Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 377: Finishing with the bridge

Chapter 377: Finishing with the bridge

Vlad and Freya had reached all the way to the other end of the bridge. Nearly every one of the drones in their path lay dead, and they managed to take down three of the Leviathan warriors. The insect-humanoid hit-and-run tactics had been effective, but as the number of drones protecting them diminished, they left flaws that the duo exploited to claim their lives. The young man and the Viking princess were exhausted, but there was a smile on their faces as they heard it.

"CRACK..."

The ominous sound of the bridge fracturing echoed through the air, signaling its impending collapse.

There were still nine insect-humanoid warriors in front of the duo, but instead of dashing forward to finish things, they nodded to each other and turned around. Freya’s energy exploded as she concentrated her Force and totemic power into her mace. She dashed forward and struck the ground with immense power.

"Earthshatter Quake!" she cried.

A seismic wave rippled across the entire bridge, violently shaking the ground beneath it. Cracks spider-webbed out from the point of impact, spreading far and wide. The already weakened structure groaned under the strain as support beams snapped, and the bridge began to sag.

Pieces of the bridge started to collapse as the structures that kept it in place had been shattered and could no longer bear the burden. Of course, that single strike wasn’t enough to take down the entire bridge that extended for hundreds of kilometers, but it weakened it sufficiently for the A.I. Chip to send a signal to Vlad.

[Beep! The structure has reached a critical point. It is now plausible to achieve its destruction with a blast at its center.]

A cold smile appeared on Vlad’s face as the runic lines covering his flesh glowed. He leaped into the air, ascending hundreds of meters before focusing on the bridge’s core. His entire body shimmered with red lightning, his eyes sharp as the A.I. Chip marked the exact spot where he should strike.

He knew that if he landed there now, he would do more than just take down the bridge.

"Inferno Comet Lightning Fall!" Vlad’s voice thundered across the sky.

He descended like a meteor, crashing with the might of an artillery strike. Upon impact, he unleashed a colossal blast of fire and lightning that flooded the entire bridge, sending massive shockwaves in all directions. The explosion erupted upward and downward, the pillar of lightning and fire piercing through the structure.

Usually, the downward blast wouldn’t have mattered much, but right now, there was a swarm of aerial drones beneath the bridge. Jormungandr had been fighting against those drones for nearly an hour and had only managed to take down less than half since their strength was much higher than normal drones. Thanks to his A.I. Chip, he knew exactly where Vlad would strike. He had lured the drones into the trap, and now, with a broad smile, he watched thousands of them perish in the fiery inferno.

Despite the glee of seeing the aerial drones destroyed, Jormungandr didn’t lose focus. This was not exactly a good time to be beneath the bridge. After the crash, the entire structure trembled violently. Pieces that were supposed to keep it in place began to shudder and could no longer do their job. Support cables snapped, beams fractured, and the bridge started to collapse, huge sections falling away.

The small yellow cat’s eyes narrowed as he dodged the massive pieces of bridge plummeting around him, flapping his wings with skillful precision. The same couldn’t be said for the rest of the aerial drones; they were struck by the falling debris and pushed down into the raging river beneath—a river filled with sharp, jagged rocks jutting out like spikes.

Jormungandr didn’t have time to bother with the dying aerial drones as he focused. He soon found a figure amid the shattering bridge. The small yellow cat flapped his wings, maneuvering across enormous boulders, and grabbed Vlad. The duo rose into the air just as a massive chunk of the bridge crashed where Vlad had been moments before.

Freya was not having an easy time either as she gazed at the nine insect-humanoid warriors before her. If she were at her peak, she would be confident in facing all of the Leviathan warriors alone, but the fight had truly exhausted her, and she had used a huge amount of energy in that last attack.

The Leviathan warriors did not feel things like fear of death, but they weren’t suicidal either. They were trying to figure out the best maneuver to take down the young woman, their eyes cold and full of killing intent as the hive mind clearly wanted the Viking princess dead.

