Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 120: Harpy Screechers

Chapter 120: Harpy Screechers

It took nearly thirty hours before Vlad fully healed and could fight again at full power. Freya and Grey Hawk had no problem waiting, as they had also received wounds during the last fight. Besides, had the young man healed immediately after that clash, it would have been simply too monstrous to believe.

The blast killed the entire demonic forest. The primary explosion only devastated around seventy meters by the second wave of destruction, and the flames destroyed everything else. Thanks to that, the group did not have a problem advancing, completing the first thousand meters of their journey, and leaving the base of the mountain.

When the trio finally saw the middle part of the Nagan Mountain, serious expressions appeared on their faces as they knew the path forward would be even more complicated. The next thousand meters had steeper slopes with narrow, winding paths. The rocks were slick with melted snow and blood, making footing precarious, even for beings with their agility and dexterity.

If that wasn’t enough, there were intense electrical storms, with lightning frequently striking the mountain’s surface. The power of these storms was several levels higher than those at the mountain’s base. The potency was so high that Vlad and Jormungandr did not dare to use it to temper themselves, constantly relying on the small yellow cat’s magical abilities to deflect the strikes.

The group had advanced less than five hundred meters when everyone’s eyes narrowed. They all turned to the rocky crevices on the mountain and saw dozens of creatures emerging from there.

With a screeching sound that made the group’s ears ring, massive winged creatures with a mix of avian and demonic features appeared in the air. These creatures had large, twisted, leathery wings spread wide, revealing dark feathers with a sinister sheen. They also had sharp talons on their hands and feet that seemed capable of cutting through steel doors, poised as if ready to attack.

"¡Skreeeeee!"

Their faces were a terrifying blend of bird and demon, with glowing, fiery orange eyes focused on the young man, small cat, and vikings with bloodlust and hunger. It was clear they intended to kill and devour the group that had dared to enter their domains.

Vlad’s eyes narrowed as he held his sword, and he immediately commanded the A.I. Chip to analyze the group the moment they got into scanning range.

[Beep! Analyzing targets.

...

...

Newly mutated species classified as Harpy Screechers: Winged creatures with a mix of avian and demonic features. Bodies and energy are mutated by demonic blood energy. They have sharp talons and a special organ in their trachea capable of producing a piercing scream with disorientation force.

Maximum theoretical speed while diving: 654 km/h.

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Challenge rating: 5

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Average stats:

Strength: 4.0

Agility: 7.4

Vitality: 5.9

Energy Pool: 5.0

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Note: Their wings and hollow bones allow them to dive at shocking speeds. A possible attack pattern involves disorientation of the prey with their screech before striking with their claws.]

Sharpness and wariness arose in Vlad’s eyes as he heard the analysis of the A.I. Chip. The Harpy Screechers’ overall power and numbers were not much higher than those of the mutated wolves, but they could fly, making them a more significant threat.

"Be careful with their screech. They will use it to disorient us before diving for the kill, reaching half the speed of sound!" Vlad shouted to the vikings before adopting a battle stance in front of Jormungandr, his eyes sharp as he gazed at the Harpy Screechers.

Freya and Grey Hawk were surprised to hear that Vlad had such information about a beast that was technically unique due to its mutation. Still, the young man had been correct before, so they trusted his analysis abilities. The young woman stood forward, her energy bursting through her body, mace and shield in hand, protecting the old viking.

This time, Vlad and Freya would play a supportive role, protecting the spellcasters, as neither had the ability to fly nor possessed fast, long-range attacks. Jormungandr and Grey Hawk knew they would be the core of this fight, so the duo adopted a focused stance as they charged their spells.

"SKREEEEEEEEE!"

The Harpy Screechers did not wait. They unleashed their deafening screech, disorienting the group before diving toward them with their sharp claws, ready to rip them to pieces.

Vlad felt his ears ringing, but other than that, he was fine, likely thanks to his formidable soul force, which allowed his mind and senses to remain in control. However, even with that, things would not be easy, as the speed of the monsters was simply horrific.

The A.I. Chip showed him the diving patterns of the monsters, and his sword was ready. He clashed with one of the harpies, severing its wings before kicking another. Unfortunately, those were just two of the dozens aiming for them.

As the others marched down, Jormungandr finished charging his spell, generating a swarm of lightning ravens around him.

"Lightning Ravens!" The spell did not have the explosive might of the Lightning Hawk, but they were faster and capable of striking the Harpy Screechers. One raven struck the harpy that Vlad had kicked away, leaving a massive bloody hole in its chest, before the rest wove through the air under the small yellow cat’s control.

Freya and Grey Hawk also use their full power against the monsters. Freya’s shield and mace blocked the attacks and sent the harpies flying away, while the old viking’s ice stakes impaled several harpies mid-air.

Grey Hawk’s spell did not have the precise motion control of Jormungandr’s, so he could not adjust the attack mid-air, but he constantly tracked the harpies’ trajectories, sending the ice stakes to where they would appear, demonstrating great battle insights.

Vlad moved with lethal efficiency, his sword cutting through the air as he parried the relentless attacks. He struck with precision, severing wings, and limbs, turning the harpies’ speed against them. His movements were a blur, each strike calculated and deadly.