Klaus glanced at his friends, a smug smile tugging at his lips. "Come on, you're not thinking of backing out, are you? The fun's just about to start. Wipe those frowns off your faces and get ready to kill some Zombies!"
Anna and the others exchanged uneasy glances but stayed silent. They knew the reality—they were far from being able to take on a Tier 6 Zombie General alone. The best they could handle was a Tier 5 Captain one-on-one, and maybe a Tier 6 General if they fought as a group.
But the moment a Tier 7 Zombie King enters the scene, they will be overwhelmed. Tier 6 Generals were on the same level as Tier 6 Terror monsters—powerful, ruthless, and nearly unbeatable for anyone at their level. They just weren't there yet. In the classification of monsters, anything from Tier 4 to Tier 6 could be a Lesser, Great, Dark, or Terror Class.
It was the same for Zombies. Starting at Tier 5, they became Captains—like Dark Monsters—and at Tier 6, they reached the terrifying General rank, equal to a Tier 6 Terror Monster.
Once a creature or zombie reached Tier 7, they evolved into something far deadlier—monsters became Devils, and zombies became Kings. And beyond that, Tier 8 monsters became Tyrants, while Tier 8 zombies ascended to the level of Emperors.
So for Klaus to ask his friends, who were still only Masters (Tier 3), to face off against Tier 6 Generals—it was like sending them to their deaths. They weren't like him, capable of disregarding realms and taking on greater threats.
"Relax," Klaus reassured them, his tone lighter. "You'll be fighting in a controlled area, and Kofi and Henry will be with you." He gestured to the two Saints standing beside him.
Kofi frowned and stepped forward. "But young master, Auntie said I'm supposed to watch your back," he protested, clearly unhappy with where this was going.
"Don't worry about me, Kofi," Klaus said with a calm smile. "Uncle Ziggy and the others will have my back. Your job is to make sure my friends stay safe."
Kofi hesitated, concern still clouding his face. Klaus's mother had given him strict orders to protect her son at all costs, and he intended to do just that. But seeing the firm resolve in Klaus's eyes, Kofi gave a reluctant nod.
"Excellent," Klaus said, his gaze settling on Anna. "Oh, and Anna—you'll be in your strongest state, so get ready to support the others."
He raised his hand, forming a glowing lotus, which hovered gently over Anna. Then, with a swift motion, he activated his [Absolute Ice Domain], instantly freezing the 2km radius in a biting cold.
Anna, who had an affinity with ice, immediately felt a surge of strength coursing through her. Klaus caught her eye and smiled. "Any Zombie that steps into this domain will get hit with a debuff. So, in a way, you'll be fighting weaker versions of them."
Hearing this, his friends exchanged relieved looks, finally letting out a sigh of relief. They weren't alone in this battle after all.
"Alright, let's kill some Zombies!" Klaus grinned, unusually elated. Maybe it was the thought of finally testing his Spirit Eye against a higher-tier monster that excited him.
The idea of stunning a Zombie just by looking at it made him giddy. But then he caught himself, thinking, 'I should probably look serious—some people have died, and others are injured.' He turned briefly to glance at the wounded soldiers, his expression sobering for a moment.
Before he could dwell on it, the Zombies came within range. Anna and the others moved to one side of the battlefield, joined by other Master stage experts and even a few Grandmasters who had decided to make a stand.
Inside the icy domain, those with ice abilities grinned, feeling their power rise, while those with fire felt slightly restricted but still stood their ground.
"Little Brother, are you ready?" War Goddess Miriam's voice called out, her tone full of challenge.
Klaus flashed a confident smile. "I was born ready."
"Good," Miriam said, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Impress me, and I'll reward you with something special."
Klaus's gaze immediately drifted to her chest, his mind shamelessly wandering. He nodded, trying to keep his thoughts in check. 'I'd love to bury my face between those mountains,' he thought mischievously.
"Don't worry, Big Sister," he said with a grin that was a little too wide, "I'll definitely put my face where it—uh, I mean, I'll impress you for sure!"
His smile was filled with all the dark thoughts racing through his mind. Miriam gave him a curious look, sensing something off but not quite knowing what it was.
Meanwhile, Uncle Ziggy and the others who were watching from the sidelines exchanged knowing glances, each giving Klaus a silent thumbs-up in their hearts. 'This brat truly is a man of culture,' they thought with a chuckle.
"Everyone, try not to die," the War Goddess said flatly before vanishing. In the blink of an eye, she reappeared, her sword cutting through the air. Dozens of Tier 6 Zombie Generals' heads flew off in a single swing.
"That's sword aura... but more advanced," Klaus muttered, eyes locked on the strange energy radiating from her blade.
"Brat, try to keep up," Uncle Ziggy called, moving at a speed Klaus could barely track. In the next second, his twin revolvers crackled with lightning as he fired, each bullet punching holes clean through the heads of the Zombies.
He has a unique class that makes him a master Gunslinger, and from the precision and powerful shots he was unleashing, Klaus could only watch as Zombies fell one after the other.
Then, Uncle Xian leaped into action, wielding a massive axe. He slammed it into the ground, sending Zombies flying in every direction. Those close to the impact zone exploded on contact, but even the ones farther away weren't spared.
As they flew through the air, two colossal fire boomerangs cut them down, cleaving dozens of Zombies in half. Uncle James had finally joined the fray.
Despite his hulking frame, Uncle James preferred using boomerangs, and they sliced through the air with deadly precision, decimating the ranks of the undead.
Uncle Jojo, on the other hand, moved like a slow menace, his sluggish movements almost unsettling. But every time he punched forward, Zombies exploded in rapid succession, like a chain reaction of destruction. His gauntlets radiated intense cold, freezing everything in his path.
Then there was Uncle Mark, his giant shield smashing through the horde. Every hit from that shield reduced dozens of monsters into nothing but meatpaste. It was brutal, and it was efficient. Gruesome as it was, they were getting the job done.
Klaus watched it all unfold and sighed. He knew he couldn't keep up with their overwhelming power and speed, but he also had his own strengths.
'Let's see who gets the last laugh,' he thought, determination sparking in his eyes.
Using the ice mist that blanketed the battlefield, Klaus moved with terrifying speed, disappearing from sight. In an instant, he reappeared behind a Zombie, severing its head with a single swing of his blade.