Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 327: New units (I)

Chapter 327: New units (I)

The battlefield in the far eastern section of Karman Country could only be described as a maelstrom of chaos and fury. Freya, Ouroboros, Amara, and Clasius stood shoulder to shoulder with Viserin and his Turkin soldiers. There were more than ten thousand drone corpses spread around them, black blood everywhere, a sight that could only have emerged from a nightmare before the apocalypse.

Freya and the others were exhausted, yet they continued striking with everything they had, blasting drones on the ground and leaving nothing but dark, bloody paste in their wake. No matter how tired they were, taking even a moment of rest was out of the question unless they wanted to be ripped to pieces by the monsters.

What had once been a swarm of twenty-five thousand drones was now reduced to four thousand ground units. Yet, despite their diminished numbers, the drones fought with unrelenting ferocity. Their coordination and precision remained undiminished, and their ability to counter the melee troops only improved as the battle wore on.

"Hold the line!" Freya shouted, her voice cutting through the cacophony of battle. The viking princess’ mace swung in lethal arcs, each strike shattering the exoskeletons of the advancing drones, but more kept appearing in front of her. Sweat and grime smeared her face, but her eyes burned with fierce determination.

The battle on the ground was pure bloodshed, but the battle in the sky was no less impressive. The small yellow cat with fiery wings and a young archer who resembled a demonic hawkman fought against two hundred aerial drones.

The pressure Jormungandr and Roman endured was overwhelming. Despite being supported by Mirena’s lightning-filled metallic tornados, Frank’s explosive magma spheres, and nearly a dozen Turkin soldiers armed with bows and spells, they were pushed to their absolute limit.

Jormungandr soared through the sky, twisting his body to dodge the dive of four aerial drones before his entire form burst with energy. "Lightning Chain!" The Depravita of Gluttony roared, releasing a bolt of lightning toward a cluster of flying drones.

The electricity struck the nearest drone, but instead of chaining to the others, the target ascended rapidly while the surrounding drones scattered, breaking the chain reaction. It was a level of precision and self-sacrifice that the beings of the Abyss could never have achieved.

Jormungandr frowned, his attack failing, but he wasn’t entirely surprised. "They’ve adapted," he muttered. Five days ago, the same Lightning Chain attack had decimated twenty flying drones in a single move, greatly aiding the battlefield. Now, the hive had learned to counter it, making the spell practically useless.

Unfazed by the failure, Jormungandr charged energy from the blood halo before unleashing a wave of fire in all directions, incinerating several aerial drones attempting to surround him. Roman, seizing the opportunity, sent arrow after arrow, pinning down the aerial drones as they dodged the flames. After the sixth kill, the young man dove, narrowly avoiding multiple attacks from aerial drones.

Back on the ground, Ouroboros fought with savage skill. His werewolf form tore through drones with razor-sharp claws. "They’re trying to surround us!" he growled, fending off a drone that leaped toward him.

"We can’t hold this position much longer!" Clasius shouted, his flaming sword cleaving through an oncoming drone. "We’re low on energy!"

Freya frowned as she saw drones diving in from all directions, clearly trying to encircle them—a deadly maneuver. They lacked the energy to unleash large-area attacks, and their options were limited.

"Fall back to the rocks!" Freya commanded. "It’s our best chance!"

Reluctantly, the group retreated toward a massive terrain filled with towering, jagged rocks. The formations stood like ancient sentinels, densely packed and stretching as far as the eye could see. Maneuvering would be tricky, but they had little choice.

"This terrain favors them," Viserin warned, panting as he joined Freya’s side. "They’re smaller and can navigate these spaces more easily."

"I know," Freya replied, her eyes scanning the labyrinth of stone. "But it’s the only path we can take to avoid being surrounded."

Viserin clenched his teeth, knowing the young woman was right. They lacked the power to push through, and if they didn’t retreat, they would be encircled—given the terrifying coordination of the drones that could spell doom.

Just as the group entered the rocky expanse, Jormungandr heard the robotic voice of the A.I. Chip in his mind.

[Beep! Enemies within the rocky formation. Nine detected. Battle power: High Champion Tier.]

Jormungandr’s eyes widened in surprise. The fact that these entities could evade his perception was unsettling. However, he didn’t have time to lose. His focus was absolute as he acted decisively, his voice echoing in the minds of all. "Unleash all remaining Echo Bombs into the center of the rock formation. NOW!"

The sudden order took everyone by surprise. Echo Bombs were their most potent weapons against the hive, having saved their lives multiple times over the last months. Using the few that remained on what appeared to be empty terrain was risky, but their trust in Jormungandr overrode any hesitation, and they acted instinctively.

In unison, the Xaos forces and Turkin soldiers retrieved the metallic spheres from their space rings. With practiced precision, they hurled the Echo Bombs into the heart of the rocky maze.

A heartbeat later, a blinding light engulfed the area. The Echo Bombs detonated simultaneously, unleashing a devastating storm of fire and lightning. The ground trembled violently, and the air was filled with shrieks of pain that echoed ominously.

Awe and shock spread across Freya and the others as they heard the cries of pain and saw the massive streams of Origin Force flowing into their bodies. They were stunned—something had been hiding from their senses, and the sheer power of the golden force flowing into them made it clear these enemies were extremely powerful. The group silently thanked their lucky stars for Jormungandr’s foresight; without him, who knew what could have happened?

But before anyone could celebrate, three figures emerged from the inferno. Their forms were wreathed in flames, but it did nothing to hide their overwhelming aura and killing intent.