Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 286: Overlord’s experiment

Chapter 286: Overlord’s experiment

Unfortunately for Vlad, there was no time to rest. Just as he closed his eyes, an ancient voice echoed in his mind.

"Prime Master, I request your presence."

The one who spoke to Vlad was none other than the A.I. Chip Clone, Overlord. Immediately, a solemn expression appeared on the face of the Depravita of Wrath as he communicated through the A.I. Chip.

"Is everything alright? Is there a new threat approaching the kingdom?" Vlad’s first thought upon receiving the request from Overlord was that another enemy might be closing in, but, fortunately, that was not the case.

"No, Prime Master. Everything is in order across all battlefields of the kingdom. Our forces dominate all the enemies they find, and the kingdom’s borders expand. I ask for your presence to assist me in the experiment regarding Jerom and Dimitry."

Vlad relaxed upon hearing this, a smile crossing his face, knowing that everything was under control. However, his expression grew serious as he considered the matter of the Pope of the now-shattered Church of Glory and the Emperor of the fallen Azarin Empire.

Overlord had requested that Freya and Ouroboros capture both men alive for experimentation, and after the war ended, Jerom and Dimitry were handed over to the A.I. Chip Clone. Vlad had been too busy to follow up on them with his recovery, but curiosity had always lingered in his mind.

"I will finish up here and fly to Xaos City as soon as possible," Vlad replied through the A.I. Chip. Almost immediately, the ancient voice responded once more.

"Thank you, Prime Master. I will be waiting."

With that, the communication ended, and Vlad finally gave himself peace, closing his eyes to rest. The sound of demons perishing around him was no more disturbing than a lullaby, each death marking one less alien on the planet and a surge of Origin Force for his warriors.

After fifteen more minutes of fighting, silence returned to the Twin Peaks. Vlad didn’t need to open his eyes; the A.I. Chip displayed the scene in his mind, showing how every last demon had been exterminated. Over two hundred thousand of them had fallen, butchered by his soldiers.

There were also casualties on their side, some Xaos soldiers and vikings perishing in the battle, but their losses didn’t exceed fifty in total. They had killed thousands of demons for every one of their own, a remarkable outcome.

However, the defeat of the enemy did not mark the end of the work. The soldiers’ first task was to retrieve the bodies of their fallen comrades so they could be given proper burials, befitting heroes of war.

As for the bodies of the demonic beasts, they needed to be incinerated—leaving thousands of corpses lying around could easily spread disease or, in a world of supernatural forces, lead to far worse outcomes. No one wanted to risk the rise of an abomination.

As for the Champion demon corpses, their meat was valuable, so the soldiers carefully collected them for transport—a taxing task after such a grueling battle.

Though the war between the Xaos Kingdom’s forces and the horde of two hundred thousand demons lasted less than an hour, handling the aftermath took more than a day. Once everything was settled, Vlad and Jormungandr wasted no time leaving Nagan Mountain, flying at full speed toward Xaos City atop a flaming, winged demon.

The journey took the duo a little over three days, and as Xaos City finally appeared on the horizon, Vlad couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as he gazed upon the city again. It had been only a little over four months since he last saw it, yet the city had evolved once more. Its borders had expanded further, new buildings and advanced structures dotting the landscape, a testament to its continuous growth.

Vlad and Jormungandr moved silently through Xaos City, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention as they made their way toward the Xaos Tower, the heart of the kingdom’s power. They descended into the underground level, where the experiment involving Jerom, the former Pope of the Church of Glory, and Dimitry, the ex-Emperor of the fallen Azarin Empire, took place.

The underground chamber was bathed in an eerie light, its walls humming with energy. As soon as Vlad and Jormungandr stepped inside, their eyes narrowed in unison at the sight before them. Floating above a glowing energy pool were the bodies of Jerom and Dimitry. They were still alive, but there was something wrong with them.

Their bodies were motionless, suspended in mid-air, and their eyes empty, devoid of any light or will. The solemn expressions on the faces of the Depravitas reflected their unease. Though the two men were physically alive, it was clear that something had shattered inside them.

"Welcome, Master. I truly appreciate your assistance," The voice of the A.I. Chip Clone, Overlord, echoed throughout the room.

Jormungandr, his eyes fixed on the floating figures, could not help but ask, "What happened to them?"

Overlord responded without hesitation, his voice calm. "To fully understand the core of their abilities, I needed to search their souls. I obtained all the information I sought, but they could not withstand the process. Their minds broke under the strain. They are currently in a vegetative state, and I am keeping them alive to prevent their souls from dispersing."

A heavy silence followed Overlord’s explanation. Vlad and Jormungandr exchanged glances, understanding the brutal reality of what had been done. Overlord’s actions were efficient, pragmatic, and coldly calculating but also inhumanly cruel. The A.I. Chip Clone had no concept of ethics, morality, or empathy. For him, there was only the pursuit of knowledge and power to better fulfill his directives. Nothing else mattered.

Jormungandr’s gaze lingered on the two figures, now reduced to hollow shells. He had no love for the duo, but the problem was that the only thing that stopped Overlord from doing the same with everybody else in the kingdom were some lines of code.

"Did you learn what you needed?" Vlad asked, his voice calm but carrying an undertone of cold curiosity.

"Yes, Prime Master," Overlord answered, a faint hum of satisfaction.