I Got Reincarnated as a Zombie Girl-Chapter 70 – Those Who Come Without Souls

I had just reached the villa’s stairs when a piercing siren screamed through the morning calm. The metallic screech from the watchtower froze everything in place. The women washing clothes, repairing weapons—even the children playing—all looked up, stiff and silent. Then Celes’s voice echoed through the handmade speaker system that reached every corner of the base.

"All units, prepare for combat! Zombie horde detected from the northwest! Combat personnel, take your positions!"

Within seconds, the peaceful refuge turned into a hive of military activity. Ordinary women suddenly transformed into soldiers. Weapons were raised, arrows prepared, traps activated, and everyone rushed toward the eight-meter-high wall surrounding the base.

I didn’t stay idle.

My steps were light but quick as I headed toward the growing commotion. From the western watchtower, I saw them—and instantly understood why Celes had sounded a full alert.

A thin mist cloaked the ground. Beyond it, hundreds of silhouettes moved with stiff but steady strides. Low growls merged into a chorus of death. Rotting flesh, peeling skin, broken limbs... but they marched. Without formation, yet clearly guided.

"A horde?" I murmured. "No... this is too organized. They’re not moving at random."

I narrowed my eyes, sharpening my vision. That’s when I felt it.

Aura. Pressure. Will.

Something was leading them. Not in the front. Maybe in the middle. Or perhaps hidden in the back on purpose.

"Ordinary zombies can’t do this. They’re... being controlled."

I glanced toward the main wall. There, Celes stood tall in her light silver armor. A short baton hung at her waist, and her half-tied silver hair fluttered in the wind.

"Their number is around three hundred," she said without turning. "And some of them aren’t regular zombies."

"I can feel it. There’s... a will. Someone’s directing them."

Celes sighed. "If that’s true, this could become a crisis. Fear is already spreading before they even touch the wall."

I looked down. Some of the women were trembling. Children were clutched tightly and led into shelters. This wasn’t just a matter of fighting—it was a battle of mental endurance.

Celes turned to me. "If there’s something you can do—"

"I’ll take a closer look," I cut in sharply.

With [Void Step], I vanished from where I stood and reappeared atop an old tree outside the wall. From there, I leapt down, slipping into the shadows.

The horde kept moving. Their dragging steps rustled leaves and dirt. No snarling, no infighting. They marched. In formation.

From the top of the wall, commands rang out. The first volley of arrows flew, raining down on the front lines. Some fell, but the rest pushed forward without hesitation.

The women archers displayed remarkable precision. But this wasn’t about victory—it was about survival.

"Where are you hiding..."

The deathly aura was thick like fog. But within it, there was one point—like a heartbeat amid a pile of corpses.

I moved swiftly toward it.

Suddenly, a massive zombie lunged forward. A Crusher-type. Its rock-like fist slammed through the air.

I twisted my body, my black claws slicing clean through it in a single motion.

Three Hunter-types leapt from the trees. I jumped back, activating [Eclipse Piercing]. Shadows swallowed me, and I reappeared behind them.

My claws ripped through their necks one by one.

Their bodies fell in a heap. But I didn’t stop. Because I had seen it.

A gaunt figure in tattered robes stood firm within the fog. Its hood covered its face, but the bone staff in its hand radiated an aura of death.

"So you’re the leader?" I asked flatly.

The figure slowly raised its head. Under the hood, a pair of glowing red eyes blazed with madness and intelligence in equal measure.

"...You are... The Queen" the voice was heavy, layered, as if multiple entities spoke at once.

"I carry the will of the King. I am Fayzehl, Arbiter of the Seventh Legion."

His staff rose, and from the earth, dozens of dead hands clawed their way out, grasping at the air.

"The Zombie King has awakened. We come to conquer. You are the Zombie Queen... The King wants you as his mate. Refusal means you’re a threat. And threats... must be eliminated."

I grinned. My old red eyes lit up.

"How amusing. Of course I refuse. And good luck trying to eliminate me."

Meanwhile – Atop the base wall

"Don’t panic! Focus on the entry points! Don’t let them climb the walls!" Celes shouted.

