Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1327: It Finally Fought Back

Upon spotting the Void Realm abominations, Ethan halted—and promptly signaled for Chris and the others to fall back.

Indeed, their strength had surged, considerably so.

Yet, the chasm separating them from this current group remained immense.

And it wasn't only Ethan's allies who had been progressing.

These Void Realm monstrosities had evidently honed their abilities as well. The weakest among them had already reached the pinnacle of Tier 25, while the mightiest—their leader—had ascended to the zenith of Tier 30.

This level was so far beyond Chris's contingent that it was laughable. They would be unable to withstand the assault.

Even Ethan only dared to remain due to his possession of Teleportation and Absolute Stasis. Without these abilities, he too would refrain from taking such a risk. He vividly recalled the intensity of their last confrontation, the precariousness of his situation, and how narrowly he had avoided utter annihilation.

However, the circumstances this time would be different.

His own power had dramatically increased, and with his significantly boosted mental energy, it would prove difficult for them to drain him dry once more.

Furthermore—

At Tier 22, augmented by his current mental reserves, if he unleashed his full might with Annihilation Strike, he could at the very least contend with an opponent at the peak of Tier 25.

Ethan executed a teleport, arriving at a location not far from the Stoneborn ensemble—and then summoned Dopey.

The moment Dopey materialized, the bodies of the Stoneborn elites stiffened.

Dopey's appearance was unremarkable, almost listless. Nothing about him suggested impending danger.

But they would never forget him.

That same impassive figure had employed the most brutal and straightforward method imaginable—a single punch each—to send over a dozen of their comrades to their demise.

Encountering him again and experiencing dread?

Yes. That was not going to happen.

Despite their advancements in strength, even though their leader had just been boasting about confronting Dopey directly...

Now that Dopey stood before them, their bravado began to falter.

The leader mused, a seed of unease taking root.

Ethan smirked. "So, the vermin have finally emerged."

"Your only asset is that thrall," the Stoneborn leader retorted coldly. "Without that soulless servant, I could crush your head with a single hand."

Ethan let out a snort. "You're far too ancient to utter such foolishness. The thrall is mine, meaning it's an extension of my power. If you possess the capability, acquire one for yourself."

The leader's eyes flickered. "You truly believe that possessing a soulless thrall renders you invincible?"

"I have gained sufficient understanding of your world." His tone grew disdainful. "This is a primitive realm. Once the beings from our dimension descend, you will all be reduced to mere dust."

He tilted his chin upward, as if bestowing a final act of grace. "I shall grant you one last opportunity. Prostrate yourselves before the Stoneborn, and we might deign to spare your lives."

Ethan rolled his eyes. "You cannot even overcome my soulless thrall, yet you speak of sparing me. From whence does this audacity stem?"

"Hmph. A soulless thrall is merely an external implement," the leader countered. "We arrived with insufficient numbers this time; that is all. Should the Stoneborn legions invade this world, what could a single thrall possibly achieve?"

Ethan's smile became more pronounced. "Then I bear some regrettable news for you. The interdimensional passage has been sealed. You cannot return, nor can your kin enter."

"Therefore, do your existence a favor and perish quietly on foreign soil."

"Impossible!" The Stoneborn leader's countenance contorted. "A spatial conduit does not simply cease to exist at your declaration. Even within our own realm, no entity possesses such authority—let alone you!"

"I would relish the opportunity to permit you to verify this," Ethan stated nonchalantly. "However, I find immense satisfaction in allowing individuals to depart with unanswered questions."

He raised a hand.

"Dopey. Eliminate them."

The instant his command ceased, Dopey became a blur, hurtling directly towards the Stoneborn.

Simultaneously, Ethan vanished in a flash of teleportation, disappearing from his original position.

A mere fraction of a second later, a colossal hand erupted from the earth, lunging for the exact spot Ethan had occupied.

Had Ethan's reaction been even half a second slower, he would have been ensnared.

However, Ethan had already detected the subterranean assailant. This was precisely why he had initiated his movement the moment he did.

The Stoneborn leader's expression darkened. He had not anticipated Ethan's heightened state of alertness.

Nevertheless, he had not banked on that surprise maneuver to determine the outcome of the conflict.

