Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 656: Space vs Gravity (I)

Chapter 656: Space vs Gravity (I)

A small, confident smile appeared on Vlad’s face as he turned around to see the Voroe Sage’s severed head roll across the dusty, rocky ground. Although the attack seemed simple, it required extraordinary precision and immense power, drawing upon nearly every ability in Vlad’s growing arsenal.

The Mark of Cain significantly amplified Vlad’s strength, agility, and—most crucially—his endurance, allowing his body to withstand the tremendous strain that accompanied his next strike.

Coupled with Void Flesh and Astral Singularity Body, Vlad had achieved an exceptional affinity with the Domain of Teleportation, elevating his Void Step to unprecedented heights. His movements had become so rapid, seamless, and undetectable that even a Voroe Sage could not sense him until it was already too late.

Finally, by channeling his energy into the Void Severance Technique, Vlad had managed to sharpen the edge of his sword to a nearly unparalleled degree. It passed effortlessly through the neck of the Voroe Sage, like a blazing hot knife slicing through delicate snow.

Of course, such an exceptional feat was only achievable within Vlad’s Sphere of Spatial Domain. Inside this domain, his manipulation of space had been amplified exponentially, severely limiting his enemy’s ability to react.

Without it, the Voroe Sage would likely have been able to at least sense the Void Step technique and mount a meaningful defense, turning what had been a swift and decisive execution into a drawn-out and dangerous battle.

Not wasting any further time, Vlad quickly collected the scattered pieces of the Voroe Sage’s corpse, carefully storing them within his space ring along with the creature’s own spatial storage device. He immediately departed the area, swiftly moving deeper into the winding passages of the Howling Chasm.

For half an hour, Vlad carefully wandered the labyrinthine canyons. During this brief respite, he diligently analyzed and assimilated his recent experiences, consolidating his deeper understanding of spatial laws and replenishing his depleted energy pool and stamina reserves.

Once he felt his strength fully restored and his comprehension solidified, he eagerly set off once more in search of his next prey.

The following week continued in a similar relentless pattern. Vlad would locate a Voroe Sage, use his enhanced spatial techniques to swiftly dispatch his opponent, absorb critical insights from each encounter, refine his skills, and immediately set out again.

His killing rate quickly became so high that visible tension began to spread through the ranks of the Vorometallicae. While deaths within the Howling Chasm were a regular occurrence, the recent spike had grown too extreme to ignore.

Suspicion rapidly spread among the Voroe ranks; some even began to speculate that a Legend-level cultivator had somehow infiltrated their territory. However, after thoroughly checking their defensive sensor arrays, they confirmed that such an infiltration was impossible.

The Vorometallicae, fierce and warlike by nature, chose not to retreat. Instead, they dispatched increasingly powerful Voroe warriors into the Chasm, determined to find the mysterious attacker causing havoc among their ranks and destroy everything else in their path.

...

Standing proudly atop the mutilated remains of a human corpse was one such powerful Voroe Sage. He stood nearly four meters tall, a terrifying blend of dark flesh fused seamlessly with jagged, obsidian-like minerals. Pulsing veins of molten red energy surged beneath the stone-like surface of his body, and a sinister crown of razor-sharp spikes framed his fiery visage.

The Vorometallicae appeared as an entity born directly from fire and rock, exuding an aura of volcanic might and raw destruction.

Far more horrific, however, was the state of his victim. It was impossible to discern if the bloody remains had once belonged to a man or a woman—every inch had been gruesomely crushed into the ground, leaving only a flattened crimson stain. It appeared as though the unfortunate human had been pulverized by an overwhelming force, leaving behind a scene of absolute carnage.

The Voroe Sage glanced coldly at the corpse, displaying no sympathy. His expression showed only frustration and impatience as he muttered irritably to himself.

"All these weaklings I’ve encountered thus far have been completely ordinary. None could possibly be responsible for the sudden increase in deaths."

His voice rumbled, echoing harshly throughout the canyon walls. He was clearly frustrated by the futility of his task. Attempting to find an unknown enemy hidden within the Howling Chasm—with its sensor-inhibiting effects—was virtually impossible, especially without any clue about their appearance or identity.

"Hmph! Useless ants," he scoffed disdainfully. "They could have at least transmitted some information about their attacker before dying."

Just as the Voroe Sage turned around, ready to continue his fruitless search, his expression changed drastically. His eyes widened in alarm as a sky-blue sphere abruptly manifested around him, instantly covering the entire area.

Not even a fraction of a second later, a black sword brimming with monstrous sundering power materialized mere centimeters from his throat.

The Voroe Sage, although genuinely shocked by the sudden attack, reacted swiftly. Unlike his fallen brethren, who had all perished instantly, this formidable warrior managed to respond at the very last moment. His crimson eyes flashed brightly, and an immense gravitational force exploded outward from his body, violently pushing away everything in its path.

It was now Vlad’s turn to be genuinely surprised. The Voroe’s gravitational ability had manifested shockingly fast and was astonishingly powerful. Although Vlad had intended to deliver a decisive killing blow, he suddenly felt as if he had slammed headfirst into a massive invisible wall that desperately tried to repel him backward.

Yet Vlad did not relent. Clenching his teeth fiercely, he summoned every ounce of wrathful energy and determination. Channeling his Force to the absolute limit, he pushed forward relentlessly, employing the full might of his Void Severance to pierce through the crushing gravitational wave.

A look of astonishment briefly flickered in the Voroe’s eyes, stunned that Vlad was actually able to resist his ability. Although the gravitational wave had failed to stop the attack completely, it bought the Sage just enough time to raise his sturdy arm between the blade and his exposed neck.

A deafening explosion erupted, echoing fiercely across the battlefield as the enormous force threw the Voroe Sage backward violently. Yet, demonstrating incredible martial skill and resilience, he swiftly regained control, stabilizing himself just moments later.

The Voroe Sage’s eyes now burned coldly and dangerously as he glared intensely at Vlad, his attention unwavering.

On the other hand, Vlad could not help but glance at the wound he had inflicted. His strike had sliced deeply into the Voroe’s thick arm, reaching to the bone and leaving a terrible wound that dripped molten-like blood onto the rocky ground.