Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 415: Victory and hopelessness

Chapter 415: Victory and hopelessness

The death of the Special Unit Leviathan was the straw that broke the camel’s back, marking the beginning of the end for what remained of the Leviathan swarm in Kuro Mountain. Freya and Ouroboros felt potent streams of Origin Force entering their bodies—a reward from the Plane Will upon bringing death to such formidable aliens. As that powerful energy coursed through their bodies and souls, they lifted their eyes upward, determination blazing in their gazes.

"Charge!"

"Attack!"

The Viking princess and the Depravita of Greed roared as they led the Lords of Horror upward, butchering every single Leviathan in their path. Their weapons moved with lethal precision, each strike felling an enemy. The drones, aerial units, and insect-humanoid hybrids found themselves in an impossible position, even for the hive mind’s capabilities.

Vlad, the Golden Wave Legion, Shadowstrike Legion, and Turkin riders marched from above, while Freya, Ouroboros, and the Lords of Horror attacked below. Trapped between these two relentless forces, the Leviathans had nowhere to escape.

No matter how angry or enraged it was by the outcome, the hive mind had to accept it could not emerge victorious in this fight. It was bound to be a catastrophic loss. Not to mention, any form of retreat was hindered by the group advancing from the mountain base.

In the end, the eyes of all the Leviathans glowed with what could only be described as a suicidal frenzy. They began to strike with everything they had, trying to take down as many human forces as possible before they were completely wiped out. There were still nearly four hundred thousand Leviathans, and even if they were almost all drones, given their ferocity, there were bound to be casualties among the human forces before the fight ended.

Or at least, that was what the hive mind expected.

Vlad stood atop a jagged outcrop, his crimson eyes surveying the chaotic battlefield. Channeling the last stream of Depravita Aura into his fist, he raised it high before bringing it down upon the ground with a thunderous impact.

"Let this be the end!" he roared.

The earth responded to his command. The next second, massive magma hands erupted from the ground among the clusters of Leviathans. Each colossal hand reached skyward, molten fingers closing around swarms of drones. The intense heat incinerated more than one hundred thousand of them in a single, swift move. Scorching shockwaves radiated outward, toppling nearby Leviathans and shattering their formations. Any semblance of coordination they had was obliterated.

With their ranks and cohesion broken, the threat the Leviathans presented diminished immensely. The human forces seized the opportunity.

"Forward! Show no mercy!" Grand Marshal Anglius shouted, his golden armor gleaming amidst the dust and smoke.

"Strike with everything you have!" Major General Theodoro commanded.

"Ride them down!" King Viserin bellowed, leading the Turkin riders into the fray.

Freya swung her mace with unrelenting fury. Each swing crushed chitinous exoskeletons, sending shockwaves through the Leviathans’ ranks.

Beside her, Ouroboros was a whirlwind of destruction. His claws tore through flesh and armor alike, dark energy crackling around him.

The Lords of Horror advanced in a tight formation. Their massive swords were wreathed in golden flames. Their movements were synchronized and efficient, and they carved a path through the enemy. Their relentless assault caused drones to fall by the dozens.

Blood and ichor soaked the ground. The air was thick with the stench of ozone and burning flesh. The cries of the dying mingled with the triumphant shouts of the victors. The human forces, though exhausted, fought with a renewed vigor, spurred on by the imminent victory.

A wide smile appeared on Vlad’s face as he watched his forces rallying. Finally, he allowed himself a moment of respite. His body was beyond exhausted, barely holding together.

Amidst the war and mayhem, he closed his eyes briefly, turning his focus inward to his Soul Dimension. The once massive dark cloud that had covered it was gone. In its place, hanging from the ethereal ceiling, was a dark red seed the size of a fist. It pulsed softly, emanating a profound energy.

The was the Depravita Seed, the key to the evolution of his Depravita Path into the Legendary Realm. However, the amount of energy it required was astronomical. According to the calculations of the A.I. Chip, it would take decades or perhaps even centuries before he could complete his next evolution. Vlad did not delude himself into thinking he would achieve that before Terra reached the higher dimension.

"Patience," he thought. "All in due time."

He opened his eyes, the sounds of battle pulling him back to the present. The Leviathans were being annihilated.

"Press on! Leave none standing!" Anglius commanded, his halberd cleaving through an aerial unit that swooped too close.

The human forces unleashed their full might. Spells illuminated the sky, arcs of lightning and torrents of fire raining down upon the enemy.

The Turkin riders split into smaller units, encircling groups of Leviathans and cutting them down with coordinated strikes.

