Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 324: Fight to the death (II)

Chapter 324: Fight to the death (II)

However, that killing power unleashed by the Turkin’s soldiers did not come without a response, as the aerial drones turned their eyes toward the soldiers and were ready to butcher them all.

Luckily for the soldiers, the small yellow cat acted before the swarm could descend.

"Keep striking!" Jormungandr shouted, his energy bursting in all directions as he kept the drones at bay, allowing Mirena, Frank, and the Turkin soldiers to continue unleashing their attacks.

Despite their combined efforts, the battle in the sky was grueling. The sheer number of flying drones pressed them hard, and their coordination was impeccable. Every time one creature fell, they seemed to adapt, their flaws and openings diminishing by the second.

On the ground, the situation was equally intense. Freya noticed a group of drones attempting to flank them. She dashed toward them, slamming her shield into the ground. "Shield Shock!"

A wave of energy rippled outward, knocking the creatures off balance. The viking princess followed up with a mighty swing of her mace, crushing them before they could recover.

Ouroboros leaped into the midst of a dense cluster, spinning with claws extended. "Wolf’s Fury!" His attack created a whirlwind of slashes, dismembering the enemies around him.

Clasius joined his side, their movements synchronizing. "Left side!" he alerted.

"On it!" Ouroboros responded, shifting to cover the exposed flank.

Amara’s shadowy figures misled several drones into attacking empty air before she dispatched them swiftly. "We need to regroup!" she advised. "They’re separating us!"

Viserin’s phantoms charged forward, colliding with the enemy and buying precious moments for his men to catch their breath. "Stay together! Form a defensive circle!"

The Turkin soldiers fought valiantly, their swords, spears, and maces clashing against the monstrous onslaught.

"They just keep coming!" a soldier shouted, fending off several creatures simultaneously. All the Turkin soldiers used every ounce of strength they had to stop them from surrounding them.

"Hold the line!" Viserin commanded. "Protect each other!" With a single wave of his sword, he cut down several drones. His muscles were burning due to the effort, but he was one of the pillars of the formation and could not fail.

The battle carried on, with more and more monsters perishing. Freya led the battle on the ground, using all her strength to exert overwhelming might over the creatures, killing them at a staggering rate and breaking any formation they made.

In the sky, Jormungandr was taking the lead in the aerial fight. His waves of fire and lightning incarnations were the only things that kept the aerial monsters from diving into the formation of the Turkin soldiers. He exerted all his might, his attacks unleashing destruction in every direction.

Every second was an ordeal, pushing everybody to their limits until finally, after twenty-five grueling minutes, they were able to kill every last one of the monsters!

Once the fight finally ended, the Turkin soldiers, Royal Guard, and Ouroboros showed smiles, but Freya, Jormungandr, and Viserin adopted solemn expressions, the trio silently looking at each other.

"Those creatures would normally retreat and take their biomass with them upon seeing defeat. However, now they fought to the last one," Jormungandr’s voice echoed across the area, silencing everyone’s smiles before he continued. "They chose to keep fighting because they wanted to learn our strength. The next time we clash, they will have adapted to our battle style."

A heavy silence settled over the group as the weight of his words sank in. The realization that their next encounter would be even more challenging cast a shadow over their victory. The creatures’ ability to adapt meant that future battles would be harder, and their current strategies might not suffice.

Freya clenched her fists. "They’ll come back stronger, but so will we," she declared, determination flaring in her eyes.

Without wasting time, they began collecting the corpses of the fallen creatures, ensuring that no biomass was left for the monsters to reclaim. They worked methodically, understanding the importance of denying the enemy any advantage.

With the area cleared, the group readied themselves to move on, their resolve stronger despite the looming threat.

---

Vlad dashed across a broken town with silent footsteps, his movements fluid and controlled. He weaved between buildings like a shadow, no sound or disturbance marking his passage.

The young man could feel a subtle shift as the A.I. Chip took over various bodily functions. His presence had faded, his energy signature diminishing until it was nearly imperceptible. Unless someone was looking directly at him, he would be virtually undetectable.

However, even with those cloaking skills, Vlad was still careful. He recalled the creatures’ monstrous perception—the way they had detected the slightest hint of exposure, so he couldn’t afford any mistakes.

The A.I. Chip’s ability to control his bodily functions was invaluable, cloaking him completely, even masking his scent and the energy he emitted. As he advanced through a destroyed town, he could not help but glance in the direction where Jormungandr, Freya, and the others had gone.

He knew they would face great dangers but couldn’t dwell on it now. If he wanted any chance of success, he had to focus solely on his mission. It did not take long for the town to vanish, and he entered a new forest that grew denser as he ventured deeper, the canopy overhead filtering sunlight into scattered beams.

The usual sounds of wildlife were absent, replaced by an eerie silence that deepened with every step, making it clear that those things had already gone through this place. Vlad’s senses were heightened, every fiber of his being attuned to potential threats.

As he advanced, he remained vigilant. The A.I. Chip continuously scanned the surroundings, alert for any anomalies. "Maintain full surveillance," he reminded internally. "Alert me to any movement."

Minutes turned into hours as Vlad pressed on, the terrain becoming increasingly rugged as he reached the border of the Karman Country. Suddenly, the A.I. Chip alerted him.

[Beep! Multiple entities were detected ahead. Movement consistent with previous hostile encounters.]

Vlad halted, melding into the shadows of a massive tree trunk. "Details?"

[Beep! Approximately 1,500 meters ahead. Creatures are stationary, possibly guarding a perimeter.]