The savage, guttural howls were getting closer—fast. The mixed horde of zombies had already surged to the mountaintop, crawling up from the edges like demons clawing their way out of hell.
Grotesque faces erged one after another, quickly forming a dense, writhing mass. Blood stained many of their mouths, fresh from devouring flesh. They were in a frenzy—completely unhinged.
The mont they spotted the humans holding the line ahead, their excitent only intensified. They shoved and trampled over each other in a mad rush, like a tidal wave crashing down.
"They’re here..."
Mia and the others stood at the entrance to the shelter. The mountain wind howled past, whipping their hair around. In their eyes, a flicker of grim resolve.
Then, from the loudspeakers behind them, an old man’s voice rang out—steady and strong:
"Children... this is the mont of life and death. Don’t cry. Grip your weapons tight, and keep fighting."
"May you carve a path through the thorns, fearless and unyielding. Let your courage and determination write a glorious Chapter of our own."
"For victory... forward!"
...
The old man’s voice was like a spark, igniting the fire in everyone’s chest. It was powerful, stirring—like a battle cry from the soul.
The zombie horde was closing in fast, the air thick with the scent of death and bloodlust.
Behind them, inside the shelter, were their aging parents, their babbling toddlers, their lovers—their everything.
And the only way the undead were getting in... was over their dead bodies.
"Kill them all!"
With a thunderous roar, the final defense line surged into motion.
Dozens of Awakeners charged straight into the oncoming horde, fully prepared to die where they stood.
From the rear, waves of energy burst forth—fireballs and ice spikes tore through the zombies, blasting them apart or skewering them mid-charge. Earthen walls erupted from the ground, blocking their advance.
The battle between humanity and the undead had officially ignited.
Mia was at the front, as always, diving headfirst into the chaos. Her Stellar Fang katana danced through the air, crackling with lightning as it sliced through zombie skulls like butter.
Each swing left behind a trail of afterimages, her blade moving so fast it looked like a at grinder tearing through anything that got too close.
"Lightning Field!"
Not far off, a young man lit up with electric energy, channeling it all into his fists before slamming them into the ground.
BOOM!
A massive web of lightning exploded outward. Zombies nearby were blasted into the air, their bodies convulsing as electricity surged through them. Smoke curled from their charred flesh as they scread in agony.
"Blood Burst!"
Brandon was in the thick of it too. With a single sweep of his arm, dozens of zombies froze in place—then their heads exploded in unison.
A fine mist of blood filled the air as their broken bodies collapsed.
"Damn, Brandon, that was savage! You’re straight-up wrecking them!" Griffin shouted beside him, clapping like a fanboy.
-_-||
Brandon’s face twitched. Seriously? Now?
So things never change...
The fighters on the mountaintop were the elite—top-tier Awakeners from shelters all over, including several designated 001s. Their strength was formidable, and for now, they were holding the line.
anwhile, on the other side of the mountain, Robert was still locked in combat with Ravena. His katana clashed again and again with her razor-sharp claws.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Their speed was insane—almost too fast to follow.
Robert was starting to feel it. The Vampire Race’s physical strength was no joke—like fighting a creature made of steel. He hadn’t gained the upper hand, and his forearms were already aching from the strain.
He glanced toward the mountaintop and saw the horde pouring over the edge, hamring the last line of defense.
Ravena’s blood-red eyes glead with manic excitent.
"Don’t look away now. You should be more worried about yourself," she sneered.
"You talk too damn much..." Robert muttered. His mission was clear: stall the mutated Zombie King for as long as possible. If that thing broke through, the final defense would collapse.
After all, the Crimson Count’s adopted daughter and son were the real trump cards in this war.
But Ravena wasn’t alone. Behind her, more zombies were flooding in—thicker, faster, more frenzied. And sothing else... sothing worse... was coming.
Nearby, the Awakeners were fighting tooth and nail, drenched in blood and sweat.
"Robert! There’s too many of them! I can’t hold out much longer!"
"Sa here! I’m almost out of energy!"
"I’m burning through everything I’ve got!"
...
Their voices were ragged, breath coming in gasps like broken bellows.
"Hang in there! Just a little longer!" Robert shouted over his shoulder, his voice steady despite the chaos.
"Got it!" soone called back, gritting their teeth.
Everyone held the line, jaws clenched, eyes flicking toward the horizon. The last rays of the setting sun were fading fast, casting long shadows over the battlefield.
"Mmm... I do love it when humans fight back," Ravena purred, licking her blood-red lips. Watching them struggle on the brink of death thrilled her to the core. Her eyes glead with twisted ecstasy, her excitent only growing.
In a blur, she lunged again, claws arcing wide as she aid to smash Robert with another brutal strike.
Robert’s eyes narrowed. It felt like a freight train was barreling straight at him.
He raised his katana just in ti, bracing it across his chest.
VMMM—
Her claws slamd down. The katana, forged from teorite steel, shuddered violently, letting out a tallic wail.
The impact sent Robert flying like a ragdoll. He crashed through a massive boulder, shattering it into rubble before finally skidding to a stop.
"Robert!" soone scread.
The nearby fighters froze in horror, hearts sinking.
"Damn... that hurt like hell..." Robert groaned, coughing as he pushed himself up with his katana. Dust and debris clung to his body as he rose from the wreckage, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
But his eyes—those star-bright eyes—still burned with light. Hope. Defiance.
Ravena’s brow twitched. This human, even injured, radiated sothing she didn’t expect—optimism. Strength. It was the exact opposite of what she wanted.
"You’re supposed to be begging for your life right now. Where’s the fear?"
"The sword of justice... never bows to evil," Robert said, voice low but unwavering.
"..." Ravena stared at him, speechless. A vein throbbed on her forehead. The thrill of torturing him was starting to wear off.
She turned her gaze toward the mountaintop. The final battle had begun. That’s where she was needed now. Once Mount Elbert fell, she still had to deal with the Zombie King in Los Angeles.
"Sorry, sweetheart—playti’s over. Now drop dead for , will ya?" Ravena’s face twisted, bones cracking audibly as veins bulged beneath her skin. Her expression turned monstrous.
She kicked off the ground with explosive force. The earth beneath her feet cracked and split from the pressure as she launched forward like a missile.
That last hit had already wounded Robert. She was sure this one would finish him.
Behind her, the zombie horde roared in unison, their howls rising like a war chant. Thousands of undead voices scread her na as she charged, a living weapon of destruction.
But Robert didn’t flinch. He stared straight at her, calm and unshaken.
Then—he closed his eyes.
At that exact mont, the last sliver of sunlight vanished beyond the horizon. The world was plunged into twilight. The battlefield fell into a hush, as if ti itself had slowed.
A surge of power flooded into Robert’s body. The pain vanished. His wounds faded.
And sothing inside him... awakened.
His entire presence shifted—no longer just a man, but sothing more. Sothing transcendent.
When he opened his eyes again, his pupils were no longer just black—they were deep, endless, like the night sky itself.
"Nightfall begins..."
...
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