Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 268: Depravita vs God (II)

Chapter 268: Depravita vs God (II)

As the illusion broke, Vlad’s eyes widened in shock and disgust as the true form of "Goddess Lucia" was revealed. Gone was the ethereal beauty, replaced by a grotesque and twisted figure—a fat, bald man with a large belly and a sickening expression of lust and gluttony.

The man’s skin was utterly golden, as if made of precious metal, shimmering unnaturally. He wore nothing more than a nightgown that left his exposed genitals in full view. His appearance was a vile mockery of divinity, a revolting sight that made Vlad’s stomach churn.

But it wasn’t just "Goddess Lucia’s" appearance that shattered before Vlad’s eyes. The pristine, radiant children who had walked calmly around the pool were now revealed for what they truly were—broken, abused, and enslaved.

The children’s faces were blank, their eyes devoid of life or focus, as though some cruel force had hollowed out their minds. Their bodies bore the marks of abuse, bruises, and cuts, marring their flesh. The truth was undeniable, and it made Vlad’s blood boil.

The rage surging through Vlad’s veins was overwhelming, shaking even his immense willpower for a moment. The truth of what this so-called "Goddess" had been doing was laid bare before him, and it filled him with a hatred so deep it was almost unbearable.

"You disgusting pedophile!" Vlad roared, his voice echoing through the ruined cathedral. His body trembled with fury as he pointed his bastard sword at the abomination before him. "I will make sure you suffer a fate worse than death!"

His words struck a chord, and fear flashed across the man’s face for a moment. "You... you can see my true form?" "Goddess" Lucia stammered, clearly unprepared for someone to break through his illusion. Panic spread across his features, but only for a brief second. That fear was quickly replaced by rage, and his face twisted into an expression of madness.

"You dare!" the false deity bellowed, his voice booming. His body tensed as he flashed forward with terrifying speed, creating multiple sonic booms that sent the abused children flying through the air like ragdolls.

There was no time for Vlad to check on the children or even think about their safety since the sheer speed of Goddess Lucia’s attack was unbelievable. Vlad barely managed to raise his bastard sword in defense as the man’s golden fist came crashing down.

"¡BOOOOM!"

The moment their clash occurred, a massive explosion erupted. The force of the impact was so immense that it sent Vlad flying out of the cathedral, his body smashing through several houses before crashing into a nearby building with enough force to shatter the walls.

Pain surged through Vlad’s body. His bones ached, and he tasted metal in his mouth—a clear sign that, even though he had blocked the attack, the sheer power behind it had caused internal damage. His expression grew somber as the voice of the A.I. Chip echoed in his mind.

From the moment he entered the cathedral, Vlad had tasked the chip with analyzing Goddess Lucia, and it was finally displaying a readout of the false deity’s stats.

[Beep! Scan target completed

...

Name: Lucia

Race: Human?

Level (Energy): 16

Class: Priest?

Lineage: None

...

Stats:

Strength: 260.1

Agility: 230.9

Vitality: 137.8

Energy Pool (Divine Power): 758.2]

’A Guardian!’ Vlad’s shock deepened. Goddess Lucia was a Guardian-Tier life form, far surpassing even his own cultivation speed. Not only that, but the golden man had raised his physical body to equal that of a Level 16 Warrior with a Guardian-tier bloodline!

The level of Divine Power flowing through the man’s flesh was unlike anything Vlad had encountered, which might explain his overwhelming physical might, but something wasn’t right.

’Even if his Gift is overpowered and allows him to harness Divine Power, it should be impossible to grow this fast. His mind and soul should not be able to endure it,’ Vlad’s instincts screamed that something was hidden—something he needed to uncover sooner rather than later.

Unfortunately, there was no time to dwell on it. Vlad’s focus snapped back to the present as he caught sight of Goddess Lucia rising into the air, his body glowing with a radiant golden light. The abomination’s Divine Power swelled to unimaginable heights, and he began concentrating an overwhelming amount of energy into his right hand.

Vlad’s eyes widened in alarm as he recognized the signs of an area-of-effect attack. Worse still, he had landed in a densely populated building—innocent people were still inside.