As the sun began to set, casting a crimson glow over Kuro Mountain, the last of the Leviathans fell. Silence gradually descended upon the battlefield, broken only by the ragged breaths of the exhausted warriors and the crackling of fires.

The fight for Kuro Mountain was over, and the victors were none other than the human forces. It had been a massive battle filled with blood and hardship, with both sides revealing trump card after trump card. The confrontation would undoubtedly pass into the history books if Terra’s human civilization managed to win the war. After all, while they had won this fight, the Leviathans were far from truly defeated—their reign over the Moonson Continent remained formidable.

---

As the human forces secured a decisive win in Karman Country, cementing their foothold in the Moonson Continent, a troubling scene unfolded far to the west of the Asani Continent.

Oliver City stood as a beacon of hope on the border of the Asani Continent, far from the influence of the Xaos Kingdom. Named in honor of the mighty warrior who had repelled demonic hordes and given tens of millions of humans a place to call home, Oliver was a testament to human resilience.

But that was until a few weeks ago.

Now, Oliver City was engulfed in mayhem. Destruction was everywhere. Buildings that once soared into the sky lay in ruins, their skeletal frames jutting into the smoky air. Fires raged uncontrolled, casting an eerie glow over the devastation. The stench of smoke and ash choked the atmosphere.

People ran in all directions, their faces etched with terror and despair. The screams of pain and cries for help echoed through the streets, a haunting symphony of suffering. Mothers clutched their children tightly, desperate to find safety. The elderly and infirm struggled to keep up, many falling behind in the chaos.

"Help us!" a woman screamed, her voice lost in the cacophony.

A group of soldiers formed a defensive line at a crumbling intersection. Their armor was battered, their expressions grim.

"Hold the line!" their captain shouted. "Protect the civilians at all costs!"

But their efforts seemed futile. Leviathan aerial units descended from the skies, their sleek forms sliced through the smoke-filled air. There were not millions—just a few thousand—but they were enough to bring the city to its knees. Normally, the humans could handle such a number, but these Leviathans were led by fifty elites whose power rivaled Peak High Champions!

An aerial unit dove toward the soldiers, releasing a barrage of acidic projectiles. The ground hissed and sizzled where the acid landed. One soldier wasn’t quick enough; the acid splashed onto his armor, eating through metal and flesh alike. His screams were cut short as he collapsed.

On a nearby rooftop, archers loosed arrows at the swarming enemies. "Aim for their wings!" one shouted.

But for every Leviathan they struck down, more took its place. Aerial units retaliated, firing spikes that impaled the archers where they stood.

In the central plaza, a group of mages gathered, their staffs glowing with arcane light.

"We must erect a barrier!" one declared.

"There’s no time! They’re upon us!" another warned.

Before they could act, a humanoid figure landed amidst them with a thunderous crash. The impact shattered the cobblestones, and a shockwave knocked the mages off their feet.

The figure stood tall—a Leviathan Elite. Its exoskeleton was a dark, iridescent hue, and multiple eyes glowed with a sinister light. Bladed limbs extended from its back, dripping with venom.

"By the gods..." a mage whispered, scrambling backward.

The Leviathan Elite moved with blinding speed. In an instant, it was upon them, slashing and stabbing with ruthless efficiency. The mages had no time to react; spells died on their lips as they fell one by one.

Elsewhere in the city, similar scenes unfolded. Warriors fought desperately, but they were outmatched. Families huddled in basements and alleyways, praying for salvation that would not come.

A young boy ran through the streets, tears streaming down his face. "Mother! Father!" he cried.

A drone spotted him, mandibles clicking ominously. It advanced, ready to strike.

"Stay away from my son!" a man roared, stepping between them with a makeshift weapon, unleashing what was left from his Force.

The drone swatted him aside effortlessly, his body hitting a wall with a sickening crunch. The boy’s scream was cut short as the drone loomed over him.

Suddenly, a blast of energy struck the drone, incinerating it. A lone mage, bloodied and weary, approached.

"Run, child. Run and don’t look back," she urged.

The boy nodded, sobbing as he fled.

Above, massive tentacles descended from the churning clouds. They were grotesque, pulsing with unnatural life. These appendages snaked through the city, wrapping around buildings and bodies alike. Dead or alive, it didn’t matter—the tentacles collected every iota of biomass.

People screamed as they were lifted into the air, disappearing into the dark clouds above. The city was being consumed, its very essence harvested.

On the outskirts, a small group of survivors watched in horror.

Oliver City—a bastion of hope—was falling.

The Moonson Continent’s incursion might have been a triumph for the human race, but unbeknownst to anyone, the Leviathans were attacking deep inside the Asani Continent.