Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 478: Awakening

Chapter 478: Awakening

As the headless body of the Multi-Arm Leviathan Lord fell to the ground, the entire battlefield froze for a second, a collective shudder rippling through hundreds of thousands of simultaneous fights. It was as if a wave of shock jolted all humans and Leviathans alike. Here stood one of the paragons of the battlefield, a being whose power could rival that of a hundred thousand soldiers—or perhaps even more. Now it lay motionless, its head rolling across the dirt, the eyes in that severed head gone blank in death.

Of course, the demise of the Multi-Arm Leviathan Lord came as terrible news for the Hive Mind, but for every human soldier fighting for survival, it filled their hearts with a thrilling sense of hope. That momentary pause broke almost as quickly as it had come. The bloodshed resumed with renewed intensity, human forces striking with even more ferocity, their blades, and spells ravaging entire swaths of Leviathans, slaughtering tens of thousands with each sweeping wave of attacks.

Yet the Hive Mind’s troubles had only begun. The instant the Multi-Arm Leviathan Lord was dispatched, Overlord turned his focus to the Draco Leviathan Lord. The Divine Avatar was still reeling from the backlash of using his partial Omniscient Gaze, and he had consumed a massive amount of Divine Force to perform Nightfall, his most potent technique. Even so, a great deal of power remained in him. He demonstrated as much by dashing straight toward the Draco Leviathan Lord.

The sight of the Divine Avatar’s sword filled the Draco Leviathan Lord with an acute sense of danger. Unfortunately for the monster, focusing on Overlord proved a fatal mistake because Vlad appeared in front of it the next second, fists wreathed in fire and lightning. With no time to redirect its full attention, the Leviathan Lord barely raised its fist in time to block Vlad’s barrage of punches. Almost immediately, it had to step aside again—another slash hurtled toward it, leaving a vicious cut across its scaled back. Sensing the peril in close quarters, the Leviathan Lord flapped its wings and propelled itself into the air, seeking greater freedom to dodge attacks.

Vlad and Overlord’s auras burst with killing intent. Both knew that if they managed to eliminate the Draco Leviathan Lord too, victory over the Leviathan Race would be all but guaranteed. Without hesitation, they rose into the sky, chasing after their airborne foe. The Leviathan Lord snarled, its single-minded fury fueling a desperate retreat. Yet flight alone would not so easily shake off two adversaries who had already slain one of its brethren.

They clashed in midair, the Draco Leviathan Lord lashing out with a savage combination of swiping claws and snapping jaws. Overlord closed his eyes, his body moving almost mechanically, evading each deadly blow by mere inches. Meanwhile, Vlad channeled his Heart of Wrath, darting in whenever the Leviathan Lord left an opening. A fist ignited with flame crashed into the beast’s flank, momentarily staggering it. The Leviathan Lord retaliated with a tail swipe that Overlord deflected using his sword, the sound of metal on scale echoing across the windblown skies.

The Leviathan Lord, determined not to go down as easily as its comrade, unleashed a deafening roar. It unleashed a savage barrage of attacks, each of them carrying immense power. Vlad grit his teeth, pushing past claw strikes to land another punch on the creature’s face. Overlord, seizing that distraction, swung his weapon in an upward slash that grazed the Leviathan’s wing membrane, hindering its flight.

Still, the Draco Leviathan Lord persevered. Even as blood oozed from its wounds, it refused to yield to despair. Like a wounded predator, it attacked with a wild but cunning ferocity, striking at angles that kept Vlad and Overlord from fully cornering it. Each time they tried to flank the beast, it used the air currents and its massive wingspan to push them back, all the while hissing in unbridled rage.

In a decisive maneuver, Vlad soared higher than the Leviathan Lord, forcing the beast to tilt its head upward. Overlord capitalized on that split-second distraction, lunging in from behind. With preternatural reflexes, the Draco Leviathan Lord whipped around, swiping Overlord’s blade aside. Though it prevented a fatal blow, it left itself open for Vlad’s scorching punch. The Depravita of Wrath’s fiery fist connected with the Leviathan’s jaw, sending arcs of flame dancing across its scales.

Staggered but still not beaten, the Draco Leviathan Lord roared again, bellowing its defiance into the chaotic skies. Vlad and Overlord exchanged glances, and grim determination mirrored in their eyes. They knew this Leviathan Lord would not easily succumb, yet they pressed on, intensifying their assault. More blasts of flame, more lightning-charged strikes, more slashes of Overlord’s sword. The Leviathan Lord evaded what it could, absorbing damage with its thick hide when avoidance was impossible. The sky lit up with each collision, brilliant flashes that illuminated the carnage below.

At last, Vlad and Overlord managed to corner the Draco Leviathan Lord in a higher section of the sky where escape routes dwindled. With a perfectly timed attack, Vlad’s fist and Overlord’s sword simultaneously struck the beast’s chest. The impact unleashed a shockwave so potent that it rattled the very clouds. The Leviathan Lord’s body was sent hurtling downward, a trail of streaming blood leaking from its grievous wounds. Without pausing, Vlad and Overlord dove after it, energy flaring around them like twin comets descending from the heavens.

The monster slammed into the earth, forming a massive crater upon impact. Yet even battered and bleeding, the Draco Leviathan Lord clung to life. It mustered enough energy to dodge Overlord’s sword thrust, moving aside at the last moment so the blade sank deep into the ground instead. But Vlad seized the opening, slamming a blow into the creature’s chest. The strike tore open old wounds, forcing the Leviathan Lord to crash across the shattered earth with an agonized roar.

Together, Vlad and Overlord beheld the Leviathan’s failing strength. The Draco Leviathan Lord looked barely capable of standing, let alone fighting. Its wounds gushed blood, its ragged breathing audible above the din of battle. The two stepped forward, determination blazing in their auras, ready to deliver the final blow. Then it happened.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!"

A colossal explosion of seemingly immeasurable vital force erupted behind them, emanating from none other than the obsidian obelisk., followed by a shattering sound that echoed like thunder.

"CRACK!"

Before Vlad could even process what was happening, a massive fist was launched toward him. The Depravita of Wrath barely had time to raise his arm, bones breaking under the raw power of the blow. His body was sent flying at shocking velocity, his mind reeling as pain seared through him.