A woman wielding an ice spear struck the ground. A wave of frost froze dozens of zombies in place. But they kept coming. The pressure was rising. Their numbers were suffocating.

One of the gates began to shake.

"Celes! We have to block that path! They’re about to breach it!"

But before Celes could act—

BOOM!

An explosion tore through the air. Black mist and corpse fragments scattered everywhere.

Celes turned. Her eyes widened at the sight of glowing red light in the middle of the field. Amid the smoke and shattered bodies, Sylvia stood alone—surrounded by destruction.

"...So that’s her power..." Celes murmured.

The speaker crackled again.

"...All units on alert. High-level threat detected. This is not a regular horde..."

The wind grew heavier. The stench of blood filled the air.

Explosions shook the earth one after another.Flaming arrows shot through the sky like tiny meteors, striking the ranks of zombies now pressing toward the defensive wall. Some had already reached the base of the structure, clawing their way up with stiff, unnatural movements.

Atop the wall, Celes restrained herself from leaping down. She knew—if the commander left the highest vantage point, morale could shatter. But her hand, clutching her staff, was trembling.

"Launch the second wave!" she shouted.

Bursts of magic and elemental energy flared from all directions—ice arrows, fireballs, wind lances, even bursts of arcane bullets. But the zombies were too many—and more than that, they didn’t fear. They didn’t slow. Even as their bodies were destroyed, whatever remained dragged itself forward, bone and flesh scraping against the ground, all aiming for the wall.

"This is insane..." whispered a young woman on the left side of the wall. She’d only joined a month ago—she’d never seen anything like this.

Celes turned briefly toward her. "If you’re scared, think about those below. The ones weaker than you. We have no choice but to stand."

Outside the wall—in the heart of the mist—Sylvia stood tall, surrounded by piles of corpses. The deathly aura around her was so thick it swallowed the light, a swirling black mist of pure [Death Aura].

Fayzehl stood not far off, his bone staff plunged into the ground. From the earth, grotesque creatures began to rise—abominations fused from bone and flesh, monsters that looked like the result of forbidden experiments. They slithered, twitched, and then charged toward Sylvia.

"If you refuse," Fayzehl declared, "then consider this a declaration of war."

Sylvia smirked. "I already told you. I belong to no one."

Shadows coiled around her, dark claws flickering with violet light.

The first monster lunged—a spider-like beast with a human face, endlessly screaming. Sylvia leapt above it, plunging her claw into its skull and detonating it with a burst of NetherFlame.

A black explosion of blood splattered the air.

Two more abominations followed, but Sylvia moved faster. With a single aerial spin, she cleaved through both of them.

Meanwhile, the zombies had breached a small side gate on the eastern edge of the base. Wood shattered, and several of them began to spill inside.

"Eastern gate guards! Establish inner defenses!" Celes called out. She transmitted a magical signal to all combat units inside the base.

Three women sprinted toward the narrow path leading into the settlement. One of them—a fire mage—hurled a seal into the corridor, igniting it in flames. But the zombies began setting themselves alight and kept forcing their way in.

"Awaken the reserve units!" Celes barked.

Suddenly, a rumble rose from the west—the ground shook. From beyond the trees, a massive figure emerged. Another of the Tyrant family, but different. Its body was covered in spikes, its blackened skin hardened like steel.

Celes narrowed her eyes. "That’s no ordinary Tyrant..."

The zombie charged like a bull, heading straight for the western wall. A magical shout rang out from one of the guards, but the Tyrant slammed its shoulder into the barrier.

BRAKKK!!

Part of the wall cracked.

Panic began to spread, but before the Tyrant could strike again, a black chain shot out of the mist, wrapping around the creature’s neck.

It was yanked with great force, flung into two trees and smashing through them.

Sylvia emerged slowly from the fog.

[Chain Technique – Form 1: Binding]

"Celes," she said. "Your defenses will hold. I’ll deal with their commander."

Celes heard Sylvia’s voice, and for the first time that morning, her expression softened—just slightly.