"Wait!" Vlad shouted, a flash of distress in his voice. "There are people here!"

But Goddess Lucia’s twisted smile told him everything he needed to know. The false deity that these people prayed to every single day did not care in the slightest about their faith or well-being.

The false deity brought his palm forward, and a massive golden palm of energy materialized above the building, Divine Power swirling with unstoppable force. Without hesitation, the giant energy palm descended, crashing into the building with a thunderous impact.

"¡BOOOOM!"

The building shattered beneath the crushing weight of the golden palm. The sheer force of the attack was devastating, obliterating everything in its path. Dust and debris filled the air, and people screamed as they saw the ceiling above them collapse, crushing their bodies beneath the falling rubble.

Vlad’s eyes widened as he witnessed the carnage. He had fought incredibly hard, putting dangerous plans in motion to minimize civilian casualties and to avoid the loss of innocents and children. Yet, now he could hear and see people dying all around him as the massive hand came crashing down.

The Depravita of Wrath’s body shook, not from fear but from the boiling anger that coursed through his veins. As the building came crashing down on him and Goddess Lucia’s laughter echoed through the air, Vlad’s eyes grew cold. Emotion faded from them, replaced by pure determination just before he was buried.

As Goddess Lucia saw the building full of broken bodies, burying the young man who had managed to see his true form, the panic from before completely faded. A twisted and disgusting smile appeared on his face.

"You think you can challenge a God, boy?!" the man sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance and malice. "I am eternal! You are nothing but a disgusting monkey, not even worthy of being a slave!"

After dealing with Vlad, Goddess Lucia’s attention turned to the rest of the capital. The sounds of war echoed from every direction, and for the first time, he truly took in the scope of the chaos surrounding him. He had been vaguely aware of the battles, dismissing them as beneath his notice, believing that as a god, such matters were for peasants to handle. But now, filled with rage and free from his sanctuary, he was ready to act.

The grotesque figure floated above the city, his golden skin shimmering under the blood-red sky. His twisted smile grew wider as he surveyed the war-torn streets below.

With a voice amplified by his immense Divine Power, Goddess Lucia bellowed, "Monkeys! Filthy, disgusting monkeys! I will crush you all just like I did your so-called leader! I will kill every last one of you, and your pathetic kingdom will be nothing but ash!"

The words carried like a storm through the capital, reaching every corner and striking fear into the hearts of the Xaos Kingdom’s soldiers. Just moments ago, they had been full of power and vigor, with victory within their grasp.

But now, hearing those words, feeling the overwhelming power of the man who had seemingly defeated their indomitable leader, they froze. Many of them had come to see Vlad as undefeatable, a pillar of strength that would carry them through the darkest of battles. To hear of his fall was unthinkable.

On the other hand, the forces of the Azarin Empire were ecstatic. Hope surged through them like a tidal wave as they saw the beautiful women in the sky. Goddess Lucia was invincible, after all. Their God had emerged victorious, and now he would lead them to crush the invaders. The morale of the Azarin soldiers soared, and none was more delighted than Jerom.

The Pope of the Church of Glory was in a dire state, his body broken, one arm completely gone, and he was teetering on the edge of death. But as he looked up and saw the grotesque form of Goddess Lucia hovering above, a cold, twisted smile curled on his bloodied lips.

Unlike the others, Jerom saw Goddess Lucia’s true form, but none of that mattered to him as he stared at Ouroboros and the Royal Guards with a look of vindictive glee.

However, just as Jerom prepared to gloat, relishing the moment of his salvation, a heartbeat echoed across the entire capital. This single, powerful thump reverberated through the air, shaking the very ground beneath them.

The sound was deep, resonant, and filled with an inexplicable force. It was the sound of something ancient and powerful. The heartbeat was unlike any ordinary pulse, carrying an omen of destruction and wrath.

Jerom’s twisted smile faltered, and his face drained of color. His body began to tremble uncontrollably, a deep-seated fear gripping his soul. He knew that sound. It was the same heartbeat that had haunted his nightmares, the same relentless, rhythmic pounding that had terrorized him for nights on end since the day he first encountered Vlad.