Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 369: Sobremarcha!

Chapter 369: Sobremarcha!

The sky had become a graveyard for the Leviathan warriors. Their broken bodies plummeted to the ground, crashing with dull thuds that echoed across the battlefield. Having decimated the aerial threat, the Lords of Horror kicked off the air once more and gracefully returned to their formation on the ground.

There was no time to rest. As soon as the white giants landed, they rejoined their brothers, seamlessly continuing the fight against the waves of drones that still pressed forward. Their coordination was flawless, their resolve unshakable.

"Are they even human?" one soldier murmured.

"They’re unstoppable," another replied, eyes wide with amazement.

Shock and awe spread among the soldiers of the Golden Wave Legion as they whispered among themselves, careful not to disturb the white giants before them. They were the elite of one of the strongest forces of the Xaos Kingdom, yet they couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed and amazed as they gazed at the thirty-three Lords of Horror.

Every move they made was precise—no hesitation, no doubt. Their strength and reflexes were overwhelming, and their stamina defied all logic. It was as if they were crafted precisely to counter everything the Leviathans had to offer.

After fifteen hours of relentless combat, the soldiers had recovered enough to rejoin the fight, but none made a move or even suggested the idea of joining the battlefield. There was simply no need to interfere when the Lords of Horror were present.

Grand Marshal Anglius felt the same as his men. Given the narrow passage, adding more numbers wouldn’t make a significant difference. The best course was to conserve their strength and be ready to react to any unforeseen problems.

The hours wore on, and the Leviathans kept crashing against the impenetrable wall of the Lords of Horror. Whether they were standard drones, aerial units, or insect-humanoid warriors, all perished under the blades of the white-armored giants. Finally, as the light of day began to rise once more, the Leviathans halted their incursion. The fewer than five thousand remaining turned and began to retreat to the Monsoon Continent. Recognizing that victory was impossible and further fighting would not harm the enemy; they chose to withdraw and save biomass.

The Lords of Horror observed the retreating Leviathans. Under normal circumstances, soldiers might celebrate the victory, but that was not their way.

"Sobremarcha!" Ned uttered.

Immediately, determination ignited in the eyes of all the Lords of Horror. Their bodies trembled as they grew half a meter taller, their armor seamlessly adapting to their new size as steam hissed from hidden vents.

Grand Marshal Anglius and Freya couldn’t help but narrow their eyes at the transformation. It was reminiscent of the state the Xaos King would sometimes enter when his body became much stronger for a brief period. Their instincts were accurate; while the effect was similar, the process was different. The Lords of Horror didn’t use wrathful energy to achieve this state; instead, they burned the myriad of alchemical components within their blood to elevate their physical power to the next level.

Once the enhancement was complete, all the Lords of Horror raised their swords. Their entire armor glowed with golden matrices, generating a scorching heat that set the ground beneath their feet ablaze. With their bodies and armor in a state of overexertion, they flashed forward at a shocking speed, reaching the fleeing Leviathans and initiating a merciless assault.

The Lords of Horror descended upon the drones like a storm of vengeance. Their movements were a blur, yet each action was calculated and precise. As they charged, the scorching heat radiating from their armor ignited the air around them, leaving trails of shimmering haze in their wake.

They crashed into the rear ranks of the Leviathan drones with the force of an avalanche. As they stomped forward, the ground quaked beneath their feet, crushing drones underfoot. The drones’ chitinous shells cracked and shattered, black ichor splattering across the scorched earth. The heat emanating from the Lords of Horror was so intense that drones caught fire merely by proximity, their bodies erupting into flames as they screeched in agony.

Yet, despite the ferocity of their assault, the Lords of Horror maintained perfect formation. They moved as one cohesive unit, each warrior covering the other’s blind spots. When one struck high, another guarded low. Their massive bastard swords cleaved through the swarms, arcs of fiery energy trailing behind each swing.

An aerial drone lunged at Ned from the side, its mandibles snapping. Without so much as a glance, he sidestepped the attack, bringing his blade down in a sweeping arc that bisected the creature. Simultaneously, the warrior to his left thrust his sword forward, impaling two more aerial drones that attempted to flank them. All that happened in less than a second!

The battlefield was a scene of controlled chaos. Flames roared as drones were set ablaze, the heat intensifying with every passing moment. The Lords of Horror pressed onward, their steps unwavering. They showed no signs of fatigue or hesitation, focusing solely on the enemy ahead.

As they advanced toward the insect-humanoid warriors, the drones became more frantic, desperate to slow their relentless approach. Some attempted to swarm the Lords of Horror, leaping onto their armor. But the scorching heat made such attempts futile. Drones that landed on them were instantly incinerated, their bodies reduced to ash that drifted away on the hot winds.

The insect-humanoid warriors braced themselves, their eyes filled with a mix of rage and apprehension. They could not feel fear but did not want the hive to lose biomass.

Closing the distance, the Lords of Horror unleashed a synchronized attack. They raised their swords, and the golden matrices on their armor flared brightly. A wave of searing energy burst forth, engulfing the insect-humanoid warriors. The ground shook as the blast struck, and when the light faded, the enemy stood no more.

Silence fell over the battlefield. The only sounds were the crackling of flames and the distant rumble of a few retreating drones that managed to make it past the Molted Range. The Lords of Horror stood amidst the devastation, their armor still glowing with residual heat.

Despite the carnage, they remained composed. Not a single formation was broken, and not a single blind spot was exposed. They had executed their mission with ruthless efficiency.

Back at the defensive line, the soldiers watched in stunned silence. Awe and respect filled their hearts. They had witnessed the might of the Lords of Horror—a force unlike any other.