Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 662: Kun Peng Divine Armor (I)

Chapter 662: Kun Peng Divine Armor (I)

When Vlad’s turn arrived at the parchments, he carefully engraved his own name, followed by those of Jormungandr, Ouroboros, and Fafnir. Finally, he inscribed the name "Sugar," the fierce-headed ogre warrior selected by Janus.

After all the Sages finished, the warriors once again stood firmly at attention, eyes shifting toward Elder Damian.

The old elder scanned the parchments, nodding with a satisfied expression before lifting his gaze and speaking to the assembled men and women. His voice carried undeniable authority as it reverberated throughout the room.

"Very well. Seven days from now, all of you must march to the Korokor Mountains without fail. Anyone who does not appear within this timeframe will be declared a traitor to the Golden Sky Fortress."

As Elder Damian reached the last part of his announcement, his gaze turned ice-cold, radiating a chilling aura filled with murderous intent.

The Sages felt a sudden weight pressing on their shoulders, realizing that being marked as traitors meant not only the Golden Sky Fortress but the entire Graecia Empire would relentlessly hunt them down—an outcome not even Legends could survive.

Yet, immediately following the stern warning, Elder Damian’s severe expression softened somewhat, his next words bringing excitement and anticipation back into the eyes of the warriors.

"As of this moment, all items available at the Military Logistic Center are half-price. Take full advantage of this opportunity to prepare yourselves properly."

Greed and excitement surged within the hearts of every Sage present. Without needing any further urging, Elder Damian dismissed them, signaling for the Imperial Knights to escort them out of the castle.

The moment Vlad, Janus, and Agamenon exited the castle grounds, the three warriors exchanged glances filled with urgency and swiftly raced back to the fortress’s middle ring.

They were determined to reach the Military Logistic Center before the rest of the Sages swarmed the place. Within minutes, the trio arrived at the large, imposing building, swiftly pushing through the entrance and heading directly to the reception area.

At the desk stood Oliver, the ever-calm and pragmatic attendant, who greeted the three powerful Sages with his usual composure. He nodded respectfully toward each of them, his demeanor steady and unaffected by their impressive backgrounds.

"Welcome. How can I assist you?"

"I need potions and magical treasures," Agamenon answered without hesitation, stepping forward first.

Oliver quickly nodded and showed a virtual screen, efficiently responding to the Solaris Family heir’s requests. Agamenon quickly purchased dozens of high-quality healing potions, energy replenishment potions, and spell-enhancement potions. He didn’t stop there, however; he also selected several impressive magical treasures.

Vlad discreetly examined these treasures using the power of his A.I. Chip, quickly recognizing their tremendous power. Some were single-use items so potent they could even eliminate a Half-Step Legend.

Clearly, Agamenon intended to spare no expense, investing every credit he possessed to ensure survival. After all, credits were meaningless if you perished on the battlefield.

Once Agamenon concluded his purchases, Janus swiftly took his place at the counter. Much like his cousin, the Imperial Prince acquired a vast array of potions—ranging from recovery and stamina-boosting to mana-restoring and agility-enhancing varieties.

However, unlike Agamenon, Janus invested significantly in war puppets, acquiring half a dozen powerful Peak Sage Tier constructs.

This choice intrigued Vlad. War puppets were undoubtedly potent weapons, but they required careful manipulation, which was difficult for warriors who needed to focus on personal combat.

Unless deployed perfectly, even ordinary Sages could easily dismantle such puppets. Vlad felt puzzled by Janus’s choice but chose not to comment, instead concentrating on his own preparations.

Both Janus and Agamenon skipped purchasing weapons or armor, as their respective families had already provided them with gear specifically tailored to their cultivation techniques and bloodlines.

However, Vlad’s circumstances were different. His last brutal encounter with the Half-Step Legend Voroe Sage—an attack that had shattered half of his helmet—was a clear indication that he urgently needed to upgrade his equipment.

His eyes swiftly scanned through the list of available armors, finally pausing as they settled on a particular set.

"Kun Peng Divine Armor."

Even its name radiated an aura of strength and overwhelming power. An intricate virtual image of the armor hovered before Vlad’s eyes, showing it as an exceptional masterpiece of divine craftsmanship.

The armor was forged from deep navy-blue metallic material with an iridescent sheen reminiscent of stormy skies meeting ocean depths. Its full-body design was highly angular and aggressive, with razor-edged pauldrons shaped like outstretched wings and jagged plating resembling the mythical Kun Peng’s scales, feathers, and fins.

Sky-blue runes pulsed rhythmically across its chest plate, gauntlets, and greaves—each rune carved with symbols representing cosmic balance and celestial fury.

The helmet was sleek and demonic, bird-like in form, with a downward-sloping, luminous V-shaped visor and crown-like black horns arcing backward, reminiscent of a diving hawk.

It appeared almost alive, with lightning flickering along every bladed edge and arcs of celestial energy dancing through etched grooves and channels on its surface.

"According to its description, it was forged from the corpse of an Emptiness Creature..." Vlad muttered, his voice tinged with excitement and awe. His eyes sparkled brightly at the armor’s origin, his heart racing at the implications.

Through his studies of Graecia Empire records, Vlad had discovered references to Emptiness Zones, mysterious places existing beyond the domains of both The Light and The Darkness.

These regions, filled with chaos and distorted Laws, were so hazardous that even Legends could easily lose themselves and never return. A creature capable of surviving and thriving within such a perilous realm was undoubtedly formidable, making any armor crafted from its remains supremely valuable.

However, as Vlad examined the armor’s astronomical cost, his excitement wavered slightly. Despite amassing extraordinary wealth thanks to his recent deals with the empire, purchasing the Kun Peng Divine Armor would still consume an astonishing 80% of his current fortune—even after factoring in the generous 50% discount.

"There’s no point in hoarding wealth if I don’t survive long enough to spend it. A life-saving armor is worth every credit," Vlad affirmed silently, steeling himself.

He raised his gaze toward Oliver, who waited calmly for his decision.

"I will purchase the Kun Peng Divine Armor."