Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 1856: Biggest improvement

The key to turning the tide of the battle truly rested on Helsky and Yang Tuo.

Yet, once the clash ignited, the Cloud Peak King's fierce drive surged to life completely.

Far too scarce were the foes who let him unleash without restraint. Inevitably, the paths Ye Zhongming had crossed so far brimmed with extremes.

Usually, he overpowered them without needing his utmost effort. For the rare exceptions, even his maximum power fell short.

Those exceptions often hailed from the universe's native warriors.

At last, Ye Zhongming faced rivals on equal footing today.

More accurately, he held a slight edge against him. This gap wasn't too wide, sparking Ye Zhongming's urge to push forward.

Embracing that mindset, Ye Zhongming shed all hesitation. After all, failure here wouldn't derail the original strategy. Victory, though, would elevate everything!

Thus, he poured every ounce into the final moments of his bloodline's power.

As the saying goes, battles—particularly those teetering on the brink of death or pushing personal boundaries—spark the deepest human potential, fueling rapid growth in power. Ye Zhongming couldn't agree more.

Ever since arriving among the stars, from the pathetic trial after his gear vanished to the brutal newbie arena spanning under two cycles, Ye Zhongming endured nonstop trials. Any slip meant downfall and demise. The Hawkins pair, fueled by earthly grudges, hounded him without mercy, tautening every challenge to its limit. The tiniest lapse from Ye Zhongming spelled his end.

Somehow, he'd endured and even grown stronger. Now, Ye Zhongming itched to gauge his progress.

The dark form looming overhead marked his biggest leap forward.

An enhanced... actually, an evolved take on Twin Poison Shadows.

Truth be told, this skill barely resembled its original anymore. Credit went to Ye Zhongming's vast, ocean-deep mental energy, boosted immensely after devouring the Nether Star Domain folks' essence.

Back then, that explosive dark mass served as Ye Zhongming's lifeline for evasion and retaliation.

This current version stemmed from his relentless refinement during this stretch.

Once the dark form materialized, it plunged down, swallowing Ye Zhongming whole.

Unsure of its nature, and haunted by the prior massive shadow's impact on the Hawkins duo, they pulled back warily.

In truth, this shadow lacked the prior one's immense dread. It resembled Ye Zhongming's silhouette scaled up massively. To put it simply, the dark giant towered like a six-story structure, spanning over ten meters wide and thick.

Imposing in stature yet not overwhelmingly so.

From outside, Ye Zhongming vanished inside it, radiating intense menace.

Suddenly, the dark giant parted its jaws wide.

The motion proved subtle at first. Viewers below craned necks upward, and though vast, the head remained the slimmest part. Mimicking Ye Zhongming's traits, a mere black maw's yawn blended faintly.

Only when it gaped halfway did the crowd spot it.

Before anyone could respond, a thunderous bellow erupted from the shadow's throat!

In a flash, the Hawkins group reeled, while even Jie Kui and his allies paled, fighting vertigo as they fled the epicenter. Staying put risked their minds shattering from the unrelenting blast.

This assault hit as raw mental force, the crudest, most savage kind—striking all without mercy.

Among Ye Zhongming's allies, only He fared decently. Her mental reserves, rich in volume and purity, plus the safer distance, cushioned the blow. Helsky and Yang Tuo, robust in their own right, merely felt queasy and backed away. Jie Kui stumbled rearward too, hauling the feeblest Shi Kangbu—whose weak mind buckled instantly, knocking him out cold from Ye Zhongming's roar.

The Hawkins crew suffered variably: Wade held up, just with blood trickling from his nose. Yaka fared worse, swaying dizzily in place before blacking out, yanked back by Wade.

Aimusi and Hawkins took the hardest hits as prime marks and nearest foes. Though conscious, paralysis gripped them, senses of sight and scent vanishing briefly.

Post-roar, the shadow hoisted its right arm skyward and slammed it toward Hawkins.

A thunderous crash buried Hawkins in the sands.

Next, it swung a leg, booting Aimusi as her sight flickered back.

Bellowing, striking, stomping—the barrage left the Hawkins pair reeling in confusion.

The shadow's strikes moved deliberately, but the mental blast robbed the duo of response time.

Aimusi slammed into a distant rock, halting amid scattering debris that splintered trees a dozen meters off. She clambered to a kneel, head throbbing as she hacked up a gush of blood.

Since bonding her power to the armor, such wounds had eluded her.

That boot's raw force proved overwhelming.

Indeed, no fancy traits—just sheer, brutal might.

As blood spewed, she glanced at her gear. The impact zone bore a deep gouge, with hairline fractures spidering from the core.

She deemed it inconceivable. Sure, the suit mended itself, but tests showed even Hawkins's bloodline-fueled skill at full tilt merely scratched it, jarring her inside.

Did this shadow's casual boot outmatch her spouse's ultimate blow?

Gazing up, she stared in horror at Ye Zhongming's nightmarish creation.

But peering proved disastrous. It unleashed a fist.

"No!"

Aimusi shrieked. Her twisted wings pounded the earth before thrusting skyward, propelling her wildly at the shadow. The spear in her grip hummed, swelling thicker amid crackles. A hazy vapor seeped onto it, thickening with her accelerating rush until it shrouded her form.

Meanwhile, the shadow's fist crashed into the crater from before, where Hawkins wobbled to his feet.

He looked far more battered than Aimusi.

The boot on her was mere afterthought; that initial smash targeted him fully.

Picture it: if the sideswipe drew her blood, the direct hit must have ravaged him!

His shaky rise highlighted his resilience. Yet his gleaming gold armor now cracked everywhere, face masked in crimson.

Hawkins tilted his head, nine-star gaze fixed on the ponderously dropping fist, a wry grin forming. Fractures riddled his frame; evasion lay beyond reach. Only one path remained...

With a bellow, he summoned his coremost reserves into his right fist, launching it upward to clash headlong!