However, before the Leviathan warriors could make a move, Jormungandr descended from the sky with Vlad. The young man and small yellow cat appeared next to Freya. She showed a wide smile as she saw the duo by her side, confidence swelling in her heart. She was sure they would be able to take down the nine Leviathan warriors now.

They were not alone in that thought since the insect-humanoids also didn’t think their chances of success against the trio would be good. Their eyes began to wander across the terrain. It was clear they were searching for escape routes, as their goal seemed to change to losing the least biomass possible.

However, just as they were about to make a move, a flash of light crossed their eyes, and they steadied themselves, not moving a single muscle. The next second, their eyes focused solely on the young man, Viking princess, and small yellow cat—the notion of escaping no longer in their minds.

Vlad, Freya, and Jormungandr couldn’t help but frown as they saw the light and sharp focus in the eyes of the Leviathan warriors. Although they wanted to eliminate them and were happy they didn’t have to chase them, it didn’t make sense for the hive mind to keep the nine here in a fight they would clearly lose.

No matter what type of plan or goal the insect-humanoids had, it wouldn’t matter once they were defeated.

"Looks like they intend to fight to the death," Freya remarked, tightening her grip on her mace and raising her shield.

"Let’s end them," Vlad replied, spinning his halberd, red lightning crackling along its blade.

Jormungandr’s eyes glinted with fiery determination. "I’ll provide support from above."

Without further hesitation, the trio launched their assault.

Vlad surged forward, his halberd slicing through the air. "Crimson Tempest!" he shouted, unleashing a swirling vortex of red lightning toward the Leviathan warriors. The insect-humanoids braced themselves, interlocking their armored limbs to form a defensive barrier. The lightning crashed against them, sparks flying, but they held firm.

Freya dashed in from the side. "Thunderous Smash!" Her mace collided with one of the warriors, the impact sending a shockwave rippling through its exoskeleton. The creature staggered but managed to maintain its stance, its armor absorbing much of the blow.

Above them, Jormungandr hovered, flames gathering around him. "Inferno Blast!" He unleashed a concentrated stream of fire and lightning, aiming for the rear ranks of the Leviathan warriors. Two of them shifted to intercept, raising their clawed arms to shield themselves. The explosion engulfed them, but as the smoke cleared, they remained scorched but standing.

The Leviathan warriors were solely focused on defense, using all their power to survive the trio’s relentless attacks. They moved with calculated precision, covering each other’s weaknesses, and their coordination was a testament to the hive mind’s control.

Vlad and Freya exchanged a glance. "They’re stalling," Vlad observed.

"Then we need to break their formation," Freya replied.

"Agreed."

Vlad charged again, feinting to the left before pivoting to the right. He brought his halberd down in a powerful arc. One of the warriors moved to block, but Vlad anticipated this.

"Lightning Pierce!" The Depravita of Wrath thrust the halberd forward, the blade glowing with intense energy. It pierced through the warrior’s defenses, impaling it through the chest. The creature convulsed as electricity surged through its body before collapsing.

"One down," Vlad declared.

Freya seized the opportunity. She leaped into the air, her mace raised high.

"Totemic Fury!" She descended upon another warrior, her weapon smashing into its head with devastating force. The exoskeleton cracked under the impact, green ichor splattering as the creature fell lifeless to the ground.

"Make that two," Freya added with a fierce grin.

Jormungandr focused on a warrior at the rear. "Fire Breath." Gathering his energy, he unleashed a swirling beam of fire and lightning. The targeted warrior attempted to evade, but the beam was too swift. It struck directly, incinerating the creature where it stood.

"Three down," the small cat announced.

The remaining six Leviathan warriors tightened their formation, their defensive stance more resolute than ever. They seemed impervious to the loss of their comrades, their expressions blank, driven solely by the hive mind’s will.

Vlad, Freya, and Jormungandr felt no pity or mercy toward the Leviathan warriors and were ready to break them apart when the trio’s instincts screamed in danger.