Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 1873: White Robe is here

Standing in front of the aircraft's light screen, White Robe observed the live broadcast intently. Even though the coverage was limited to under twenty percent of the areas, and the images frequently lingered motionless for extended periods, he remained deeply engaged in the viewing.

At last, an event unfolded in one of the streams. It captured just a fleeting glimpse of combat, vanishing in a flash, yet it caused White Robe's form to lean forward abruptly. He replayed the segment repeatedly.

Soon after, a grin spread across his striking features, marred by faint scars.

This action immediately thawed the tense chill permeating the whole aircraft.

Aslan felt a slight easing as well; this individual exerted an overwhelming strain on her.

White Robe served as the head of the Star-Eye Clan's Silver Mask fighters, known as Silver Leader, placing his fighting prowess in the elite tier within the group.

That alone didn't explain why his fellow clansmen held him in the highest mix of awe and dread. The real factor keeping them perpetually vigilant and mindful of him was his reputation as a lunatic, an obsessive warrior.

In service to the Star-Eye Clan, White Robe threw himself into virtually every possible conflict zone, pushing to secure whatever position he could claim.

All regarded him with admiration and labeled him a lunatic—not as an insult, but as high commendation.

The fear stemmed from his tendency to lose control and duel his own kin, and once engaged, if the bout thrilled him, he'd recall it and seek a rematch later.

As for concealing one's abilities or similar tricks, those belonged solely to stories. In their line of work, everyone knew each other's capabilities; who was fooling whom? Besides, as Silver Leader, White Robe wielded vast authority. How could he fail to discern the actual power levels of those around him?

His presence at the rookie outpost on this occasion genuinely astonished the group while feeling somewhat predestined.

The shock arose since this was the beginner arena. White Robe lacked eligibility to join; he'd surpassed that phase ages ago. Should he visit, it would merely be for oversight, a duty unlikely to captivate him much.

The anticipated part came from the widespread knowledge across the Star-Eye Clan of a prodigy rising in their midst, humorously dubbed the next White Robe. He'd not only refined the Double Shadow technique but also excelled remarkably in the rookie zone. With spare moments available, White Robe might naturally drop by. After all, the clan required three fighters with energy under two thousand Fureila for the entry-level arena. Such powerhouses were typically Silver Mask members. As their chief, overseeing and checking on the 'second edition' of himself made perfect sense.

"Aslan, you've done an excellent job discovering this young talent this round." Though White Robe held the Silver Leader title, he preferred going maskless outside of combat.

Aslan occupied a unique position, yet she showed deference around White Robe. She responded promptly, "It's thanks to Elder Jikesu."

"No need for humility. You instructed him in Double Shadow. His ability to adapt it points to his innate gifts and understanding as the primary factors, but your guidance must have been solid too. That's undeniable."

At these words, Aslan's cheeks nearly flushed. She didn't believe her instruction had been exceptional; she'd simply put extra effort into Ye Zhongming's sessions compared to normal.

After a brief pause, Aslan voiced the question lingering in her mind.

"Leader White Robe, why just two companions this time?"

The deployment of Silver Mask warriors from the clan for the concluding mini-cycle test fell within Aslan's foresight, given that both had Fureila ratings surpassing one thousand. That threshold marked the silver mask requirement; below it came bronze, above two thousand earned gold.

White Robe escorting his team adhered to protocol, yet limiting it to two struck her as odd. Was the third arriving independently? That would squander an extra aircraft. And every aircraft drew power from Moonspan Gold. Considering the clan's strained resources, they'd prefer dividing a single chunk into portions for dual use. Even for White Robe's rank, such extravagance seemed unwise, didn't it?

This Silver Leader glanced at the display, noted the lack of action, pivoted to face Aslan, and remarked, "Don't I count as one?"

"That's not what I... " Aslan's tone trailed off faintly, though her expression of astonishment intensified.

White Robe regarded this promising youth, potentially the future head of the Star-Eye Clan, and explained, "Folks call this fellow my successor. I have to witness him personally, gauge his skills, determine if he merits sharing my fame. Should he fall short in my eyes, I'll eliminate him. If he measures up decently, I'll thrash him regardless, to demonstrate my dominance, ensuring he spars with me repeatedly down the line."

Faced with this rationale, Aslan stood dumbfounded for moments before conceding it fit White Robe's characteristic approach perfectly.

"The boy appears quite skilled; he's taken the lead position now."

With White Robe pointing this out, the rest snapped to attention, realizing they'd fixated on this renowned Silver Leader and overlooked the leaderboard for some time.

Spotting Ye Zhongming's name atop the list, they verified it swiftly, then erupted in unified jubilation.

It was pure delight!

Earlier, the standings of Ye Zhongming, Shi Kangbu, and Jie Kui had already thrilled them to no end. The trio hovered near the sixtieth spot globally, perilously close to success.

Deep down, they'd harbored doubts about Ye Zhongming and company fulfilling the objective. Yet the current trend suggested an eighty percent likelihood of shattering the Star-Eye Clan's record, provided the pace held.

Moreover, Ye Zhongming had surged ahead to claim the top individual slot, while Jie Kui and Shi Kangbu's scores rose sharply too, propelling the Star-Eye Clan's collective position into the top fifty, specifically forty-fourth.

Consider that this feat involved just three participants. Every entry above them boasted over ten entrants.

Particularly, topping the personal charts—this marked an absolute first. In previous editions, neither in finals nor interim, had any Star-Eye Clan member seized the number one spot.

Such a milestone merited etching into the clan's annals!

White Robe's expression lacked the fervor of the others, but the subtle quivers in his gaze revealed his inner turmoil; he shared their agitation.

"I'll administer inhibitor genes to cap my energy at two thousand Fureila, then step into the novice battlefield."

White Robe's declaration yanked the group from their mild elation over Ye Zhongming's ascent, leaving them dazed as they absorbed the Silver Leader's intent.

White Robe offered no more words aloud, though his thoughts replayed the vow he'd sworn to the two clan heads en route.

"I'll stake my life to safeguard that youth…"

"Should he accomplish something that sways me…"

"I'm not the clan's salvation, but I hope… he becomes it."