I Got Reincarnated as a Zombie Girl-Chapter 365 - 361 – Climax of Storm and Flame

Mjolnir descended once more like a repeating apocalypse.

Thick blue lightning gathered at the hammer’s head, making the air around Thor’s avatar crackle like glass about to shatter. The ground beneath his feet had already melted into a small lake of lightning lava; rocks cracked and exploded with every breath he took. His eyes blazed like two furious suns, and the rumble of his voice echoed like the end of the world.

"YOU... ARE NOTHING BUT ASH!"

The hammer slammed downward with even greater force than before.

KRAKOOOOOOOOOM... BOOOOOOOM!

A shockwave of lightning erupted like a blue supernova. New ravines split open across the cliffs, gigantic boulders were flung into the air like pebbles, and blinding blue light swallowed the entire cliff peak in an instant. The air felt like electric fire, scorching skin and fur wherever it touched.

Velthya, standing at the very front, withstood the wave with his massive werewolf body. GRRRRRRR... CRACK! The silver fur on one side of his body was completely charred, his skin blistered down to the bone, yet he remained standing. His claws dug into the cracked earth, yellow eyes burning even wilder than before. Black blood flowed like a river from his mouth, but he growled with laughter.

"Still... feels good!" he roared, voice hoarse yet full of defiance. He lunged forward again, smoke rising from his body, claws aimed at Thor’s still-intact leg.

Celes, still floating in the air, spun her sword even faster. "Storm Rejection Slash Maximum Spiral!" VRRRRRRR... CRACK! CRACK! Her massive black spatial spiral shield expanded, devouring most of the lightning wave. Stray bolts struck her body, making her silver hair stand on end and slightly burning her skin, but she only bit her lip and smiled wider.

"Not hot enough, God. Try again."

Zark didn’t budge. The edges of his black cloak were torn, but he raised his hand once more. "Plasma full salvo!" Thousands of old Earth zombies fired in unison. BRRRRRRTTTTT... BOOM! BOOM! Dark blue plasma slammed into Thor’s face, cracking his golden helmet even deeper. Several zombies in front were incinerated to ash, but others advanced to take their place the formation never broke.

Aurellia, in the center of the cliff, raised her staff higher. The red flames surrounding her flared like an exploding sun. "Inferno Flame Cage of Final Incineration!" FWOOM! FWOOM! The previous red flame cage reformed, now thicker, hotter, enclosing Thor like a glowing hell prison. The red fire scorched his golden armor, widening the cracks. The blue lightning inside the cage began to fade, overtaken by unrelenting crimson blaze.

Thor roared louder, shaking the sky. "THE STORM WILL DESTROY YOU ALL!" He struck the cage from within once more. KRAKOOOOOM... CRASH! The cage cracked, shards of red flame scattering like angry meteors. But each fragment turned into a rain of fire that rained down on the remaining seven archangels.

"Protect the god!" one archangel shouted.

They formed a shield of holy light in front of Thor, but the red fire rain pierced straight through it. FWOOM! FWOOM! Two more archangels were engulfed in flames; their eight wings melted like candles, their bodies tumbling into the newly formed abyss.

Velthya didn’t wait. He leaped toward the nearest archangel, claws tearing into wings.

SHRRRIP... CRUNCH!

Wings ripped apart; the archangel screamed and spiraled downward, its holy light extinguished like a blown-out candle.

Celes appeared behind another archangel in a flash, her sword slicing through space.

CRACK! SHRRRRRIP!

Space split open; the archangel’s body was severed in two the upper half vanished into the black rift, the lower half fell like a lifeless stone.

Zark directed plasma fire at a third archangel.

BRRRRT!

Its light armor shattered like glass; the archangel dropped to its knees in midair, its radiance flickering weakly before going out completely.

Aurellia didn’t stop. She flicked her staff again. "Inferno Flame Chain Detonation!" FWOOM... BOOM! BOOM! A chain of red explosions erupted among the remaining archangels, each blast triggering the next. Three more archangels vanished in crimson infernos, their screams cut short mid-cry.

Thor, his armor now nearly destroyed, let out a final roar.

"YOU... WILL DIE WITH ME!"

He swung Mjolnir forward; the hammer spun like a living colossal storm.

The final blue lightning wave exploded, striking everything on the cliff: zombies, lycanthropes, spatial rifts, red flames, all of it.

KRAKOOOOOM... BOOOOOOOM!

Half the cliff collapsed. Dust and smoke blanketed everything. Blue and red light fused into a deadly, blinding purple.

As the dust and smoke gradually cleared, Aurellia, Celes, Zark, and Velthya still stood gravely wounded, bodies scorched, but their eyes still burned.

