Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 513: Killing Monsters

Chapter 513: Killing Monsters

Far to the north of the battleground where Freya, Grand Marshal Angius, and their battalion were sealing demon souls, lay a vast, brooding forest—so dense that most outsiders shunned it as a death trap. To the people of Ocenis, this swath of dark foliage was a place they dared not venture. The reason was simple: it was inhabited by a savage Monster that had caused the death of anyone foolish enough to get near the forest.

These creatures bore a passing resemblance to polar bears, but any comparison to ordinary beasts ended there. These Monsters were larger, leaner, and tainted by a ferocity that seemed almost rabid. Their most distinguishing feature was their vicious claws—tools of pure horror that they used not only to kill but also to flay their victims alive, peeling skin off to feast on later. Locals had named them "Flayers" precisely because of this gory practice.

Worse still was the Flayers’ apparent lack of any natural restraint. Many Monsters would attack only when hunting for food or defending their territory. But the Flayers showed no such purpose. As soon as they detected even the faintest sign of life, they would descend upon it without mercy, killing indiscriminately and reveling in the terror of their prey. Some unfortunate souls, so horrified by the brutality of these beasts, had chosen to take their own lives rather than face the torment of being ripped apart by Flayer claws.

Over time, the Flayers’ power eclipsed that of every other monstrous pack in the region, and they became the undisputed rulers of the forest’s grim domain. Their numbers grew unchecked, as did the number of their victims. In that dreadful place, day after day, the Flayers would prowl for prey, leaving slaughtered remains scattered in their wake.

This day, however, held a surprise that even the Flayers could not anticipate. As they roused themselves to march beyond the forest’s borders and scour for victims, the ground began to tremble. The Flayers exchanged uneasy glances as the tremors intensified, drawing closer. Suddenly, a thundering army of hundreds of thousands of creatures poured into the dark forest, attacking the Flayers with merciless, single-minded intent.

These invaders were not demons, devils, or angels—nor any other kind of Monster. They were Thiamatos units: Amphibious Killers and Water Draconites. Well-trained and coldly efficient, they tore into the Flayers with a ferocity that matched their own, yet with an organizational discipline that left the Flayers reeling in confusion. Moving with pincer formations and seamless teamwork, the Thiamatos forces waded into their foes.

The Flayers fought back viciously. Their claws raked across amphibian scales and reptilian hides, and their snarls filled the gloom beneath the forest canopy. Yet they soon realized that these Thiamatos units knew no fear of death. Even when mortally wounded, an Amphibious Killer would keep clawing and biting until its enemy was too damaged to recover. The Water Draconites used their fangs to pierce thick fur, ensuring that any Flayer unlucky enough to be wounded would be easy pickings for the rest of the group.

At the center of the carnage stood the Flayers’ leader: a monstrous being towering over thirty meters tall. Its fur bristled with primal rage, and its massive claws gleamed with lethal promise. Though it felt some confusion at the appearance of these strange invaders, its savage instincts quickly shoved such doubts aside.

"ROOOOAAARRR!" Roaring its defiance, the colossal Flayer charged into battle. One swipe of its claws eviscerated entire squads of Amphibious Killers, tossing shredded limbs to the ground. Even the Water Draconites found themselves flung aside, unable to stand against the Guardian-Tier creature.

But the leader’s rampage did not last long.

Just as it was about to annihilate a cluster of Amphibious Killers, a blazing figure descended from above.

"BOOOOMM!" The impact rocked the forest floor with a thunderous blast, sending Flayers and Thiamatos units alike tumbling through the air.

By the time the dust settled, the new arrival had revealed itself as a majestic, flame-wreathed dragon, his claws pinning the Guardian-Tier monster’s skull to the ground with monstrous strength. The very earth cracked beneath the beast’s head, and the leader of the Flayers—once so certain of its power—felt absolute terror for the first time in a very long time.

It realized, too late, that it had been nothing more than a lowly predator in the presence of a far greater force.

Fafnir gazed down at the pinned creature with cold detachment. A flicker of deeper thought passed through his eyes as he spoke, his voice resonating with draconic authority.

"Killing to survive, to protect your own kind—that is part of the natural order," he said. "Killing to grow stronger, to claim necessary sustenance—I can abide by that. But killing for pleasure, to revel in the pain and despair of your prey, is a perversion of nature. Monsters like you have no place in this world."

Fafnir did not care whether the Flayer leader understood his words; in truth, the reflection was for himself. He was grappling with his own evolving understanding of strength, cruelty, and the fine line between survival and brutality. Without another word, the flame-wreathed dragon pressed his claw down with finality, crushing the creature’s skull in one decisive blow.

The rest of the Flayers, witnessing their ruler’s bloody end, dissolved into panic. Shrieking in terror, they tried to flee deeper into the forest’s shadows, but it was already too late. The Thiamatos units had formed a flawless perimeter around the dark woodland, hemming the Flayers in on all sides. Their escape routes were cut off; in their frenzy, the beasts only hastened their own demise.

And so the slaughter continued. The savage roars of the Flayers gave way to desperate wails. What had been the Flayers’ home ground became their graveyard, stained with fur and gore. When it was over, the once-dreaded Flayers lay scattered in the dirt, their numbers decimated.

Fafnir saw everything from the sky. He no longer interfered in the battle and focused on controlling the Thiamatos units.