continue their energy absorption. At their current level of strength, the necessity for extensive rest had diminished significantly; time was a far more precious commodity than slumber.

However, the instant the runic disk was activated, Ethan’s brow furrowed in concern. What had been a mere vague premonition the previous night was now undeniably apparent. The concentration of the mysterious energy had demonstrably decreased.

"Huh," Sean voiced, his eyes blinking in confusion as he remained seated. "Am I losing my mind, or has this mysterious energy become significantly weaker?"

"You're not alone in feeling that," another voice chimed in. "I sense it too."

"It truly has dropped," Ethan confirmed. "My best guess is that it's a residual effect from that massive energy surge."

"As if Earth expended too much mysterious energy in one go," he elaborated. "It likely requires a period of recovery."

He then dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand. "It's not critical. We still have the energy crystal."

Ethan reached into his spatial storage ring and produced the head-sized energy crystal. Immediately, the ambient mysterious energy thickened around them, akin to the world’s saturation levels being dialed back up. "Continue your training," he instructed.

"Right!"

With the energy crystal in play, their training speed, while not matching the extraordinary pace of those peak surge days, was still substantially faster—several times over—than what others could achieve. Located around their living quarters, the outermost ring of residences belonged to the Fallen Star Guard. When Ethan revealed the energy crystal, the amplified energy concentration radiated outwards, permeating the vicinity. Even as the Nine-Star Dipper waned later, its fading presence became inconsequential; individuals could still readily absorb energy.

The members of the Fallen Star Guard also forewent returning to sleep, opting instead to persist with their training. They continued their rigorous sessions until a little past nine in the morning before finally ceasing. Following a swift breakfast, Ethan and his companions immediately set out for another forest expedition.

Following the mysterious energy surge, primordial forests had sprung up across the landscape. The significant challenge, however, lay in the sheer immensity of these forests—dense, tangled, and fraught with peril. Discovering a small, cherry-sized Mindfruit amidst such chaos was an exceedingly difficult task. Frankly, without Ethan’s **[True Sight]** ability, it would have demanded an astronomical stroke of luck; otherwise, it was virtually an impossible endeavor.

The ensuing several days settled into a predictable pattern. Training commenced each night, while the daylight hours were dedicated to scouring the forests for Mindfruit. It was an arduous routine, yet it felt undeniably productive. In comparison to the efforts of all others, their pace was practically leisurely.

Once the major settlements experienced the benefits of their newfound power, their motivation to hunt zombies escalated dramatically. Almost every morning, high-Tier Enhanced individuals from each settlement would emerge with the fervor of addicts, pursuing zombies at the break of dawn. The strategy was to strike while the undead were at their weakest. With the zombies' intelligence significantly impaired, this represented the crucial window humanity had desperately awaited. If personal strength fell short, reinforcements were readily available. High-Tier zombies were either mobbed into oblivion or cunningly ambushed and eliminated. A zombie devoid of its intellect was considerably easier to vanquish than one capable of strategic thought.