Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 366: Fuego de Horror

Chapter 366: Fuego de Horror

"I am Ned Anark, Captain of the Lords of Horror. We will handle this threat alone," the man declared. His voice was rough and powerful, commanding respect and exuding unwavering determination. It resonated like thunder across the battlefield, washing over the soldiers like a tsunami and causing many to gasp.

Not waiting for a reply, Ned turned around, striding forward with the other massive soldiers clad in bulging white armor. They positioned themselves right at the end of the safe passage, shocking all members of the Golden Wave Legion. That spot was where the Leviathans’ numbers would have the least impact but also where the momentum of their march would be the strongest, placing incredible pressure on any defenders.

The Lords of Horror showed no fear or hesitation as they gazed at the incoming wave. Their eyes, hidden beneath their visors, were sharp and resolute as they formed two rows, covering the passage from edge to edge—forming a white wall against the approaching dark tsunami.

Grand Marshal Anglius, the soldiers of the Golden Wave Legion, and the Turkin soldiers all gazed at the thirty-three imposing figures with a sense of awe they couldn’t quite describe. But Freya could. The Viking princess’s instincts were more developed than the others, and she understood that the oppressive, awe-inspiring feeling gripping their hearts was because they were in the presence of individuals at a higher evolutionary stage—just as kobolds would feel awe in the presence of dragonborns.

However, that wasn’t the only thing Freya detected. She could also feel a similar aura within them, one she had only sensed in three other people.

"The power running through Vlad, Jormungandr, and Ouroboros is coursing through their bodies," she whispered to herself.

The young woman had always been in awe of Vlad’s unique racial heritage, but while she was curious, she never asked, respecting the young man’s privacy. Now, her eyes couldn’t help but focus on these figures, wondering just how strong they were.

The Lords of Horror watched as the dark wave of Leviathans drew closer and closer—the hundreds of drones packed together, marching through the narrow passage. Their maws were open, emitting strange, guttural noises as they sought to devour everything in their path. Such a sight could cause fear and anxiety even in the bravest soldiers, for they were not machines. But the Lords of Horror were beyond those emotions. They were designed for this task, with runic, alchemical, and biological modifications that allowed them to control such feelings, leaving only focus on the battlefield.

All thirty-three massive warriors, clad in gleaming white armor, raised their right hands in unison. Golden, glowing magic matrices began to appear on their palms, burning brighter and brighter with accumulating power. The air around them crackled with energy, and a palpable tension built as the Leviathans drew ever nearer.

The soldiers behind them held their breath, hearts pounding in their chests. The drones were less than five meters away, their razor-sharp pincers and dripping fangs mere moments from striking.

"Fuego de Horror!" the Lords of Horror roared.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!

At that instant, all thirty-three unleashed a devastating wave of scorching heat from their right hands that blasted forward. A torrent of golden flames erupted, consuming the space before them. The inferno crashed into the Leviathan horde, breaking the bodies of all the drones in its path and setting them ablaze. The heat was so intense that the very air seemed to ripple and distort.

The Xaos forces and Turkin soldiers gasped, eyes wide with astonishment. It was true that the force emerged from the armor, but its overwhelming power was due to the Lords of Horror waiting until the last possible second—when the drones were right upon them—and attacking in perfect synchrony. If even one of them had unleashed their attack too soon or hesitated, the scorching shockwaves wouldn’t have been enough to hinder the full force of the dark wave, leading to catastrophe.

Moreover, even if such armor had been given to other soldiers of the Golden Wave Legion and they had managed to maintain their composure, the recoil from the attack would have disrupted their formations.

The Leviathans reeled from the assault. Their charred and broken carcasses littered the passage, the flames rendering them useless and hindering their ability to reclaim lost biomass. Their eyes burned with hatred, an otherworldly rage igniting within them. With renewed fury, the drones surged forward once more, but their momentum was weakened.

The Lords of Horror raised their right arms again, charging their scorching heat waves. This time, three among them did not present open palms but clenched their fists tightly, gripping their forearms with their left hands. The magic matrices on both arms glowed intensely.

Grand Marshal Anglius and Freya narrowed their eyes, focusing on the three who had altered their stance. They wondered what they were planning, anticipation and curiosity mixing with the tension in the air.

They didn’t have to wait long. The next wave of Leviathans arrived in less than three seconds, the drones charging with reckless abandon.

The thirty Lords of Horror with open palms unleashed their heat shock waves once more. The scorching energy blasted forward, tearing through the ranks of drones, breaking and burning thousands as they advanced.

However, several figures pushed through the inferno—the Leviathan insect-humanoid warriors. Resilient and fierce, they forced their way through the heatwave, their sights set on the Lords of Horror, intent on killing.

At that critical moment, the three Lords of Horror, with clenched fists, made their move.

"Cañón!" they bellowed.

A sonic boom echoed across the battlefield as spheres of golden, scorching fire—the size of their massive fists—were unleashed. The potency and recoil of the attack caused the ground beneath the three Lords of Horror to crack, but no one paid attention to that. All eyes were fixed on the fiery projectiles that tore through the air with unstoppable force.

Each sphere found its mark, blasting the heads of the approaching Leviathan warriors. The power of Cañon pushed them back, and their bodies collapsed lifelessly to the ground as golden flames covered them.