The Anti-Hero
Chapter 23: Apprenticeship III

Van stared at the shopping mall (mall) calmly while analyzing all the causation

"If a zombie appears, does that mean there is a [Zombie] race coming into the city? Impossible, [Zombies] are clearly easily detected during the day, especially in crowded malls

Did someone turn into a [Zombie] naturally due to a genetic problem? Not really, genetic problems must have been cured with skills and technology by now

Is this someone's work? It seems.." thought Van with all sorts of theories coming to mind

Van then walked lightly, but each step felt like running due to the physical improvement of [Hero Fruit]

When arriving inside the shopping center (mall), Van was greeted with a gloomy and unpleasant atmosphere

"Hoo hoo"

"Hoo hoo"

Vague sounds of zombies echoed within the mall

The van then decided to go up to the 2nd floor

While on the way, Van meets a lot of Zombies

However, Van activated [Decay] and turned the surroundings into dust

As he goes deeper, Van finally meets a hero

Unfortunately, the hero had a bite on his neck

Looking at Van, the hero panicked and said with a heavy tone that caused his breath to feel heavy "N-nak, go, a-I'm going through [Zombification] and a-I don't want to hurt you"

[Zombification]: [The process by which living things slowly turn into Zombies]

Van ignored the words of the hero and walked up to him

Van touched the cold body of the hero and activated [Decay]

Then, the hero's body turned into dust

"May you calm down in nature" said Van and continued the journey

After walking for a few minutes, Van finally met some heroes who were fighting Zombies

However, they fought with fear of death

They fight while throwing their friends at the Zombies to keep them safe

When Van hits the ground and prepares to activate [Decay]

A black figure appeared and struck the hero

The hero was crushed into a lump of flesh and the Zombie he faced was also crushed under the pressure

Van narrowed his eyes and realized that the figure that appeared was [Shinigami]

"Where have you come from?" ask Van

"Round around while checking" the voice of [Shinigami] rang out from behind the mask

"the results?" asked Van to reply

"The heroes retreated, there were no survivors" [Shinigami] said with tightly clenched hands

"What is the cause of these zombies?" van said

"I don't know, there's no trace left" [Shinigami] said and turned away

Van then followed [Shinigami] with a flat face

But in his mind had been filled with all sorts of thoughts

Upon arriving at the 1st floor, they met a horde of Zombies that gathered as if protecting something

"Something seems wrong" Van muttered

The Zombies are aware of the existence of [Shinigami] and Van

However, they did not move to attack the two which made the atmosphere even more odd

As Van and [Shinigami] were on alert, a bright light appeared on the floor under the Zombies' feet

Finally, Van and [Shinigami] could see it clearly, a 5-star pattern made of blood

Both Van and [Shinigami] can only curse "Sial" and jump into the Zombie crowd

Causing Van, [Shinigami], and Zombies to crash far away

A black fog emerged from the pattern and enveloped the surroundings

As the black fog disappeared, a human-like figure with a giant snake wrapped around it, its eyes were black and yellow, with mohawk hair

"Devil" muttered [Shinigami]

The devil, as explained, is a very evil creature

Devils usually live in hell and rarely appear in the world

The Devils were divided into four levels, the lower class was like lowly demons, the middle class was like the Demon Nobles, and the upper class was like a Demon King

"In the end the humans are working well" said the Devil

Looking at Van and [Shinigami], the Devil suddenly showed a terrible smile that was enough to traumatize someone

"Khufufu has long since I have not enjoyed the pure human soul of this world" the demonic laughter echoed throughout the shopping mall

Just then, there were footsteps from outside the shopping mall and hundreds of thugs in white tiger robes appeared

"Sial [White Tiger], it turns out you guys are the mastermind" [Shinigami] was unable to hold back his emotions anymore and shouted

[Shinigami] jumped towards the crowd [White Tiger] with his fist ready to clench

But the Devil snapped his finger, and the snake in his body snapped its long tail

The caterpillar's tail hit the [Shinigami] and knocked him down, though it didn't make him feel any pain because his body had surpassed the limits of a human

[Shinigami] rose from the crowd and looked at the Devil in annoyance

"It is not polite so, O people, introduce me Damballa, the Demon King" said the Devil named Damballa

Hearing Damballa's Devil speech, [Shinigami] was shocked "A Demon King, damn disaster has come to the world"

Damballa then stared at the surrounding filled with Zombies and frowned

"All of you go out and destroy this city" Damballa said

The Zombies that lacked intelligence suddenly ran out of the shopping mall as if they had regained their intelligence

[Taiga], the leader of the [White Tiger] laughed when he saw the Zombies coming out

"HAHAHAHA, you [Shinigami]! The city you're protecting will be destroyed because it was you who offended us. Damballa is not a new Demon King, He is a famous Demon King among Voodoo and famous for his Zombies!" heed

A moment later, [Taiga]'s head slipped off his body and fell to the ground with a happy expression that was still on his face, unaware that he was dead

"Low man, how dare to call my name directly" said Devil Damballa

"Alright, let's start the show" said Devil Damballa

As the Devil Damballa was intending to leave, [Shinigami] appeared and hit him in the face

The Demon Head Damballa was destroyed by the [Shinigami] blow

However, the head regenerated with a face full of anger

Not anger from pain, but humiliation because lowly humans dare to touch it

Although both living beings, in fact each race has its own level and limit of strength or evolution

Demons must be at a higher level and have a power stronger than humans

"MAN!!!!" the cry of the Devil Damballa was accompanied by an extremely frightening aura

"Van, go take care of that zombie. I will hold this Devil. At least I can make him die despite having to sacrifice my life" said [Shinigami] while putting up fighting horses

The van that had been silent from earlier was suddenly shrouded in a dark mist

When the dark fog disappears, Van appears with his distinctive clothes

Note: with black long-sleeved shirt and head cover, and black cloth that covers the face from under the eyes to the neck

[Shinigami] who saw Van immediately fell silent and his eyes behind his mask were full of shock

"[Darkness]?! The leader of [Dark Shadow]?!!" say [Shinigami]