Vampire Overlord's Harem In The Apocalypse-Chapter 63: On The Brink

The explosion threw them both backward, the shockwave of its force sending Simon hurtling through the air. He quickly adjusted his posture, twisting mid-flight to plant both feet firmly in the ground. His breath was shallow as he scanned the battlefield, his eyes locking onto the creature standing in the aftermath of the blast. The monstrosity that had once been human now towered before him, steam billowing from its back as it straightened up. Its skin, blown apart by the force of the explosion, was already beginning to mend itself at an alarming rate. The raw, exposed flesh rapidly healed, knitting together before his eyes.

Simon swallowed hard, his gaze never leaving the creature. He could feel his heartbeat thundering in his chest, the weight of the moment sinking in.

"It’s faster... stronger," he thought, his breath catching in his throat. "This thing... it’s healing quicker than before. Is this... is this the power of a Mutation?"

The hybrid zombie snarled as it took a step forward, its feral eyes locked onto Simon. A guttural growl rumbled from deep within its throat, sending a chill down his spine. It was faster now, too. The moment Simon had even begun to register the change, the monster lunged at him, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye.

His body moved instinctively. He thrust his hand forward, and blood began to pool in his palm, the familiar warmth of his own essence surging within him. He focused, concentrated, and then— bam—a burst of crimson energy shot out, aimed straight for the thing’s brain. It was his best chance to end this quickly.

But the hybrid was faster than he anticipated. It twisted in midair, its monstrous limbs moving with an unnatural fluidity, and the blood passed harmlessly by it, leaving the creature unharmed. In the blink of an eye, it was on him, its claws outstretched with terrifying speed, a hunger in its eyes that sent a jolt of dread through Simon’s chest.

He barely had time to react.

Instinctively, his blood reshaped itself, solidifying into a long, jagged blade that he used to parry the oncoming strike. The zombie’s claws met his blood sword with a sickening clang, the force of the blow sending Simon skidding backward, his boots scraping against the ground. His arms trembled under the pressure, but he managed to keep the blade between him and the monster’s savage claws.

The beast didn’t relent. It pressed down harder, its strength overwhelming Simon’s, forcing him to his knees. His grip tightened on the blood sword, the veins in his arm bulging as he fought against the sheer weight of the attack.

But Simon wasn’t ready to fall yet.

He pushed back with all the force he could muster, his chest heaving as he shouted in defiance. The blood sword flashed in the moonlight as he swung it upward, knocking the zombie’s claws aside. With a grunt, Simon forced the creature back, his breath ragged as he regained his footing.

This thing was like nothing he had faced before. It was more than just a zombie—it was a mutation, a horrific evolution that was adapting at an alarming rate. The healing was one thing, but its speed, its ferocity... Simon couldn’t afford to underestimate it. Not again.

For a moment, they both stood still, watching each other. Simon’s pulse was pounding in his ears as he wiped the sweat from his brow. His heart was racing, and the adrenaline coursing through his veins felt like fire. The hybrid didn’t move, didn’t make a sound, but Simon knew it was watching him—calculating its next move.

Simon’s mind raced. He couldn’t just rely on brute strength. The creature was too powerful, too quick for him to engage head-on. He needed to find a way to outsmart it. There had to be a weakness.

But what?

His hand still clutched the blood sword, but he knew he couldn’t keep up this fight forever. The creature’s resilience seemed limitless, and the more he used his blood, the more it drained him. It was a battle of attrition, and right now, Simon was losing.

"Think!" he thought, his teeth gritting together in frustration. "There’s got to be something I’m missing." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

His thoughts were interrupted by the low, guttural snarl of the monster. Without warning, it charged again, its claws gleaming in the moonlight as it closed the distance between them faster than Simon could react.

The blood sword in Simon’s hand trembled, and he instinctively raised it just in time to block another series of slashes. The impact of the claws against the blade sent a shockwave of pain through his arms. He gritted his teeth, holding his ground as best he could.

A sudden idea flashed in his mind.

With a deep breath, Simon lowered his stance, shifting his weight in a subtle way that went unnoticed by the hybrid. His focus intensified, blood flooding into his hands once again, but this time, he wasn’t aiming for an immediate attack. He needed to set something up, create an opening.

The creature, however, was relentless. It lunged, swiping at Simon’s head with its claws, but Simon was ready this time. He twisted his body, narrowly dodging the strike, and in one fluid motion, he thrust his blood sword into the ground with all the force he could muster. The ground cracked beneath him as blood erupted from the blade, spraying in every direction. It wasn’t an attack—it was a distraction.

The hybrid hesitated for the briefest of moments, confusion flickering in its eyes as it tried to process what was happening. In that instant, Simon surged forward, closing the distance between them. His blood exploded from his body, forming a large mass of crimson energy that he hurled at the creature, catching it off guard.

The blood surged into the hybrid’s chest, knocking it backward, and for the first time since the battle began, the creature staggered. Simon didn’t waste a second. He leaped forward, his blood sword flashing as he brought it down toward the creature’s head.

It was his chance. The mutation was fast, but not fast enough.