Thor knelt, his golden armor in ruins, Mjolnir falling to the ground with a final CLANG! The god’s avatar began to fade, its blue light dissipating into the wind.

The two surviving archangels fled into the sky, their light dim like dying stars.

Aurellia let out a long breath, lowering her staff.

"We won."

Velthya laughed hoarsely, his body shifting back to half-wolf form.

"Finally... over."

Celes spun her sword once, flicking off the holy blood.

"Good. I was starting to get tired."

Zark merely nodded.

"Report to the Queen. The war is finished."

In the castle garden, the final northern gust carried the faint smell of lightning and ash. Thin black mist swirled slowly among the black roses, as if the city itself were exhaling in relief. The purple crystal light along the walls began to dim, signaling that the great storm had passed.

Sylvia remained seated on the black stone bench, a fresh cup of tea steaming gently in her hand. She gazed northward toward the now-silent cliff; only occasional weak lightning flashes remained, like the dying breaths of the storm. The Chain of Abyss on her wrist finally stopped trembling entirely. She set the cup back on the obsidian table with a soft clink.

"It’s over," she said quietly, her voice still flat but carrying a rare subtle relief.

Sofia let out a long sigh, her previously tense shoulders finally relaxing. Her golden eyes, so vigilant until now, softened once more. "They did it... without us having to step in."

She leaned her head against Sylvia’s shoulder again, this time far more at ease. "It means Nocturne no longer depends solely on us. Velthya, Zark, Celes, Aurellia... they’ve proven this city can stand on its own."

Alicia gave a small laugh, her spirit glowing brighter. "I was almost disappointed I didn’t get to join. But... It’s good. They’re strong enough now."

Stacia closed her novel, using her index finger as a bookmark, and nodded gently. "A satisfying ending. Without the queen having to descend. I like it."

Little Treant in Sofia’s lap wriggled happily, its small branches swaying like applause. "Plop plop plop!" (They’re strong! The city is safe!)

Lumielle and Ithara exchanged glances; their earlier confusion turned into relieved smiles.

"We came worried," Lumielle said softly, "but it turns out... you were already prepared for everything."

Ithara lowered her bow, the stars in her hair twinkling more calmly. "You’ve truly built something powerful here. Not just Sylvia’s strength... but everyone’s strength."

Seere, who had been pouting earlier, now grinned widely again. She scooted closer to Sylvia but still didn’t dare hug her. "I’m proud of them! But... Sylvia, if they had lost, I could join the fun, right?"

Sylvia only glanced at her briefly, a faint smile touching her lips. "If they had lost, you wouldn’t need permission anymore."

Seere laughed delightedly.

But the relief wasn’t entirely pure.

The communication crystal on the obsidian table vibrated softly. Zark’s voice emerged flat, but carrying a rare trace of exhaustion.

"Queen. The battle concluded. Thor and the ten archangels have been destroyed. The northern front is quiet."

Sylvia gave a small nod, even though Zark couldn’t see it.

"Casualties?"

Zark paused for a moment.

"Quite a few. About four thousand old Earth zombie units lost. Velthya’s lycanthropes lost two hundred seventy-one. Shadow elves and Nocturne dwarves lost nearly one hundred fifty. Zombie angels lost one wing permanently, but are still combat-capable. Celes’s forces... almost unaffected."

Sylvia closed her eyes briefly.

"Zombies... can be raised again. I’ll do it tonight."

"Understood, Queen. But the non-zombies..." Zark’s voice paused again. "We can only mourn them."

Sofia gripped Sylvia’s hand tighter. Her golden eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she didn’t cry.

"They died for Nocturne," she whispered. "They died for their own home."

Sylvia opened her eyes again. Her voice remained calm, but carried new weight.

"They didn’t die in vain. They proved that Nocturne isn’t mine alone. Nocturne belongs to everyone who lives here, those alive, those dead, those who once lived and died again."

She rose slowly, her black dress flowing like dark water.

"I’ll go north tonight. Help raise those who can be raised. And for those who cannot..."

She looked toward the garden, at the black roses still blooming despite the storm’s passing.

"We will remember them. Here. In the city they defended."

Alicia floated closer, smiling gently.

"I’ll come too. Their spirits will surely need company."

Stacia set her novel down on the grass.

"I’ll join. There’s a new Chapter that needs to be written."

Sofia stood beside Sylvia, their hands clasped together.

"Together."

Sylvia gave a small nod.

"Always."

Little Treant hopped onto Sylvia’s shoulder, its tiny branches touching the queen’s cheek.

"Plop..." (I’m coming too.)

That night, as the sun set behind Nocturne’s black mist, Sylvia and everyone in the castle garden walked northward toward the still-smoking cliff, toward the heroes who had proven that this city of death no longer depended on a single queen.

They went to raise those who could be raised.

And to remember those who could not.