Apocalypse Gachapon

A massive light shield appeared above the Cannibal Chain team, completely enveloping the evolved.

Many of the Cannibal Chain’s mages raised their hands, emitting sustained beams of energy to power the shield.

Though the shield was enormous, it appeared remarkably “solid”—not dazzlingly bright but exuding a plain, unadorned sense of weight.

It was hard to imagine a light shield evoking such a feeling.

Covering the Cannibal Chain members, its size was considerable, yet compared to the guardian beast, it seemed minuscule. The shield’s thickness, which had felt substantial when viewed in isolation, now appeared as thin as paper against the colossal foe.

The faint hope inspired by the shield’s emergence instantly shattered, drawing soft sighs from many Cloud Peak onlookers.

An un-downgraded, thrice-upgraded guardian beast was simply too powerful.

They didn’t hear their leader’s barely audible murmur.

The black rod-like projectiles slammed into the light shield.

Though the screen conveyed no sound, everyone could vividly imagine the shockwaves reverberating across the Bright Star.

Like tolling bells, the rods struck the shield, were repelled, then struck again—a secondary attack that sent chills down spines.

After the first wave, some shield-sustaining evolved collapsed, gulping potions to recover. In their state, recovery was all they could manage.

The second assault arrived swiftly, its force surpassing the first.

This time, the shield shattered on impact.

Gasps erupted among the spectators.

Whether struck by the black rods or other attacks from the guardian beast, the human team’s fate seemed sealed—annihilation in the truest sense.

In this moment, every human felt their fragility against mutated lifeforms.

“Perhaps only those clad in gold-grade or higher defensive gear can survive.”

This thought crossed many Cloud Peak warriors’ minds.

Using equipment to gauge outcomes had become second nature to them.

Yet, the unbelievable unfolded simultaneously.

The Cannibal Chain mages—previously idle under the shield’s protection—raised their hands, staves, or orbs the instant the shield broke.

A terrifying energy coalesced in a breath, forming a cyan beast behind the shield’s remnants.

Small compared to the guardian beast yet large enough to cover the entire team, this energy construct surged forward with a soundless roar, meeting the black rods head-on.

What had overpowered the shield now disintegrated upon contact, vanishing as if never existing.

Most were baffled. Only a handful—Ye Zhongming, Gyanendra, and other top-tier experts—understood.

Magic was widespread in the apocalypse. Many, even top-ranked evolved, coveted spells like Fireball, Wind Blade, or Lightning Strike.

But composite magic? Almost unheard of. Even common spell scrolls like Fireball were pricey, and compiling enough for a grimoire or team book demanded astronomical costs.

Ye Zhongming himself had never considered it.

If even the Cloud Peak King hadn’t, others stood no chance. The crowd stared blankly as the cyan beast lunged at the guardian beast.

The guardian beast’s air jets intensified, propelling it backward while a dozen conical arms spiraled out from its flanks, stabbing downward.

Proportionate to its size, these arms stretched horrifyingly far, closing in on the mages despite the beast’s retreat.

Oddly, the mages stood motionless, as if welcoming death.

“It’s over,” Ye Zhongming murmured again.

Simultaneously, the cyan beast collided with the colossus.

What followed defied belief—a grotesque rending.

The beast dissolved into lightning streaks, slicing through the guardian’s hide like paper. Blood geysered skyward before its dismembered corpse crashed to the ground.

What… was that?

The question echoed in countless minds.

They understood the components—lightning magic, even if the beast-shaped composite was novel—but not its potency.

Those present weren’t pushovers. While not all matched Ye Zhongming, Gyanendra, or the Mechanical Genius, most neared six-star strength.

Their assessment was precise: that guardian beast should’ve been a protracted battle for any team.

Yet the fight lasted under a minute.

This Eastern faction had just intimidated every evolved present.

“These bastards were holding out on us,” Xiao Min muttered, irked that the Cannibal Chain had kept such a trump card. In her Cloud Peak-centric worldview, stronger allies owed greater effort.

As the guardian beast’s corpse faded, a glowing chest appeared at its center—perhaps a reward.

Before scrutiny could begin, the screen vanished, and the Soaring Crystal reappeared.

The second strike was about to commence.

The obese Spade Governor of Great America—lagging in Bright Star occupation until now—stepped forward personally.

Amid the Mechanical Genius’s ongoing tantrum over his lost star and slain guardian, the governor swung.