Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 430: Trump card (II)

Chapter 430: Trump card (II)

A massive explosion of fire and lightning set the sky ablaze as Vlad collided with the ten Elite Units. The force of his fall carried such immense power that he literally blasted those Leviathans to pieces. Flames roared, and lightning crackled, casting a blinding light. Fragments of shattered exoskeletons and charred limbs were propelled in all directions, a grim testament to the ferocity of the clash.

However, the sacrifice of those Elite Units was not in vain. They had positioned themselves strategically, and by sacrificing their bodies, they were able to alter the course of Vlad’s Inferno Comet Fall. A cold and furious light appeared in the eyes of the Depravita of Wrath as he realized the ingenuity of the hive mind. The Leviathans had anticipated his attack, and even in their demise, they managed to thwart his plan. There was nothing he could do now; the overwhelming momentum of his fall rendered him unable to change direction.

Instead of landing right in the middle of the Harvesters as intended, Vlad crashed into the periphery. The ground quaked under the tremendous force, creating a massive crater upon impact. Two gigantic whale-like Harvesters were instantly obliterated, their colossal forms reduced to flaming wreckage. The explosive blast of lightning and fire surged outward, catching two more Harvesters in its lethal embrace. Flames engulfed them, setting them ablaze before they could rise high enough to escape.

The destructive force did not stop there. Thousands of aerial units and tens of Leviathan warriors were also caught in the explosion, their bodies disintegrating amidst the inferno. The sky was filled with smoke and ash, and the acrid smell of burning flesh permeated the air.

Absolute and utter hatred arose in the eyes of all Leviathans as they gazed upon the devastation. The loss of aerial units and insect-humanoid warriors was a setback the hive mind could tolerate, but what was unacceptable was that the massive biomass shipment, composed of twenty-three Harvesters, had been reduced to just six!

Immediately, the focus of all Leviathans on the shore shifted to the young man at the center of the crater. Vlad was breathing heavily, his chest heaving as he fought to draw in air. His entire body ached, muscles screaming in protest from the exertion. The recoil from his attack had nearly snapped his arms and legs, and his energy reserves were all but depleted. As he surveyed his surroundings, he saw more than twenty Elite Units, forty Leviathan warriors, and almost eighty thousand aerial units converging on him. The hive mind was channeling all its fury and might into this one moment, intent on killing the young man once and for all.

Vlad observed the immense force bearing down upon him. There was no way he could face them in his current state. Yet, the only thing he offered the approaching Leviathans was a cold smile full of brutality.

The Leviathans surged forward, their shrieks piercing the air. Claws and mandibles gleamed menacingly as they closed in. Just as they were about to reach Vlad, a distant explosion echoed across the battlefield.

"BOOOOMMMMM!"

The ground trembled once more. Emerging from the horizon was a massive, gargantuan snake towering three hundred meters tall. Its appearance was nothing short of majestic. The creature’s flesh seemed made of solidified fire and lightning, with scales that shimmered like molten metal infused with electrical sparks. Flames danced along its body, and bolts of lightning arced between its coils.

The Leviathans gazed at the snake, their eyes widening in disbelief and horror. Recognition dawned upon them—it was the same power a small yellow cat with white stripes had used to overpower their Divine Unit. The realization sent a wave of dread through the hive mind. This was the World Snake, and it emerged right on the fleeing Harvesters’s path.

The hive mind immediately understood that the true trump card of the group was not the explosive fall of the young man but the small yellow cat hiding right along the escape route of the Harvesters.

Unfortunately for the hive mind, the realization did not translate into prevention. The World Snake burst forward with astonishing speed, its colossal form moving with fluid grace. Its entire body surged through one of the Harvesters, tearing through its massive bulk as if it were made of parchment.

It lunged with its maw wide open in the same swift motion, crushing another Harvester in its powerful jaws. Simultaneously, its tail whipped around, striking a third Harvester with such force that it shattered upon impact. In a single, devastating sweep lasting less than a second, the World Snake had annihilated three of the massive whale-like monstrosities.

Vlad glanced at the scene, his cold smile growing wider. The truth was that Jormungandr had been with the group from the very beginning. When Vlad appeared in the sky above the shore, the small yellow cat had been hiding inside his armor, lending him its energy pool.

This was why Vlad’s power had seemed so immense at the beginning of the battle. Jormungandr had even granted one of his streams of Depravita Aura for the Heaven’s Fall attack, while Vlad added only two of his own, allowing the young man to keep one in reserve for special cases.

It was during the chaos—while the Elite Units shattered the meteorites and the rest of the Leviathans were occupied protecting the Harvesters from Heaven’s Fall—that Jormungandr silently made his way into the distance, positioning himself for the perfect moment to strike.

The hive mind was smart enough to understand it had been tricked once more by the group. Fury and frustration surged through its collective consciousness. It redirected all its forces toward Vlad, determined to kill the young man regardless of the cost.

The World Devouring Snake observed how the Leviathan forces continued their relentless advance toward Vlad. Understanding the imminent danger, it immediately shifted its focus, forgetting about the rest of the Harvesters. Opening its colossal maw, it unleashed a massive wave of fire and lightning. The torrent of elemental energy surged forward, coursing right above Vlad’s head and forming a blazing wall that momentarily halted the Leviathans’ progress.

The searing wall of fire and lightning provided just enough time for the World Snake to position itself between Vlad and the oncoming swarm. With a swift, sweeping motion, it used its gargantuan body to crush hundreds of aerial units, their forms disintegrating upon impact. The Elite Units and Leviathan warriors were sent flying, scattered like leaves before a storm.

In the next instant, the World Snake lowered its head toward the young man and swallowed him. With Vlad safely inside, the World Snake turned and sped toward the ocean. Its massive form moved with incredible speed, each movement fluid and purposeful. The Leviathans watched in disbelief as the snake dove into the waters, its fiery and lightning-infused body disappearing beneath the waves. The turbulent waters closed over it, erasing any trace of its presence.

Shrieks of rage and despair echoed across the shore as the hive mind suffered yet another colossal loss. The remaining Leviathans writhed in frustration, their collective consciousness seething with anger. The devastation was immense: from the original twenty-three Harvesters, only three remained, and countless warriors and aerial units had been annihilated.