Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 710: The end of a High Legend

Chapter 710: The end of a High Legend

Vlad emerged from the crater slowly, his body strained, but his eyes sharp. He looked up just in time to see the Legendary Vorometallicae fleeing the battlefield with all his strength, wings trailing smoke, his figure a mangled silhouette of the predator he once was.

Vlad clenched his fist. He wanted to chase after Sebastian, to finish him and take out a powerful tool of the Void Heart Fortress, but he simply didn’t have the strength.

Though he had succeeded in luring Sebastian into a trap—concealing his Sphere of Spatial Domain until the last possible second—the battle had drained him completely.

His Depravita Aura had nearly run dry, barely keeping his regeneration functional in those final moments. The last remnants of his energy had gone into cloaking his hands to land that brutal strike into Sebastian’s back.

"Ahh... I suppose gravely wounding him is good enough," Vlad muttered, exhaling as he accepted the outcome.

But just as he began to lower his guard, a subtle fluctuation in space made his eyes narrow.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

A scream—raw, primal, absolute agony—echoed across the sky. Vlad turned in shock just in time to see a figure materialize directly in Sebastian’s escape path.

Spartacus.

The Space Master’s blade cleaved through the Legendary Vorometallciae in a single, perfect arc—from the right shoulder to the left hip—cutting him cleanly in two.

Spartacus’s eyes remained cold, devoid of emotion. The moment he ended Sebastian’s life, he vanished again. The next second, he reappeared high above the battlefield. Without a word, he lifted his blade and plunged it downward—not into the ground, but into the very fabric of space itself.

To the untrained eye, it looked like the sword simply disappeared. But Vlad, with his understanding of the Law of Space, saw it for what it truly was.

Moments later, replicas of that sword began erupting all across the battlefield—dozens, maybe hundreds—each blade targeting and piercing the hearts or skulls of the most powerful remaining Vorometallciae: the Sages and Half-Step Legends who had survived the initial waves.

It was a devastating spectacle. The air itself shimmered with residual spatial energy. The remaining Korokor warriors stood in stunned silence, gazing upward at Spartacus as if a god had descended.

Even Vlad, still hovering amidst the aftermath of his own battle, found himself speechless. He could comprehend the sheer depth of power behind the attack, and just how hight the control over the Law of Space it required

A rueful smile crept onto the Depravita of Wrath’s face. "I was wrong to put Sebastian and Spartacus in the same category... That energy I sensed from Spartacus before... it was only the tip of the iceberg."

Still, he didn’t linger in thought. Calmly, he rose into the air again, lifted by the power of his Demon Soul. Abyssal energy wrapped around him like a cloak.

High above the battlefield, the two masters of space met each other’s gaze and exchanged a respectful nod. Neither spoke. There was no need to. Spartacus had already culled every real threat; the remaining Vorometallciae were no longer dangerous, only obstacles for the Korokor troops to handle.

Under their watchful eyes, the Korokor soldiers launched the final wave.

With the last of the enemy elites fallen, the artificially-enhanced Vorometallicae were systematically hunted down and destroyed. The battlefield was once more cleared, silence descending like a shroud.

"Heal the wounded, bury our comrades, and cleanse the battlefield."

Vlad’s voice echoed powerfully across the field, even as adrenaline still pulsed in the veins of his soldiers.

Without hesitation, the Korokor Stronghold forces began to carry out their duties. Some tended to the injured, others formed lines to collect the dead. The blood-soaked earth began, slowly, to return to order.

Seeing all was under control, Vlad turned to Spartacus. After a moment of silent understanding between them, both men rose higher into the sky. Thick clouds, still charged with remnants of destructive energy, veiled their forms as they ascended.

"I must say, I’m beyond impressed, young man," Spartacus began, his tone even and sincere. "It’s been, what, less than two years? And you’ve gone from barely managing to survive against a Half-Step Legend... to gravely wounding a High Legend like Sebastian."

Vlad smiled faintly and nodded in acknowledgment, accepting the praise with quiet pride.

"It means a lot coming from someone like you."

Among the higher ranks of Graecia, there were few Vlad respected more than Marshal Maximo and Spartacus. Both were incredibly powerful, yes—but it was their honor, their integrity, and the way they wielded power with purpose that earned Vlad’s admiration. They were warriors worthy of emulation.

After that brief exchange of respect, Spartacus’s expression turned serious. His eyes locked onto Vlad with a gaze as sharp as a blade.

"Tell me honestly—just how strong are you now?"

Vlad’s smile faded slightly. That question was one he had avoided for a long time. Revealing the full scope of his power was something he typically preferred not to do. But this moment felt different—he sensed that Spartacus wasn’t asking out of idle curiosity.

After a few seconds of silence, Vlad chose to answer truthfully.

"Without my Divine Treasures, I can fight toe-to-toe with a Legendary Vorometallciae—even one at Level 25, like Asuru. With enough time, and by outlasting them, I can win."

He paused, letting the weight of that statement hang in the air before continuing.

"And when I use the three Divine Treasures I currently wield, I can fight a High Legend like Sebastian. If I focus everything on offense, using my instant regeneration to sustain myself, I can defeat someone at that level—though not without a cost. I would likely have to retreat immediately after."

Spartacus nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. He accepted the analysis without question.

But Vlad wasn’t done.

"My body," he added quietly, "is already approaching the threshold of the Legendary Tier. When I cross it... my strength will rise again. Sharply."

Spartacus remained silent for a moment, then gave one more nod of approval as a small smile arose on his face.

"Good. Then you will have the power to survive what is coming."