Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 427: Taking down the Harvesters (II)

Chapter 427: Taking down the Harvesters (II)

Upon seeing the massive amount of biomass being incinerated, the rage and killing intent within the Leviathans exploded. The hive mind was truly enraged, its fury echoing through every connected creature.

The Elite Leviathans began to descend after failing to shatter the meteorites in the air, their earlier efforts thwarted by Vlad’s devastating attack. But before they could reach the ground, aerial units swiftly rose into the sky, three of them fusing seamlessly into the back of each Elite Leviathan.

Vlad’s eyes grew sharp as he observed the transformation. The Elite Leviathans now sported new insect wings, their forms adapting instantly for aerial combat. Although the hive mind was his absolute enemy, he had to admit that the entity was truly cunning, making its most powerful units capable of seamlessly fusing with those capable of flight. This strategic adaptation made them even more formidable opponents.

However, this was not the time to lose himself in thought. Dozens of Elite Units flashed toward him, all burning with killing intent. They were not alone—thousands of aerial units also rose into the air to support them, creating a swarm that darkened the skies. The sheer number of enemies converging on his position was staggering.

Vlad took a deep breath as his eyes glowed with coldness and lethal intent. His instincts warned him of the immense danger he faced. If the Depravita of Wrath were to be surrounded, escaping without sustaining dire injuries would be nearly impossible. But he showed no fear. Instead, he allowed his energy to explode outward, a fiery aura enveloping his body as he dived from the sky, ready to take on the Leviathan Elite Units head-on.

Immediately, the Depravita of Wrath appeared in front of one of the Elite Units. With supernatural agility, he easily dodged the claw aimed at his head, twisting his body mid-air. He fired his fist forward with incredible force, piercing the creature’s chest. His hand sank into the chitinous armor, tearing through muscle and sinew. A dark, viscous fluid spurted from the wound as the Leviathan recoiled.

However, before Vlad could relish his success, the Elite Unit grabbed his wrist with a vice-like grip. The creature tensed its muscles to a shocking degree, trapping his arm inside its body. Vlad’s eyes widened for a second as he saw the suicidal determination in the monster’s eyes.

In the next instant, two more Elite Units attacked from the left and right, each of them aiming at his neck with razor-sharp claws intending to sever vital arteries. Even for someone with a vitality like his, such wounds could be fatal. Time seemed to slow as Vlad assessed the imminent danger.

With no time to waste, his eyes glowed intensely. Summoning the power of Burning Eyes of Fury, he fired a laser beam, the crimson energy slicing through the air. The beam severed the heads of all three Elite Units in a single, swift motion, freeing his arm.

Although he managed to eliminate the immediate threat, Vlad was not pleased. He could only fire three laser beams a day, a limitation of his current power. These creatures had forced him to use one from the beginning, showcasing how dangerous the Elite Units were. It was not just their individual battle prowess but their coordination as a military force that made them genuinely terrifying.

Vlad did not retreat. He marched forward again, his killing intent and energy exploding with even greater strength. The air around him crackled with electricity, and flames danced along his limbs.

Meanwhile, thousands of aerial units and all eighty Leviathan warriors remained on the ground around the Harvesters, protecting the monstrous entities as they kept inhaling air with increased speed. The Harvesters’ massive forms quivered as they prepared to ascend, making it clear they wanted to escape this place as soon as possible.

All Leviathan eyes were focused on the sky, fixated on Vlad’s battle with the Elite Units. This turned out to be a critical mistake. In the next second, a flash of light and a stream of darkness surged toward the shore, advancing at a simply shocking speed.

The Leviathan warriors barely had time to react before being blasted aside. Freya and Ouroboros leaped toward the heads of two Harvesters. The Viking princess wielded her mace with unparalleled ferocity. Her Tomtes glowed with an inner light, and her wild aura intensified as she channeled her ancestral powers. With a mighty swing, she crushed the skull of one Harvester, the force of the blow causing a shockwave that rippled through the surrounding area.

Simultaneously, the Depravita of Greed, in his fiendish werewolf form, unleashed his claws upon another Harvester. His movements were a blur as he tore through the creature’s thick hide, ripping into its vital organs. The Harvester let out a guttural roar before collapsing, its massive form shaking the ground.

Not even a second later, and without allowing their momentum to falter, Freya and Ouroboros jumped toward two more prey. This time, the insect-humanoid hybrids and aerial units were able to react, forming a defensive barrier. But the duo fell upon them with such overwhelming power and energy that the Leviathans were unable to stop them. They clashed into two more Harvesters, their combined attacks obliterating the creatures.

The Leviathan Elite Units in the sky widened their eyes in disbelief. Through their hive-mind connection, they realized what had happened on the ground. They understood that the dive from the young man had been a distraction, forcing them to focus all their power on his figure. This strategic move left an opening for the other two, allowing them to take down four more Harvesters, reducing the number to fifteen!

The eyes of all Leviathans burned with rage, but the hive mind did not lose its ability to reason. In the next second, half of the aerial units assisting the Elite Units descended, targeting the Viking princess and the fiendish werewolf. Their wings buzzed ominously as they formed a swarm, descending like a dark cloud intent on smothering their targets.

Vlad’s eyes narrowed as he saw the aerial units diverting their attention. The Elite Units remained locked onto him, but their formation changed. He noticed they no longer intended to kill him outright but instead aimed to hinder his movements.

"The hive mind knows that killing me is near impossible with this power," Vlad thought to himself. "So it wants to limit my moves and focus its killing power on Freya and Ouroboros while preventing any more of the Harvesters from perishing."

The Depravita of Wrath could predict the train of thought of the hive mind immediately, and a frown appeared on his face. From now on, taking down more Harvesters would become an uphill