Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 482: King vs King (III)

Chapter 482: King vs King (III)

"BOOOOOOOOOM!" A burst like a small ballistic explosion echoed as Vlad’s fist landed straight into the face of the Leviathan King, fire and lightning exploding in all directions. That blast would have shattered the face of a Guardian Tier life form, but it only managed to push the Leviathan King a few steps back. The burning wound on its face served only to stoke the monster’s rage further, and it responded with its own punch—one that landed squarely in Vlad’s chest.

"BOOOOOOOOM!"

The Sky Seed Depravita felt every breath in his lungs forcibly ejected, each muscle in his body convulsing in pain. Still, he clenched his teeth, forcing his body to work through the agony in order to deliver a left hook to the monster’s jaw.

"BOOOOOOOM!"

Every blow they exchanged further fractured the ground beneath them, cracks radiating in all directions. The devastation ran so deep that magma began to bubble up from the depths, turning the battlefield into a scorching panorama of molten rock and shattered stone. The air shimmered with waves of heat, making the entire war zone feel like a fierce volcanic plain. Each time they clashed, the tremors widened fissures and sent geysers of lava spraying upward, illuminating their furious struggle in a lurid red glow that only heightened the sense of an apocalyptic duel.

"ARRGGGGHH!" "ARRGGHHHH!!"

The Xaos King and the Leviathan King kept striking each other, roaring in rage with the intent to kill. Both were accumulating catastrophic injuries, wounds blanketing their forms, with blood ejecting in all directions, yet they fought on. Pain and damage were meaningless so long as their minds retained consciousness. On one side stood the embodiment of annihilation, a construct intended to crush worlds, while on the other stood a man burdened with the fate of billions. Every second of this confrontation felt drawn from the pages of legend, and each clash was a testament to the unstoppable might of monster versus man.

Vlad dodged at the last instant, moving to the side as the Leviathan King’s colossal fist whooshed past his head. His eyes blazed with wrathful energy, and he fired a laser beam straight into the Leviathan King’s face.

"AHHHH!" The creature let out a scream of agony as the laser beam bored into its eyes. Yet the danger was far from over.

In the next heartbeat, it felt Vlad gripping it around the waist, raising its massive body, before slamming it into the ground with such overwhelming force that the earth pulverized, provoking a sudden burst of magma to erupt around them. Hot jets of molten rock spewed into the sky, painting the scene with swirls of fire and lava.

Vlad’s vision blurred as his lungs failed him, suffocation clawing at his consciousness. Nonetheless, he clenched his fists and hammered the Leviathan King’s chest, each impact deepening the gashes in the monster’s torso.

"CRACK!"

Vlad’s eyes widened at the sound, recognizing the fracturing of bone. The Leviathan King’s ribcage was finally giving way. Summoning the last vestiges of his energy, Vlad’s eyes glowed with fierce determination. He raised his fist, ready to deliver the shattering blow. Then, without any warning, his entire body seized up.

Horror dawned on the Xoas King as he realized his heart had stopped beating. The punishing toll of his Heart of Wrath had escalated to a fatal level—Vlad’s heart had finally given out under the tremendous strain!

The Leviathan King’s eyes glowed with monstrous ferocity as it sensed the sudden weakness in its rival. Without hesitation, it struck Vlad with its palm, ripping him from atop its chest and sending him hurtling through numerous rocky outcroppings. Each crash sounded like splitting thunder, the terrain disintegrating under the shock of his impact. Earth and shards of stone erupted around him as he tumbled along, his body battered.

Vlad felt his bones shaking apart, his life force fading into the darkness creeping into his vision. In the faint light that remained, he saw the Leviathan King rushing forward, its killing intent sharpening, ready to burst his head like a balloon filled with blood. The final blow for the ultimate enemy of its race was at hand.

But just as the Leviathan King raised its arms for the killing stroke, a brilliance flared—a mace shining like the sun crashed into its head.

Freya’s eyes were bloodshot. Her body pressed to its limits to arrive in time and intercept the monster with her most decisive strike. The Leviathan King’s head rang like a bell from the impact, but it managed to remain upright, responding instantly with a backhand strike aimed at the young Viking princess.

Freya’s eyes widened at the blow’s ferocity. She lifted her mace in a desperate shield-like move just before the Leviathan King’s hand met her. The monstrous backhand shattered her weapon upon contact before smashing her backward into the ground, her torso laced with bloody injuries.

Pain roared through Freya’s entire being, a single blow almost neutralizing her completely. Searing torment burned through her chest and lungs, yet one thought burned in her mind.

’How was he able to endure so much?’ A single blow had nearly shattered her, yet Vlad had fought the Leviathan King for countless minutes, taking hundreds of brutal punches, and still remained upright until moments ago.

Freya did not have time to be lost in her admiration toward the young man, for she was in imminent peril. Though her heart and brain were uninjured, she could not move, and the Leviathan King stared at her with raging malice. She had injured it, dared to hinder its mission, and now it meant to obliterate her. The creature raised both arms, the corded muscles rigid, preparing to bring them down like twin hammers of an onrushing apocalypse and end Freya’s life.

Just as it appeared that the Viking princess’s life was at its end, a single heartbeat resounded.

"THUMP!"

Her entire world seemed to slow as she heard that single, forceful beat—a resurgence of life in the midst of doom. She felt the vibration through the ground as if some unstoppable force had flared back to life.