Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 367: Bala

Chapter 367: Bala

Silence hung over the battlefield for a heartbeat. The Xaos forces and Turkin soldiers had fought the Leviathan insect-humanoid warriors before. They knew how powerful those creatures were, yet a single attack from the Lords of Horror had taken them down.

However, before the soldiers could cheer for such a display of might, their eyes widened as they spotted a fourth insect-humanoid warrior among the group that had overcome the Fuego de Horror. The creature had used one of its own kind as cover, hiding in its shadow to go unnoticed—displaying the scheming nature of the Leviathans.

Grand Marshal Anglius and Freya watched in alarm as the Leviathan warrior lunged toward the Captain of the Lords of Horror. The Leviathan’s speed was immense, and there was no time to unleash another energy blast. Everyone saw the creature’s claw dive toward Ned, and while he was undoubtedly powerful, his massive body was assumed to be slow.

That notion was quickly shattered. At the last second, Ned sidestepped, dodging the claw with surprising agility. In one swift motion, he thrust his right hand forward, grabbing the Leviathan’s head mid-air before smashing it into the ground.

The Leviathan warrior’s body trembled from the impact, but as a fearless killing machine, neither damage nor the threat of death could stop it. Before it could rise, Ned’s boot stamped onto its chest, the sound of bones and exoskeleton cracking under his weight. He pointed two fingers at the Leviathan’s face.

"Bala," he uttered.

The magic matrix in Ned’s right glove glowed briefly before discharging a small sphere of golden fire that pierced through the eye of the Leviathan insect-humanoid warrior. It was a similar stance to Cañon, and while it was much less potent, it was also much faster, being discharged in less than a second.

The creature trembled for a moment as the bullet pierced its eye, reaching all the way to its brain before its body went lifeless, golden flames beginning to consume it from the inside out.

Once more, shock and awe filled the hearts of the Xaos forces and Turkin soldiers. The abilities of the Lords of Horror inspired admiration and wonder, but no one dared to utter a sound—all watched in silence, knowing the clash was far from over.

Ned showed no emotion as he dispatched the Leviathan warrior or as Origin Force flooded his Soul Dimension. His eyes remained sharp, focused on the drones that renewed their march. He kicked the flaming Leviathan’s body, blasting some drones in the process, before raising his right palm alongside the rest of the Lords of Horror.

More blasts of Fuego de Horror repelled the incoming waves of drones. No more Leviathan warriors appeared in the incoming surges; they remained at the back, understanding that sneak attacks would not work. However, everything had a limit, and after a total of five blasts, the magic matrices on their colossal armor lost their glow.

The Xaos forces and Turkin soldiers noticed this and understood that the energy gathered inside the white armor had finally been depleted. They also observed that sunlight seemed to recharge the armors, but it would take time before they could unleash Fuego of Horror or any other type of ability.

The Lords of Horror showed no concern at the lack of their armor’s abilities and drew their massive bastard swords. The Leviathans noticed the change in the Lords of Horror’s pattern, and their hunger seemed to ignite. They did not fear the swords; even if those massive weapons could kill upon impact, the numbers in each wave were in the hundreds, diving simultaneously, with thousands more behind them ready to surge. Such cold weapons could not pose a real threat to their wave since even if they killed dozens, there would still be many more that would reach the enemy.

Just as the two forces were about to clash once more, the massive bastard swords wielded by each Lord of Horror began to glow. Gems on the hilt emitted a bright light, and lightning coursed through the blades. In perfect unison, they swung their swords, sending arcs of lightning that blasted the drones to pieces. The range of the lightning waves couldn’t compare with Fuego de Horror, but it allowed them to take down the drones right before them, giving them just enough time to attack again and take down the next wave.

The Lords of Horror moved with precision and intensity, their lightning-charged swords effortlessly cutting through the drones. They flowed in perfect synchrony, covering each other’s ranks and eliminating any blind spots. Their movements were a deadly dance, each warrior anticipating the others’ actions, forming an impenetrable barrier against the Leviathans.

The Leviathans were surprised by this new tactic but continued charging, not giving the humans any respite. Now that it had become a melee clash, they planned to use their numbers to drain the Lords of Horror’s stamina and find an opening to overwhelm them.

The Xaos forces and Turkin soldiers couldn’t help but show complicated expressions. They knew the Leviathans’ plan: to exhaust the Lords of Horror through sheer numbers. Logic dictated that facing such a massive horde would soon drain any force, no matter how strong they were.

However, those soldiers did not understand they were witnessing life forms designed for this exact purpose.

The Lords of Horror’s lightning-charged swords sliced through the drones with lethal efficiency. Sparks flew with each swing, and thunderous booms echoed as lightning bolts struck multiple enemies at once. Their massive blades moved with surprising speed, the weight seeming negligible in their hands.

Ned led the formation, his sword cutting a path through the swarm. The Leviathans tried to flank them, but the Lords of Horror adjusted seamlessly, closing ranks and repelling the attacks from all sides. Their coordination was impeccable; when one warrior swung high, the adjacent one covered low, creating a web of electrified steel that the drones couldn’t penetrate.

The battlefield became a spectacle of flashing lights and thunderous sounds. The Lords of Horror were like an unbreakable wall, their discipline and training evident in every movement. Most importantly, despite the relentless onslaught, they showed no signs of fatigue!