Chapter 409: Evolution King

Far away, deep beneath the Blood Marsh...

Inside a vast underground chamber, countless cocoons lined the walls, ranging from human-sized pods to towering giants, each pulsing as though alive.

A calm figure stood before them, writing notes. He looked almost human, only his ash-gray skin and crimson eyes betrayed what he truly was.

Without emotion, he studied one of the cocoons.

"The thirty-seventh evolution failed. The regeneration rate was acceptable. The skeletal adaptation was incomplete."

He closed the journal.

"Proceed with the next evolution."

At his command, several intelligent zombies carried fresh corpses toward another cocoon. The figure watched without excitement or anger. To him, every zombie was simply another step toward perfect evolution.

He observed as the cocoon absorbed the corpses. Moments later, cracks spread across its surface. A new zombie slowly stepped out, lean, with dark gray skin and crimson eyes. At first glance, it looked no different from an ordinary zombie.

He circled it once.

"Attack."

The zombie lunged. Without moving from his position, he raised a single hand. The creature stopped only centimeters away, frozen in place.

He observed every detail.

"Reaction speed... improved. Muscle density... acceptable. Bone structure... stable. But... the instinct is still too strong."

He lightly touched the zombie’s forehead. Instantly, its body began to change. Sharp claws extended from its fingers. Bone plates formed across its shoulders. Its legs thickened, granting explosive speed.

He nodded and turned to the intelligent zombies behind him. "Release it."

One of them hesitated. "My Lord... shouldn’t we continue testing?"

He closed his journal. "No need."

The attendants exchanged uncertain glances.

He continued, "Every death teaches me something. Every battle reveals another flaw."

"The Southern Argenti Werewolf King believes he’s winning."

He looked toward the ceiling.

"He’s only making the next generation stronger."

---

Meanwhile, Vikram led a small elite force into the outskirts of the Blood Marsh. Of his wives, only Aurelia accompanied him. Even the human awakeners had refused the invitation.

Unlike the rest of the Southern Argenti Forest, this place was eerily silent. Not a single bird or beast made a sound.

Aurelia crouched beside a set of footprints. "Fresh." She pointed ahead. "There are more. They’re patrolling."

Vikram’s eyes narrowed.

The group advanced another few hundred meters before reaching the remains of an abandoned village.

Just then, a cold breeze swept through the empty village.

A calm voice echoed from beyond the ruins.

"So... you’ve finally arrived."

Every warrior drew their weapons, but no one was there. Only the sound of fading footsteps echoed through the Blood Marsh.

Vikram slowly scanned the surroundings. "If you’ve been waiting for me, show yourself."

A lone figure emerged from between the ruined buildings.

He wasn’t the hideous monster they had expected. Tall, with ash-gray skin, crimson eyes, and black hair streaked with white, he wore a long black coat. He looked more like a noble than a zombie.

The werewolf commanders instinctively stepped in front of Vikram.

The stranger merely observed them. "So... you’ve united the Southern Argenti Forest."

His voice was calm and emotionless.

Vikram stared directly at him. "So you’re the one behind these evolutions."

The zombie neither admitted nor denied it. Instead, he asked, "How many of my creations have you destroyed?"

Vikram frowned. "I didn’t count."

A faint smile appeared on the zombie’s face. "I did. You’ve destroyed three hundred and eighty-seven successful evolutions... and over two thousand failed ones."

Aurelia tightened her grip on her weapon. "So all those werewolves who died were simply test subjects to you?"

"Every sacrifice has value," the zombie answered without hesitation.

Several commanders growled in anger. Vikram remained silent, studying the Evolution King.

He took one step forward. "Who are you?"

The zombie regarded him for several moments. "The Zombie Emperor gave me a new purpose. I guide evolution. I perfect the zombie race. I am the Evolution King."

Vikram slowly raised his weapon. "Then your purpose ends here."

The zombie glanced at the blade and shook his head. "Not today. You still misunderstand." He looked toward the dozens of evolved zombies standing silently among the ruins. "Watch carefully."

The moment he finished speaking, he lightly snapped his fingers. The evolved zombies immediately retreated into the surrounding forest instead of attacking. Not one of them hesitated.

Vikram was about to pursue them when the zombie spoke one final time.

"Werewolf King. I look forward to seeing how much stronger you become. Because only then... will my final evolution be worthy."

Countless streams of black mist rose from the marsh, swallowing the Evolution King and the evolved zombies.

Hidden deep beneath the ruined village, the Evolution King stepped into a narrow stone passage. Behind him, a massive slab of rock rumbled shut, concealing the only entrance to the underground city.

Moments later, the black mist completely dispersed.

The zombie and every evolved creature had vanished without a trace.

Vikram looked toward the empty forest and felt a strange certainty settle over him. He was not hunting his enemy.

His enemy was studying him.

No one spoke for several moments. The ruined village was eerily quiet.

Aurelia frowned. "What now?"

Vikram looked toward the marsh.

"We’re fighting someone who learns from every battle."

---

The group searched the village for the rest of the day. They searched every ruined house, every collapsed cellar, and every abandoned well. Beneath several buildings, they discovered hidden chambers filled with broken cocoons, discarded bones, and journals covered in strange symbols and diagrams. Although no one could read the language, one thing was clear: every page recorded the strengths and weaknesses of countless zombie evolutions. Yet none of the chambers connected to the main laboratory. Whatever entrance the Evolution King had used had already been sealed.

As they prepared to leave, one of Vikram’s scouts ran toward him.

"My King, an allied pack was attacked by twelve evolved zombies."

"Twelve?"

The scout nodded. "But every one of them was different. One had wings. Another could burrow underground. One possessed bone armor. And one... kept changing its body throughout the battle."

