Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 612: Less than ten seconds

Chapter 612: Less than ten seconds

"Once you begin to make contact with the Laws," Vlad repeated in his mind, "your cultivation Level becomes less important, and your manipulation and control over cosmic forces become far more significant."

This revelation echoed in his thoughts as the robotic voice resounded across the dome, heralding the next challenge.

[Begin!]

No sooner had the voice spoken than the massive Dino Warrior lunged forward. Its initial burst of power was so overwhelming that it shattered the surrounding air with multiple sonic booms.

In the blink of an eye, this colossal foe materialized in front of Vlad, its gigantic axe descending in a devastating arc. Even before the blade reached him, Vlad felt a crushing, suffocating force, as though an entire mountain had slammed down on his shoulders. The pressure nearly locked up his limbs, making it almost impossible to dodge or move.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!"

A split second later, the battlefield reverberated with a thunderous kinetic explosion unleashed by the Dino Warrior’s strike. Vlad was catapulted backward, spiraling through the dome. Yet even as he tumbled, he managed to twist his body and seize control of his momentum mid-flight.

Thanks to that last-second maneuver, his sword took the brunt of the collision instead of his torso, sparing him any grievous injuries. That did not mean he escaped unscathed; an agonizing tremor coursed through his arms and shoulders, his muscles protesting from the colossal impact. Nevertheless, he forced himself to ignore the pain.

Power now flared across his flesh—the full might of the Mark of Cain igniting.

"THUMP!" It did not end with the Runic Set as his heart exploded with power, and wrathful energy surged through every vein in his body, bolstering his physical strength and expanding his energy reserves.

Without hesitation, Vlad darted forward, dark force coalescing around the edge of his sword. The aura of fury in his eyes deepened, intensifying his killing intent. There was no time for caution or fear; the Dino Warrior was an apex-level enemy, and any indecision here would mean death.

Meanwhile, the hulking beast of a warrior did not stand idle. In response to Vlad’s resurgence, the Dino Warrior spun its massive axe in a circular motion.

Vlad felt another suffocating wave of pressure rippling through the air, an invisible barrier that solidified like an immense wall between him and his opponent. It was more than just raw power; it was a manifestation of the Laws of the Dino Warrior—subtle manipulations of cosmic energies that protected the user like an impenetrable shield.

"Amazing," Vlad thought, his fascination momentarily shining through despite the lethal danger.

Even though they were enemies, there was no denying the Dino Warrior’s sheer brilliance in wielding this new iteration of Law-based power.

Vlad was no stranger to universal Laws; in his Second Past Life, he had dabbled in them constantly. Yet, the Laws in this universe behaved differently from what he had once known.

While more challenging to comprehend, the cosmic forces here offered substantially more power for those able to grasp them. Even a sliver of understanding could produce an overwhelming advantage in battle. That meant that the Laws of this universe were even stronger than those of his old home!

But this was not the time for idle musings. Summoning the destructive might bestowed by the Mark, Vlad gathered his wrathful energy in a concentrated burst, hurling it at the invisible barrier in front of him. Space itself seemed to ripple under his onslaught. The intangible wall resisting him began to fray. With an explosive surge of force, he broke through the pressurizing shield and found himself mere paces away from the Dino Warrior.

A flicker of what looked like astonishment crossed the energy construct’s features as though it hadn’t anticipated Vlad’s ability to quickly breach that defense. Still, it wasted no time in retaliating, swinging the enormous axe again. This time, the axe’s edge no longer exuded that all-encompassing pressure—but it remained a lethal instrument.

"Its power is finite," Vlad reasoned. The moment it had employed the pressure, there was a small delay before it could unleash another.

This was Vlad’s opening. Seizing the advantage, he relied on his A.I. Chip to predict the trajectory of the axe. In a near-blinding burst of speed, he slipped under the weapon’s path, dodging it at the very last heartbeat.

Reappearing at the Dino Warrior’s flank, Vlad poured a wave of Depravita Aura into his sword, amplifying its destructive potential. He slashed upward, caring through the Dino Warrior’s ribs and seeking to reach the neck in one fluid motion.

The Depravita of Wrath’s eyes glimmered with predatory focus; if he could land a decisive blow, the battle might end in an instant.

But before he could finish the attack, a blast of force slammed into his chest like a battering ram. Vlad was hurled across the dome, his back colliding with the translucent walls. A jarring impact stole his breath, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Pain radiated through his ribcage as he sank to one knee, momentarily stunned by the crushing strike.

"Dammit!" he growled through gritted teeth as he saw that the attack came from the Dino Warrior’s tail.

None of the previous Dino Warrior constructs had utilized a tail attack, causing him to neglect that possibility in the heat of combat, which was a great mistake.

Vlad’s chest still throbbed, and his breathing was ragged. The damage was contained thanks to Jormungandr’s armor—had he faced that strike unprotected, it might have been fatal. Even so, a web of cracks now marred the chestplate, a grim testament to the Dino Warrior’s monstrous strength.

Vlad forced himself upright, ignoring the ache in his lungs. With effort, he focused on the Dino Warrior again, searching for any sign of weakness, and a small smile appeared as he saw the slash he had managed to inflict earlier had expanded across the beast’s right ribcage, fracturing that region.

Through the deep rend in its side, dark, crackling energy radiated outward—a sign that the Mark of Cain was siphoning the Dino Warrior’s power, enhancing Vlad’s strength and resilience.

Seeing that the Dino Warrior was hurt fueled Vlad’s determination. Clenching his sword, he once again adopted an offensive stance. The Dino Warrior mirrored his action, hoisting its axe with both hands. Despite the savage gash across its ribs, it refused to falter.

The two combatants’ gazes locked, each silently acknowledging that the other was a formidable opponent.

Less than ten seconds had passed since the start of the confrontation, yet both parties had inflicted serious injuries. That fact spoke volumes about the perilous nature of high-tier battles. The difference between victory and defeat often hinged on a single miscalculation, and even the smallest oversight could be deadly.