Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 424: Burning cities

Chapter 424: Burning cities

Amara moved like a wraith through the chaos, her lithe form barely visible as she weaved between the Leviathans. Clad in dark armor that melded seamlessly with the shadows, she wielded twin daggers that gleamed with a cold, deadly light. With each swift motion, she dispatched the insectoid hybrids, her blades finding the chinks in their chitinous armor.

Nearby, Clasius’ flaming sword emitted a fierce glow, the blade’s edges wreathed in demonic fire. With a grunt of exertion, he swung the sword downward, and as it struck the ground, a shockwave of supercompressed air burst forth. The force blasted the surrounding Leviathans backward, their exoskeletons cracking under the immense pressure.

Mirena and Frank held their ground at the center of the city’s plaza. The tornadoes tore through the Leviathan ranks, shredding limbs and scattering the creatures like leaves in a storm while spheres of fire and magma scorched them.

Above them all, Roman soared through the smoky air. He released arrow after arrow that rained down upon the Leviathans.

The result of the Royal Guard’s attacks was a swirling vortex of fire and lightning that roared forward, incinerating everything in its path. The Leviathans shrieked as the devastating attack tore through their ranks, leaving a scorched and smoldering trail.

As the Royal Guard unleashed their carnage, the Leviathans struggled to reorganize. The hive mind attempted to adapt, but the relentless assault from within its own swarm disrupted communication. The creatures could not form the cohesive battle formations necessary to mount an effective counterattack or to facilitate an escape.

Meanwhile, at the southern entrance of the city, Grand Marshal Anglius stood tall. "Use everything you have! March forward! With me!" he roared, his voice echoing over the tumult.

He knew the danger that the Royal Guard faced in the middle of the city, which was why he showed no hesitation as he led the soldiers forward with all his might. His massive frame crashed through the Leviathans, each step crushing enemies underfoot. His halberd swept in wide arcs, sending creatures flying away with broken and scorched bodies.

The golden warriors behind the giant showed no fear or hesitation. They attacked with everything they had, their weapons slicing through chitin and bone. They moved as one, a disciplined force that acted like a golden wave, butchering everything in their path.

On the western entrance, a few hundred soldiers marched forward. Though fewer in number than the thousand members of the Golden Legion, they were led by nineteen figures bursting with bloodline power and devil abilities. Major General Theodoro led the Bloodline Soldiers and the Shadowstrike Legion, pushing them to their absolute limit as they headed into the center of the broken city to assist the Royal Guard.

"Do not falter!" Theodoro urged, his voice firm. "Keep pushing forward!"

The Bloodline Soldiers unleashed their unique abilities—some wielded elemental powers, others transformed parts of their bodies into weapons or armor. The Shadowstrike Legion moved with precision, their attacks swift and lethal.

From the north and east entrances, the Turkin riders were divided into two groups of fifteen hundred each. King Viserin rode at the forefront, his eyes fierce beneath his helm. "Faster! Attack!" he shouted, his voice filled with unwavering resolve.

The Turkin riders charged through thousands of Leviathans, their demonic mounts crushing many underfoot. Their lances and swords sundered the rest, the riders displaying remarkable skill and coordination.

The broken city had become a truly majestic battlefield. Its core erupted with blasts of lightning and magma in all directions as waves of human forces entered from every side, laying waste to the dark swarm within. The air was thick with the smell of Leviathan’s blood as hundreds of them perished every second.

As the soldiers struck, strange expressions arose on their faces—not due to fear or hesitation, but surprise. Killing the Leviathans was surprisingly easier compared to the last clash at Kuro Mountain.

Back then, each of these men and women had killed tens of thousands of Leviathans and gained a substantial amount of Origin Force. They had been forced to fight relentlessly, barely regaining their stamina before a new clash began. However, now that they had been able to rest properly and allow the influx of Origin Force to truly settle into their beings, their strength had risen several levels. They could butcher the insect monsters in their path with newfound power.

Grand Marshal Anglius observed the prowess of his troops, a broad smile spreading across his face. The might and horror of the Leviathan Race and its hive mind was something a seasoned general like him understood very well. It was clear that humans could not win by simply relying on numbers. Seeing their elite rise to such heights filled his heart with thrill and hope.

"Let’s end them!" the golden giant shouted, blasting forward with his gargantuan body. He destroyed every single Leviathan in his path, even sending insect-humanoids flying away with broken bodies.

Major General Theodoro and King Viserin were not ones to be left behind. They pushed their forces with even greater might, inspiring their soldiers to give their all.

Explosions and shrieks echoed across the broken city as black blood soaked the ground. The Leviathans’ formations collapsed under the relentless assault from all sides. With their ability to regroup and escape effectively neutralized, the swarm’s numbers dwindled rapidly.

After an intense hour of continuous fighting, silence finally reigned as the last of the Leviathans was crushed. Exhaustion could be seen on the faces of the soldiers, their breaths coming in heavy gasps. Yet, there were also wild smiles as they felt the surge of power within them. With so few to share in the spoils, the amount of Origin Force each of them gained was massive.

"Collect the Leviathan warriors and aerial units! Prepare to leave immediately!" Grand Marshal Anglius ordered.

He knew they were tired, but there was no time to waste. They needed to take the corpses that would be of use for Overlord’s factories and then set the rest of the city on fire to prevent the hive mind from collecting the biomass of the dead Leviathans.

All the soldiers understood that time and speed were of the essence. They moved their tired bodies, collecting the carcasses of the Leviathan warriors and aerial units. They worked efficiently, driven by discipline and the knowledge of the mission’s importance.

Once the valuable remains were secured, they spread flammable liquids across the entire city. The flickering flames soon grew into roaring fires, consuming the ruins and any remnants of the Leviathans.

Grand Marshal Anglius made sure the fire covered the entire city before marching with the troops again, going deeper into Kylen Country. They were too tired for another fight, but thanks to the information gathered by Overlord’s Sentinels, they were able to avoid conflicts for several hours. This respite allowed the soldiers to regain their strength and stamina before a new skirmish began.

The elite human troops were extremely effective in their incursion. They attacked cities and outposts where Leviathans were gathered, butchering them all and setting fire to the remains before marching forward before the hive mind could surround them. Grand Marshal Anglius knew their actions drew more and more hatred from the hive mind, increasing the number of Leviathans pursuing them—which was exactly what he wanted.

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While Grand Marshal Anglius and the elite human forces were laying waste and butchering everything in their path, setting cities on fire, another group had also infiltrated Kylen Country. Unlike the massive incursion of nearly five thousand soldiers, these were only four, and they made sure to hide their presence, doing all in their power to avoid any Leviathan from catching even a glimpse of them.

A young man with black hair and red irises moved stealthily through the rugged terrain. Beside him was a young woman with a wild aura and tribal tattoos. Her eyes were sharp, constantly scanning the surroundings. A small yellow cat trotted alongside them, his form belying his true nature. Bringing up the rear was a fiendish werewolf, his senses alert to any sign of danger.

After several hours, they reached a massive mountain range and hid their figures under the shadows of a colossal rock formation. The Depravitas and the Viking princess were all exhausted. It wasn’t the journey that tired them—they could run for days without rest—but the constant vigilance required. Every single second, they had to be aware of their surroundings and careful with every step they took, as they could not afford a single mistake. After all, it only took one Leviathan to see them for the hive mind to become aware of their presence.

To make things worse, the Depravitas could not rely on their A.I. Chip’s scanning abilities either. Vlad remembered very well what happened when he tried to use them on a Elite Unit, only for it to detect the scan and immediately figure out his position. They would have to rely solely on their senses and skills if they wanted to reach the coast undetected.