Apocalypse: King of Zombies

"Who is he?"

"Could it be... the Zombie King of Los Angeles?"

"What?"

"..."

Among the group, a few had managed to escape from Los Angeles. It didn't take them long to recognize Ethan.

And in that moment, everything clicked.

Why Aaron had suddenly turned into a monster.

A demon.

He was a demon.

With the Black Hand Legion members suppressed, Aaron broke free from the energy that had been holding him back. He lunged toward the crowd at an inhuman speed.

His massive claws swung down, smashing one man's skull into pieces. Then, without hesitation, he grabbed another person, brought them to his mouth, and took a massive bite.

Half of the victim's body was gone in an instant, blood spraying everywhere like a grotesque fountain.

The rest of the group froze in terror, paralyzed by the sheer brutality of what they were witnessing. Especially one burly man, who was trembling so violently it looked like his body might fall apart.

And then, Aaron's blood-red eyes locked onto him.

"Can I bite you now?" Aaron asked, his voice dripping with malice.

"Y-yes! I mean... no!" the man stammered, his words tripping over each other as his legs gave out beneath him. A sudden warmth spread down his pants—he'd wet himself in fear.

Aaron's hatred for him boiled over.

With a guttural growl, Aaron's massive claw shot forward, piercing the man's abdomen with a sickening squelch. He lifted him off the ground like a ragdoll.

"AAAAHHHH!" The man screamed in agony, his face twisted in pain.

"Oh, so you do feel pain, huh?" Aaron sneered, his voice laced with dark amusement.

The man's cries only seemed to fuel Aaron's twisted excitement. He didn't want this to end quickly. No, the pain he had endured—he wanted to return it tenfold.

Aaron's claws tightened their grip, and with a sickening series of cracks, the man's ribs shattered one by one.

The screams grew louder, more desperate, until they reached a fever pitch. But the man's enhanced vitality as an Awakener wouldn't let him pass out. He was trapped in a nightmare, unable to live, unable to die.

With a sudden, violent yank, Aaron tore the man's intestines out, letting them spill onto the ground like grotesque ribbons.

The man convulsed, his body shivering uncontrollably. Despite the sweltering summer heat, he felt an icy chill seep into his bones as his life drained away.

He looked up, his vision blurring, only to see Aaron's monstrous jaws descending toward him.

The stench of blood and decay filled his nostrils as those razor-sharp teeth came closer and closer. But strangely, he no longer felt fear. Instead, there was a sense of relief.

"CRUNCH!"

Aaron's jaws closed around him, and the man was gone.

The others who had witnessed the scene were utterly broken. Hope had abandoned them.

It was too much. Too cruel.

Aaron turned his gaze to the remaining survivors, his hatred burning brighter than ever. These people—these monsters—had killed his parents, defiled his sister. Blood debts could only be repaid in blood.

With a feral roar, he charged into the crowd, his claws slashing wildly.

Limbs flew through the air. Blood sprayed like mist. The area became a slaughterhouse, a hellscape of carnage and despair.

With Ethan's subtle assistance, it only took a few moments for Aaron to wipe out every last one of them.

And then, silence.

The village was eerily quiet once more.

Everywhere Aaron looked, there was devastation. Blood pooled on the ground, chunks of flesh scattered like debris. Not a single intact body remained among the dozens who had been there.

"Not bad. Not bad at all," Ethan remarked, his sharp eyes scanning the scene. He seemed almost impressed. "Looks like the... food's been prepped nicely."

Aaron stood amidst the chaos, his massive frame heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. The wild, frenzied look in his eyes began to fade. Slowly, he lowered his head and stared at his blood-soaked claws.

For a moment, he seemed lost. Confused.

"I miss my sister..." he muttered softly.

...

In the ruins of Sunland, a few faint traces of life still lingered—survivors who had refused to bow to the Black Hand Legion's cruelty and had paid the price for their defiance.

Among them was Aaron's sister, Olivia.

She and four other women were imprisoned in a pitch-black cellar, their clothes tattered and barely covering them. They had heard the chaos outside moments ago, their faces pale with fear and confusion.

