Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 316: A hunger so insatiable that it devoured everything

Chapter 316: A hunger so insatiable that it devoured everything

The soldiers of the Turkin Kingdom, hearing their king’s resolve, snapped into sharp military stances, their eyes reflecting the same steely determination as their leader. They were ready to die if that was what it took. There was no price too high when it came to protecting their home.

Vlad was impressed by Viserin and his soldiers’ resolve. A small smile crossed his face. "You are brave. I’ll give you that." He then turned to Jormungandr, Freya, and the rest, conveying a silent message with a glance, and saw all of them nodding.

After briefly pausing to assess the situation, Vlad continued, "We will proceed, but we must move as one unit, and I will take the lead."

The soldiers of the Turkin Kingdom frowned at the idea of taking orders from an outsider, particularly when it involved their king. But before anyone could protest, Viserin’s voice rang out once more. "Fine. I accept."

His decision shocked his soldiers. They knew how proud their king was, and it wasn’t easy for him to cede control to anyone, but Viserin understood the importance of this mission. The safety of his people was paramount. Nothing else mattered.

Freya, Jormungandr, Ouroboros, and the Royal Guards were impressed by Viserin’s humility and wisdom. It was clear the man did not let his title cloud his judgment and knew how to adapt to danger.

Vlad wasted no time. Seeing that everyone was in order, his voice boomed with authority as he began organizing the group. "Hear me. I will now establish a formation and assign everyone their roles."

With swift, decisive movements, Vlad arranged the fifty soldiers of the Turkin Kingdom, along with Freya, Ouroboros, Mirena, Clasius, Frank, Roman, and Amara, into a tight arrowhead formation.

He placed himself at the tip, taking on the role of vanguard. Ouroboros held the rear, ensuring their defense was solid. This arrangement allowed their A.I. Chips to form an interconnected force field, scanning the terrain ahead and preventing surprise attacks.

Jormungandr took to the sky, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon for any threats, while the rest of the group remained on the ground, ready to move at a moment’s notice.

Viserin’s soldiers exchanged glances, impressed by the efficiency of the formation. Despite having interacted with Vlad for only a short time, he had been able to assess their abilities and assign them to roles where their skills would be most beneficial. Freya and the Royal Guards were used to Vlad’s tactical genius and had full confidence in his decisions.

With everything in order, the group set off, jogging through the dense forest. They moved swiftly, covering kilometers in minutes, but always careful not to overextend themselves. Every warrior was ready for whatever might await them, their energy primed to explode into action at a moment’s notice.

It didn’t take long for the group to reach the first town near the border of the Monsoon Continent. What they found was a scene of utter devastation.

The town lay in ruins, with buildings collapsed and streets cracked. Evidence of a force having raced through was unmistakable, but what truly unnerved Vlad and the others was the overwhelming silence. There was no sign of life—no animals, no insects, not even the remnants of bodies.

Vlad, Jormungandr, and Ouroboros exchanged grave looks. Thanks to the advanced scanning capabilities of their A.I. Chips, they could analyze the surroundings with far more depth than the others. What disturbed them most was that not a single drop of blood had been left behind. Whatever had happened here was thorough in its destruction and erasure of life.

"Move through the town in teams," Vlad ordered, his voice steady yet firm. "Search for clues, anything that might provide answers. But do not leave the town’s perimeter!" He glanced up to Jormungandr, who was already airborne, his vigilant eyes scanning from above. "We will regroup in one hour."

The soldiers of the Xaos and Turkin Kingdoms nodded and split into small units, fanning out into the ruins. The search was methodical, each group inspecting the crumbled buildings, abandoned houses, and shattered remnants of the town.

After an hour, the groups reconvened in the town’s center, and the reports revealed a clear culprit. A demonic horde had caused the destruction, and based on the signs of battle, it seemed the attack had taken place over a month ago. However, Vlad’s unease only deepened.

If demons had ravaged the town, where were they now? Not to mention that when demons attacked, they typically left some trace behind—torn bodies or at least bloodstains. But here, the scene was too clean.

"There should be blood," Vlad muttered, half to himself. "Even if demons killed these people, they wouldn’t have taken everything. There would be remains... something left behind." His voice sharpened as he continued, addressing the group. "Demons killed the people and destroyed the town, but something else came afterward. Something that wiped out the demons and took every trace of what happened here—the bodies, the blood, everything."

Viserin, Freya, and the others nodded, their expressions turning grim as they grasped the gravity of the situation. Whatever entity had done this possessed a hunger so insatiable that it devoured everything in its path.

"We need to keep moving," Vlad ordered, his eyes scanning the horizon and his senses alert for any lurking danger.

The group pressed forward, cutting across the dirt road that led them deeper into the heart of the Monsoon Continent. The landscape seemed to echo the destruction they had just witnessed. Eventually, they reached another town. Once again, they found signs of destruction caused by a demonic horde, but just like before, no bodies, blood, or signs of life remained. It was as if the entire area had been cleansed of all organic matter.

As the sky darkened, Vlad decided to halt their advance for the night. "We will move again when the sun is up." While the forces from the Xaos Kingdom could see perfectly in the dark, thanks to their enhanced constitutions and bloodlines, the Turkin soldiers could not.