Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 436: Cleaning (I)

Chapter 436: Cleaning (I)

It wasn’t just Grand Marshal Anglius who was thrilled with the power of the Divine Ballistic Missiles. Major General Theodoro, King Viserin, and all the other generals who commanded ballistic strikes were beyond amazed by the capabilities of the artifacts. The destructive force of these weapons allowed the Xaos Forces and Turkin Riders to immediately dominate the periphery of Kylen Country, forming a tightening ring around the Leviathan forces inside. Over the next few days, this ring would constrict until there wasn’t a single drone within the country’s borders.

The leaders and generals couldn’t help but shout praises toward the A.I. Chip Clone. They all hoped that more of these weapons would soon be available on the battlefield. Overlord was aware of the generals’ wishes, and one could see by the activity in Xaos City that things were moving in the right direction.

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While Xaos City hadn’t expanded its borders, its infrastructure had grown significantly as more buildings and formidable structures rose. Factories sprawled across the mountain on which the city was built, each working on something related to the war effort. There were facilities that built weapons; others specialized in armor, factories for drugs and explosives, and massive assembly plants where components from different factories were assembled, giving birth to the colossal missiles that had proven so effective against the Leviathans.

But it wasn’t just factories that were emerging in Xaos City. There were also vast training grounds where new soldiers were forged every day. While these men were too inexperienced to become part of the spearhead piercing into the Monsoon Continent, it was important they were ready for the final advance. Overlord knew that reaching the heart of the Leviathan Race would require enormous manpower.

As for the rest of the population—the ones performing everyday tasks—they were also contributing to the war effort. Every single day, the people of Xaos City prayed to the Xaos God-King, generating a massive amount of Divine Force.

The A.I. Chip Clone monitored the entire city’s movement, ensuring everything went smoothly, but allocated only half of his computational abilities to that task. The other half was focused inside the Xaos Tower, more specifically, the energy pool that held his core code.

Massive waves of Divine Force were being directed into the energy pool as Overlord manipulated strains of genetic material. The process was extremely complicated, but in essence, Overlord was creating a virus. The target of this virus was clearly the alien race that sought to consume all life on Terra—the Leviathans.

However, the virus wasn’t the only thing inside the energy pool. Nearby, there was a massive golden orb nearly three meters tall. Outstanding amounts of Divine Force were being channeled into the orb, and a throbbing sound could be heard from inside, no different than a heartbeat. The strain of genetic material and the golden orb were Overlord’s two most important projects and the most challenging. Any mistake could lead to cataclysmic failure, throwing away months of work and a staggering amount of Divine Force and resources.

Only the future could reveal how things would develop and just how effective the projects taking place in Xaos City would be.

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Across a desolate, arid landscape, a cluster of Leviathans moved steadily forward—roughly one hundred and fifty thousand strong. The swarm advanced with a singular purpose, their myriad legs and wings stirring up clouds of dust. Their target seemed to be Keny Country, their ultimate goal most likely to rendezvous with the massive swarm marching through there.

Unfortunately for this group, just as they were closing in on the border, a blinding red light appeared above them, illuminating the darkened sky. The Leviathans looked upward, their countless eyes reflecting the crimson glow. The hive mind attempted to analyze the phenomenon, reaching out with its collective consciousness to grasp what was happening.

Before it could comprehend, the red light intensified, spreading across the sky like a vast, luminous veil. The atmosphere grew heavy, and an oppressive heat descended upon the swarm. Suddenly, the crimson brilliance plummeted with overwhelming momentum, a massive force hurtling toward the ground.

The impact was catastrophic.

The moment the red light collided with the swarm, an immense explosion erupted. A shockwave blasted outward, flattening the surrounding terrain and generating hurricane-force winds that swept across the desert sands. The explosion’s epicenter became a raging inferno, engulfing tens of thousands of Leviathans instantaneously.

The ground quaked violently as the force of the impact sent tremors rippling through the earth. Flames soared skyward, forming a towering pillar of fire that seemed to pierce the heavens. The heat was so intense that the very air shimmered, distorting the landscape like a mirage. Leviathans caught in the immediate vicinity were vaporized, their forms disintegrated by the sheer energy unleashed.

Those on the periphery were thrown back by the blast, their carapaces cracked and limbs torn asunder. The hive mind reeled from the sudden loss, its collective consciousness fragmented by the abrupt annihilation of such a large portion of its swarm.

Sand and debris were propelled outward, creating a dust storm that blotted out the stars. The sound was deafening—a roaring cacophony that drowned out the screeches of the dying creatures. The shockwave traveled far beyond the initial impact zone, toppling rock formations and carving deep trenches into the ground.

As the dust and smoke began to settle, a figure emerged from the heart of the devastation. Walking calmly through the flames and smoldering remains, Vlad appeared, his silhouette framed by the flickering firelight. He stretched his body, feeling the soreness left by the use of Inferno Comet Fall. The technique had pushed his body to its limits, causing a sharp depletion of his energy and Depravita Aura.

Yet, despite his exhaustion, a wide smile spread across his face. It had only taken one attack to eliminate more than one hundred thousand units of the enemy. The Depravita of Wrath couldn’t help but clench his fists, marveling at how strong he had become. Although his evolution in the Depravita Path had occurred just a few weeks ago, he had killed many powerful aliens on the Kylen Country’s shore and gained a massive amount of Origin Force.

He didn’t have to be left in wonder for long. Vlad spoke aloud, his voice steady despite the fatigue. "A.I. Chip, scan me."