"What's happening out there?"

"Is the Black Hand Legion fighting another group?"

"I thought I heard... a monster..."

"Oh God!"

The five women huddled together in a corner, trembling like chicks caught in a winter storm.

But soon, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed closer and closer, each thud sending a jolt of terror through their hearts.

The ground began to quake.

BOOM!

The cellar's ceiling was ripped away by a massive claw, and a hulking figure leapt down into the darkness.

The creature's face was twisted and monstrous, radiating a savage, bloodthirsty aura that made it seem like it could devour them all in an instant.

"AHHHH!"

The women screamed in unison, their voices filled with terror.

But the monster didn't move. It just stood there, staring at them in silence.

After a long, tense pause, it finally spoke, its voice guttural and rough, like stones grinding together.

"Sister..."

The word was barely recognizable, distorted by the creature's inhuman vocal cords.

"Huh?"

The women froze, their fear momentarily replaced by confusion.

Olivia, however, stared at the creature with wide, unblinking eyes.

Despite the grotesque changes to its appearance—its body, its voice, its very essence—there was something in its gaze, a flicker of familiarity that she couldn't ignore.

"You're... Aaron?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

The creature's massive head dipped slightly.

"Yeah," it rumbled.

"Waaaaahhh!"

Olivia burst into tears and ran forward, throwing her arms around one of the monster's massive limbs. She clung to him tightly, her sobs echoing in the cellar.

The siblings, who had endured so much suffering, were finally reunited. But one was still human, while the other had become something else entirely.

Olivia cried for what felt like an eternity.

Even Aaron, with his monstrous, rage-filled eyes, let tears stream down his face. Despite his terrifying appearance, there was a tenderness in his expression that didn't match his form.

Above them, Ethan stood silently, watching the reunion unfold. He didn't interrupt or rush them.

After a while, Olivia wiped her tears and looked up at her brother.

"Aaron... how did you become like this?"

"Because..."

Aaron began to explain everything—how he had sought revenge, how he had hunted down and killed their enemies, and how he had ended up in his current state.

When he finished, he hesitated before asking, "Sister... am I... ugly now?"

"No," Olivia said firmly, shaking her head as fresh tears welled up in her eyes. "Not at all. Not even a little."

She reached out and gently touched his hardened, scaly skin, her hands trembling.

But then, something shifted in her expression. A flicker of resolve passed through her eyes, as if she had made up her mind about something.

"Aaron," she said softly, "don't be afraid. I'll become a monster too, so I can stay with you."

"Sister, you..." Aaron started to protest, but the words caught in his throat.

Olivia's decision was already made.

She lifted her gaze to the figure standing above them. Ethan's tall, imposing silhouette loomed over the cellar, his cold, indifferent eyes watching them like a god surveying his domain.

Without hesitation, Olivia dropped to her knees and bowed her head deeply before him.

Ethan understood immediately.

This was her choice. And, in truth, it was the only way for her to survive in this world.

With a flick of his wrist, Ethan tossed a vial containing the G-virus into the cellar.

Olivia didn't hesitate. She reached out and grabbed it.

In her heart, she had long despised her own "filthy" body, tainted by the horrors she had endured. She had even considered ending her life before.

Perhaps living in a new form wouldn't be so bad.

Without a second thought, she plunged the syringe into her arm.

The dark purple liquid coursed through her veins, and her body convulsed violently. Veins bulged across her skin, and she let out a guttural scream as the transformation began.

Her body swelled, growing larger and larger until she stood over 15 feet tall. Unlike Aaron, her skin took on a pale blue hue, shimmering like scales.

Her massive frame still retained faint traces of femininity, but there was something unique about her transformation—a thick, powerful tail had grown from her back.

It was said that humans once had tails in ancient times, but they had long since disappeared through evolution. Now, hers had returned, a symbol of her new monstrous form.

As the transformation completed, Olivia shook her enormous head, her bones cracking and popping as her body adjusted. The pain faded from her expression, replaced by something almost... serene.

She turned to Aaron, her grotesque mouth curling into a grin.

"Hehehe... Little brother, now we're the same."

...