Vikram understood immediately.

The Evolution King had changed his strategy. Instead of relying on massive hordes, he was now deploying small groups of specialized evolved zombies. Each group was a different experiment. Each battle produced more data.

---

That evening, Vikram gathered every king, queen, and commander.

"The zombie war has changed," he said. "From today onward, every evolved zombie must be treated as a commander-level threat."

He pointed to the map. "We’ll divide the Southern Argenti Forest into defense sectors. Each pack will guard its own territory. If an evolved zombie appears, send word immediately. No one fights it alone."

The rulers nodded. They understood. The days of simple zombie extermination were over. A new kind of war had begun.

---

Deep beneath the Blood Marsh, one intelligent zombie knelt before the Evolution King.

"My Lord. The Werewolf King has strengthened his defenses."

The Evolution King closed another journal. "As expected. Begin the second phase."

The zombie looked up. "Which evolution will you release?"

The Evolution King turned toward the deepest chamber of the underground city. Behind an enormous stone gate came a slow, heavy heartbeat.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

A faint smile appeared on his otherwise emotionless face. "They’ve studied my soldiers. Now... let them witness my masterpieces."

As the massive gate slowly opened, an oppressive roar echoed through the entire underground city. One by one, enormous silhouettes emerged. There were only five of them, yet the pressure they radiated surpassed that of hundreds of elite zombies.

The Evolution King calmly regarded them. "My first generation of perfected evolutions."

Each one was completely different. One possessed an enormous, heavily armored body. Another was lean, with four blade-like arms. A third stood on four legs like a beast, its crimson eyes constantly scanning its surroundings. The fourth had long bone spikes extending from its back. The last one appeared almost human, standing silently without making a sound.

The Evolution King walked past them. "You are no longer experiments. You are commanders."

He pointed toward a map of the Southern Argenti Forest. "Each of you will attack a different territory. Do not seek victory; instead, observe your enemies."

The five commanders bowed before disappearing into separate tunnels leading out of the underground city.

---

Three days later, urgent reports arrived from every direction.

"My King! The Iron Claw Pack has encountered a heavily armored zombie that ordinary weapons can’t pierce!"

Another messenger rushed in before the first had even finished. "My King! The Silver Moon Pack is being hunted by a four-armed zombie!"

A third followed immediately. "The Black River Pack reports a beast-like zombie capable of outrunning every scout!"

Soon, reports covered the entire map. Five commander zombies. Five different battlefields. Five completely different fighting styles.

Vikram immediately began assigning targets. "Kara, take the Iron Claw region. Evelyn, head to Black River. Carol, support Silver Moon. Lyra, take the Shadow Fang territory, Liora head to Golden Valley. And me?" He looked toward the center of the map. "I’ll go wherever the commander proves to be the strongest."

Within minutes, the united kingdom was moving again. Across the Southern Argenti Forest, armies marched in five different directions.

Far beneath the Blood Marsh, the Evolution King quietly watched the reports arriving from his intelligent zombies. He gave a faint nod.

"The game has begun."

---

As battles raged across the Southern Argenti Forest, Vikram stood before the command table, where a Spirit Projection Array displayed the locations of the five commander zombies.

He turned to one of the scouts.

"Show me the Iron Claw Territory."

"Yes, My King."

The scout adjusted the array. The image rippled before sharpening into a live view of the battlefield.

A ruined mountain pass filled the projection. Zombie corpses lay scattered across the ground, the entire horde already wiped out.

Only one zombie remained.

Iron Tyrant.

Standing opposite the towering commander was Kara. Her expression calm and fearless as she met the giant’s gaze.

The Iron Tyrant roared and charged forward, its massive footsteps shaking the entire mountain pass. Layers of dark armor covered its body as it swung a colossal fist toward Kara.

Kara didn’t move.

Crimson energy surged around her hands, rapidly condensing into countless glowing fragments. Within a heartbeat, they fused together, forming a gigantic two-handed warhammer. She gripped the handle with both hands and rested the weapon across her shoulder.

"Come on."

The Iron Tyrant’s fist crashed down.

Kara stepped forward and swung.

The mountain pass trembled. The Iron Tyrant was hurled backward, its armored fist shattered into countless fragments. Deep cracks spread across the thick plates protecting its arm.

A guttural growl escaped the zombie as the damaged armor shifted. New layers of hardened bone rapidly formed over the broken arm and chest, making its defense even thicker.

Without hesitation, it charged again.

Kara smiled. "So that’s your evolution."

She vanished.

Before the Iron Tyrant could react, she appeared at its side.

Her hammer slammed into its ribs with overwhelming force, caving in the reinforced armor. The giant staggered, but before it could regain its balance, Kara struck again.

The second blow crushed both legs, forcing the towering commander to its knees.

The Iron Tyrant roared in defiance and raised its remaining arm for one final attack.

Kara gave it no chance.

Leaping into the air, she brought the warhammer down with all her strength.

CRACK!!

The hammer crushed the Iron Tyrant’s head and upper body into the ground. Shockwaves raced across the mountain pass, leaving a massive crater beneath the impact.

The giant’s body twitched once... then fell completely still.

The crimson warhammer dissolved into countless particles of light, disappearing from Kara’s hands.

She glanced at the corpse before turning away.

"Too weak."

The battle was over in less than a minute.

The command room fell silent.

Vikram watched the projection for a moment before giving a slight nod.

"As expected."

The Iron Tyrant had displayed immense strength and durability, but against Kara’s overwhelming power, it was never enough.

He turned to the scout beside him.

"Next."

"Yes, My King."

The scout adjusted the Spirit Projection Array. The image dissolved into rippling light before reforming into another battlefield.