"Act," he commanded sharply.

The remaining seven Stoneborn responded instantaneously. Their immediate action was to erect Stone Barriers around their forms—bolstering their defenses—before unleashing a torrent of earth-elemental assaults upon Dopey.

Dopey made no attempt to evade.

He proceeded as he always did—direct, formidable, and unyielding.

He absorbed the onslaught head-on and charged towards a single Stoneborn powerhouse.

"Aid me!" the targeted Stoneborn bellowed, his eyes widening in alarm.

Potent earthen energies surged across his body, coalescing into a formidable, oppressive shield.

"Earth Ward!"

This was the Stoneborn's ultimate defensive technique.

The other Stoneborn immediately channeled their energy into him, reinforcing the ward repeatedly, stacking its resilience until it resembled a bulwark constructed from compressed bedrock.

This engagement differed from their previous encounter.

Slate, who had previously attempted an ambush on Ethan, remained at the peak of Tier 25. However, the others had achieved terrifying advancements:

The leader stood at the peak of Tier 30.

Three subordinates were at Tier 28.

The remaining Stoneborn were all Tier 26 and above.

When contrasted with their prior confrontation with this soulless entity, their power had escalated dramatically.

And as for Dopey?

Dopey appeared precisely as he had before.

Thus, yes—this time, they possessed a degree of confidence.

Not comfort.

Not certainty.

But enough to harbor the belief that they could finally inflict harm upon Dopey.

"—Boom!"

Dopey's fist descended upon him.

The impact reverberated through the air with a sound akin to a wrecking ball striking concrete, causing the very ground to tremble beneath their feet.

Successive layers of defense crumbled upon contact. The Earth Ward, bolstered by numerous Stoneborn channeling their power into it, developed a network of fractures like a spider's web—

And before the wide, terrified gazes of everyone present... it held.

It did not shatter.

Astonishingly, it managed to block the punch.

"Hahaha—It held!" The Stoneborn's visage brightened with manic glee, as if he had personally cheated death. He could not suppress his triumphant outburst. "I'm alive! This soulless thrall isn't invincible!"

Dopey's expression remained utterly impassive.

He simply retracted his other hand and balled it into a fist.

One punch failed to subdue?

Then two would be employed.

"—BOOM!"

The second strike landed with even greater force.

The already compromised Earth Ward disintegrated like shattered glass. Dopey's fist pierced directly through, impacting the Stoneborn's armor with devastating effect.

There was no suspense. No last-minute miracle.

The armor imploded.

And the fist continued its relentless trajectory.

"Pff—!"

The Stoneborn's triumphant smile had not yet fully faded.

He expelled a torrent of blood mingled with pulverized internal organs, his body propelled backward before crashing heavily onto the ground. He remained motionless thereafter.

"...!"

The complexions of the remaining Stoneborn paled considerably.

"How—how could it still not hold?!"

"This thing... it's beyond Stage S!"

Dopey paid no heed to their burgeoning panic.

Having eliminated one adversary, he immediately spun around, charging toward the next target as if engaged in a grim harvesting process.

"Control skills!" the leader bellowed. "Pin it down!"

It was only at this precise moment that the full gravity of their situation truly dawned upon him: even with their substantial increase in power, they were still woefully inadequate against this soulless foe.

Engaging in a direct exchange of blows was tantamount to suicide.

They were left with a single recourse—to stall for time.

The objective was to immobilize Dopey, thereby creating an opportunity for Slate to finish off the human combatant.

Fortunately, with their amplified power, their control-oriented abilities finally began to yield some effect.

Compounded gravitational forces bore down, and a terrain-altering skill, resembling a swamp, enveloped Dopey's feet, impeding his movement—albeit only slightly. A conjured sandstorm obscured his vision, while celestial meteors descended in a persistent barrage.

These measures were barely sufficient to prevent Dopey from tearing them apart instantly.

Barely.

And the efficacy of these tactics was precarious.

The leader's jaw clenched as he observed Dopey relentlessly advancing, step by relentless step, as if the very fabric of the world could not impede his progress.

he mused internally, a volatile mixture of fury and apprehension churning within him.