Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 277: Incoming horde (II)

Chapter 277: Incoming horde (II)

The earth rumbled violently as the massive demonic horde marched through the narrow pass between the towering Twin Peaks. Despite the tight constraints of the path, hundreds of demons pressed forward, their claws scraping against the steep mountain slopes as they climbed, while others trudged through the narrow valley below.

Each row of demons carried hundreds of them, tightly packed together, and still, the horde stretched for kilometers—a seemingly endless tide of grotesque creatures. Their guttural growls and menacing presence filled the air, making it clear how overwhelming their numbers were.

At the back of the army, the Abyssal demon that commanded them all watched the march with a cold, murderous gaze. His massive form towered over the demons beneath him, his eyes locked on the distant mountain with hunger and excitement, every step pushing him closer to his goal.

"Soon, I will devour you, brother, and evolve into my next form. Once that is complete, the rest of the world will fall to me in time," the Abyssal murmured, pure excitement running through his eyes. Not a single thread of worry crossed his mind.

He was aware of the absence of the scouts he had sent ahead, but he dismissed it as irrelevant, confident that no force in this newly evolved world could rival his own. The presence of a Level 13 High Champion like himself in a New World with less than a decade of growth was already an anomaly, and he saw no reason to suspect that any opposition could pose a real threat to his army.

However, the Abyssal demon’s smug certainty began to waver as the earth trembled with overwhelming power—far greater than what had been caused by the march of his demonic horde.

Immediately, the Abyssal and all the other demons turned their eyes upward. The very peaks of the mountains above them groaned under the pressure of immense forces.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!"

Before the Abyssal or any other demons in the massive horde could react, the summit of the Twin Peaks exploded in a cataclysmic burst of energy.

Massive boulders, each the size of a small house, began plummeting from the fractured peaks with overwhelming force. The gigantic chunks of stone hurtled toward the demonic horde below, tearing through the air with sheer velocity and weight.

As they fell, they ripped through everything in their path, smashing into the ranks of demons with devastating power. The sickening sound of bones cracking and bodies being obliterated echoed through the valley as demons after demons were crushed beneath the unstoppable force of the avalanche. And that was not all, as streams of golden energy emerged from the broken bodies, marching toward the killers.

The Abyssal demon’s eyes blazed with fury as he roared to his army, "Move forward! Faster!" His voice thundered through the pass, carrying an unmistakable urgency. The explosions, the landslide, and the Origin Force were clear signs of an ambush, and they needed to leave the mountain path quickly.

The horde, recognizing the imminent danger, surged forward with renewed ferocity, desperate to escape the deadly rain of stone that threatened to obliterate them.

Despite the narrowness of the pass, demons clambered over one another, their claws tearing at the earth and the bodies of their kin as they tried to push ahead. The valley became a chaotic scene—a flood of demonic flesh writhing and twisting as they attempted to outrun the devastation crashing down upon them.

But just as the vanguard of the horde rounded a bend in the path, hoping for salvation, they were met not with an empty escape but with a line of formidable soldiers standing in flawless formation.

Hundreds of men clad in imposing black armor, bearing large shields that gleamed menacingly in the dim light, blocked their path. The air around them hummed with energy far surpassing that of Mortal life forms, and their very presence seemed to dwarf the approaching demonic beasts.

The presence of hundreds of Champions froze the demonic beasts for a moment, but their numbers gave them courage. Without hesitation, the demons charged, a roaring avalanche of monstrous fury.

The demonic beasts gleamed with savage hunger as they lunged forward, their massive bodies surging ahead like a tidal wave of destruction. The ground trembled under their weight, and the air was filled with the deafening cacophony of their growls.

It was a terrifying sight—one that would have sent most soldiers fleeing in terror. But the men of the Xaos Kingdom stood their ground without so much as a flicker of fear in their eyes. Their discipline, their training, and most importantly, their unwavering belief in the divine leadership of their King held them firm.

With perfect synchronization, the first line of soldiers raised their shields, bracing themselves for the onslaught. The sheer force of the charging demons collided with their shields like a battering ram, but the soldiers did not falter. Their muscles strained, their bodies locked into place by sheer willpower and strength, but they held.

Some of the more agile demons attempted to leap over the barricade, hoping to breach the defensive line. But before they could land, the second row of soldiers—armed with long spears and bows—struck them down with ruthless efficiency. Their spears found their marks with deadly precision, piercing through demonic flesh and bone, while arrows rained down from above, taking out any stragglers that tried to outmaneuver the defense.

At the same time, the Mages stationed behind the soldiers began to chant in unison, their voices rising in a rhythmic cadence. The ground in front of the shield bearers erupted with jagged spikes of earth, impaling the demons that crashed against the barricade, further reducing the pressure on the front line.

The combination of flawless teamwork and tactical spellcasting allowed the three hundred Champions to halt the stampede of thousands of demonic beasts.

Still, more and more demons poured into the valley, and the pressure on the defensive line increased with each passing moment. The soldiers gritted their teeth, their muscles burning from the strain of holding the line. But none of them wavered—they knew what was coming, and they trusted in the plan formed by their King.