Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 474: A battle of Gods and men (I)

Chapter 474: A battle of Gods and men (I)

The Draco Leviathan Lord was moving outside the sea of explosions, its hulking form outlined by the flames and debris scattered across the battlefield. It had navigated the inferno with swift, predatory grace, weaving between blasts that sent lesser creatures flying.

Yet just as the Leviathan Lord believed itself free from immediate peril, its eyes widened in alarm. Before it could muster a reaction, Vlad materialized in front of it, his presence radiating raw power like a thundercloud charged with lightning. The Depravita of Wrath carried within him an overwhelming energy, his very heartbeat fueling his body’s strength to an unimaginable level.

The moment Vlad engaged Heart of Wrath at its peak, his aura intensified to the point that the air around him vibrated. Each beat of his heart pounded like a drumroll on the brink of war. Without a word, he launched himself at the Leviathan Lord, tackling the massive creature with such force that its colossal frame was driven back through the air. Together, they crashed into the obsidian obelisk, the hardest structure in all of Terra.

"ROOOAARR!"

A roar of pain erupted from the Draco Leviathan Lord, echoing over the scorched terrain. The impact of Vlad’s charge, combined with the unyielding nature of the obelisk, sent tremors through the creature’s massive body. The obsidian surface offered no give, amplifying the force of the collision. Cracks radiated through the ground beneath them, a testament to the magnitude of their clash.

Despite the searing pain that coursed through its bones, the Draco Leviathan Lord did not surrender. Its fierce spirit remained unbroken. With jagged teeth clenched, it raised its huge fists, merging them into a single hammer-like weapon. A guttural sound escaped its maw as it swung downward. The hammer-fists smashed into Vlad’s back with such overwhelming power that a thunderous crack reverberated through the battlefield, signaling the fracture of his armor.

Vlad felt the impact in every cell of his body. His spine threatened to snap under the brute force, propelling him downward until he collided with the ground. He hit the earth so violently that a crater formed upon impact, sending a storm of debris spiraling into the air. The pain was blinding, sharp, and unyielding. Yet, even with agony lancing through his back, Vlad refused to concede defeat. Digging deep into his reserves of wrath, he forced himself upright. His blazing eyes locked onto the Leviathan Lord’s position.

A guttural growl tore from Vlad’s throat as he fired a laser beam. It caught the Draco Leviathan Lord off-guard, striking it mid-flight and propelling the beast even higher into the sky. Freed momentarily from its assault, Vlad crouched in the middle of the crater, gathering his energy in a vivid display of building power.

Then, with a deafening boom, Vlad launched himself upward in pursuit of the Leviathan Lord. His entire form was like a comet blazing across the sky, leaving contrails of fury in his wake. The shockwave produced by his ascent rippled outward, scattering hundreds of lesser Leviathans who had been drawn to the tumult.

"RUMBEL!"

Barely seconds later, the spot where Vlad had been standing erupted as another colossal figure tore through it. The Multi-Arm Leviathan Lord rolled violently across the battlefield, crushing hundreds of drones beneath its uncontrollable momentum. Eventually, it dug its vicious claws into the ground to stop itself, debris and shattered carapaces strewn in its wake. Its eyes burned with a hatred reserved for only the most despised adversaries.

Hovering in midair, Overlord descended with a measured calm. The Divine Avatar radiated a brilliant, sun-like aura, his katana gleaming as though forged from starlight. As he came within striking distance, the Multi-Arm Leviathan Lord roared out a hateful shriek.

"SHRIKKK!"

Its many limbs writhed as it lunged at Overlord, each arm propelled by immeasurable rage. Overlord’s own eyes remained closed, his expression unruffled. He sidestepped three of the arms, lowering his head just in time to avoid their deadly arcs. His katana flashed, neutralizing two additional limbs in a single fluid sweep. Finally, Overlord spun and delivered a precise kick that struck the monster’s chest, driving it back.

The Multi-Arm Leviathan Lord was no weaker than any of its fellow Leviathan Lords, and Overlord, despite his prowess, did not outclass the Sky Seed Depravitas in raw power. However, Overlord possessed an asset none of the others could boast: he was, at his core, an artificial intelligence. After encountering this Leviathan Lord once, he could replicate that fight a thousand times in his memory, analyzing each nuance and potential variable. While this was only the second time they had faced one another, Overlord had cataloged every move the Multi-Arm Leviathan Lord could make—unless it ventured beyond its nature, something it was not truly capable of doing.

"SHRIKKK!"

Another shriek burst from the Multi-Arm Leviathan Lord as it triggered the chemical reactions of its unique power. Its arms bulged grotesquely, turning metallic as though forged in a twisted crucible of living steel. With renewed fury, it lunged at Overlord once more. Even a perfect defense could break if the opponent’s power was overwhelming, and Overlord recognized this truth. Adopting a stance that balanced offense and defense, he prepared for the assault.

"KLANG! KLANG! KLANG! KLANG! KLANG! KLANG!"

The battlefield resounded with a discordant symphony of metal colliding with metal. Overlord’s katana clashed repeatedly with the Leviathan’s newly formed limbs, neither combatant yielding an inch. Their movements blurred, leaving afterimages that danced like ghosts in the hellish light of a raging war. Their exchange spanned hundreds of blows in under a minute, both sides refusing to submit.

It was then that Overlord opened his left eye.

The Omniscient Gaze brought about an immediate transformation in the battle’s tempo. Overlord’s perception expanded beyond the normal limits, letting him read each attack with uncanny precision. He dashed forward, threading through the Leviathan’s onslaught like a needle through cloth. In a decisive move, he jumped and delivered a kick directly to the monster’s jaw, launching it upward with brutal force.

The consequences of activating Omniscient Gaze were immediate, even though Overlord had used only one eye. The strain wreaked havoc on his synthetic body, sparks of pain rippling through his internal systems. Yet he pressed on, determined not to let this opportunity slip away.

The Multi-Arm Leviathan Lord flung into the air and struggled to regain control of its limbs. But before it could recover, two massive serpents, each measuring over three hundred meters and entangled with one another, slammed into the Leviathan Lord. The force of their collision crushed the monster between them, reverberations of the impact echoing through the atmosphere.

Down below, the Kraken Leviathan Lord found itself equally imperiled. Its enormous body was bound up with the World Snake, leaving the colossal Leviathan thrashing and bucking as it tried to break free. Momentarily, it succeeded, forcing its way out of the coils. With savage intent, it opened its colossal maw, ready to snap down on its enemy. Yet, in that instant, a radiant mace crashed onto its head, jarring its massive skull and diverting its lethal bite.

Freya, standing atop the World Snake, wore a fierce smile. Having landed that crucial blow, she wasted no time. Her focus remained sharp as she moved with fluid agility, leaping back onto the World Snake’s head. The Kraken’s tentacles flailed wildly in retaliation, but Freya dodged each lashing strike with practiced ease, determined to maintain her advantage.