Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 1909: Final Novice Battle (2)

A savage smirk crossed Wolim's face as he pulled a short spear from its sheath. His burly arm bulged even larger in an instant, before he flung the weapon with explosive force.

No whistle cut through the air; it appeared he had merely swung his limb without any additional effort.

But Jie Su's face twisted in alarm. He swiftly lifted a hand, sending a hovering short dagger to clash with the incoming spear. The impact produced a sharp, clear 'ding' that echoed briefly.

The short spear exploded into scattered fragments numbering in the dozens. The dagger simply recoiled for a moment, only to dart forward once more without delay.

This exchange didn't bring Jie Su any relief; on the contrary, it heightened his wariness, for as he had foreseen, more short spears hurtled toward him in rapid succession. His four short daggers danced wildly in the air to intercept them, while at times he resorted to fierce punches, swift kicks, or desperate dodges to escape the relentless barrage.

Wolim by himself kept Jie Su fully occupied. This left the remaining two Su Clan warriors in dire straits. They fought back with all their might against the foes encircling them. Though they fell back step by step, reduced to pure defense, they somehow endured the assault for now.

Their survival owed much to the Changxu Water Race's water chains, the protective glow of the Silk Sea Light Array, and the bizarre armaments they wielded.

These metallic long rods came from the Talos Red Dwarves' forges, versatile tools packed with practical features. When the moment called for it, a simple trigger could unleash blinding beams, sturdy spikes, slender links, or even expandable plates that snapped open again to create a shield riddled with even slots.

Much like adaptive combat gadgets, these were custom-standardized arms crafted by the Talos Red Dwarves for the Su Clan alone. Whenever Su Clan fighters lacked superior options, they defaulted to this 'Multi-functional Dotting Pillar' in battle.

Still, despite shrinking their guarded zone to minimize the foes each faced, the sheer enemy numbers put them at a crushing disadvantage. With their mightiest fighter, Jie Su, locked in stalemate, the entire front teetered on the brink of disaster.

Things grew equally dire for White Robe. The primary threats closing in on him were those three Talos Red Dwarves who had fled in terror before.

Back then, their panic stemmed partly from the swarm of green lights that had erupted nearby, but their dread of White Robe and Ye Zhongming played a key role in their hasty withdrawal.

This humiliation burned in the dwarves' hearts, fueling a burning desire to reclaim their honor.

At last, their chance had arrived.

Yet upon hearing these intruders targeted the Star-Eye Clan, both Mu Hanyi and Mechanical Genius—who battled at White Robe's side—flashed identical looks of scorn.

Didn't these dwarves grasp the Cloud Peak King's ruthless grudge-holding nature? Skipping a clash with Ye Zhongming earlier—wasn't that a blessing? How could they be so reckless, rushing back into the fray?

Were they aware of the doom awaiting them should Ye Zhongming survive this day?

Such notions aligned perfectly in the minds of these two, both scarred by past encounters.

White Robe's mindset proved far more straightforward.

Last time, I spared you fools from total ruin; now, I won't let this chance slip away.

His water chain enveloped only him. This berserker barreled straight into the dwarf-led assault group, striking a bold pose that screamed 'Come at me, all of you.'

In truth, White Robe shone brilliantly. He shouldered the bulk of the onslaught solo, sparing just a handful of adversaries for Mu Hanyi, Mechanical Genius, and the rest of the Novices.

But Novices remained Novices at heart. Though Mu Hanyi and Mechanical Genius unleashed formidable prowess, and Ji Ruiguang with his allies fought valiantly, they merely staved off total breakdown, clinging to a fragile balance.

As for the front facing the lightest strain, that belonged to Yisewei.

Nearly everyone recognized the young princess of the Sheke Star. This awareness differed sharply from White Robe's notoriety. Their reputations matched in reach, but not in essence.

Folks knew White Robe as the lunatic who'd stake his life to glorify his people. Yisewei, however, stood as the chosen heir to a mighty superpower, a genuine child of destiny.

Thus, even as this destined prodigy now blundered by curbing her power to join the Novice fray and dive headlong into this deadly snare—apparently defying fellow races—

When push came to shove, in deciding whether to truly slay this favored one, seasoned fighters hesitated, to say nothing of mere Novices.

Dare they end her?

Through clenched jaws, sure, they might. Yet they understood the endless headaches that would follow her death.

True, deeds on the Novice battlefield escaped reprisal under normal rules.

But this? This battlefield strayed far from ordinary. Innumerable gazes fixed upon it. Should onlookers witness their precious heir's fall, who could predict if the Sheke Star's ruler might erupt in fury?

Even under pressure from rival powers barring open revenge, he could bide his time, orchestrating the vanishing of those responsible. By then, even if exposed, what then? Would any clan risk war with a colossus over a few lost nobodies?

No chance.

Thus, who would play the idiot and genuinely target Yisewei's life? Stepping back, even ignoring the fallout, did they possess the might? Beyond all else, consider her gear. At minimum, five pieces bore the mark of Talos Red Dwarf masterworks. The others stemmed from Sheke Star artisans' finest hands. Some even spotted the unassuming bracer on her arm as the Muskhe Star's legendary relic—Leaning Pillar.

Outfitted like a fortress, flanked by two elite guardians who had dialed down their strength yet vowed to shield her unto death, could she fall so readily?

Wise heads among the attackers eased off the gas. Provided Yisewei didn't press a suicidal assault, they'd simply hold the line, a far simpler task.

Ambitious point-hunters drifted toward the other flanks, hunting easier prey there.

This shift piled ever more strain on White Robe and Jie Su's sectors. Mighty as they were, endurance seemed to wane; collapse loomed near.

Both minds turned to Ye Zhongming in unison. When would that man swoop in to aid them?

Maybe attuned to his allies' peril, or perhaps having fully integrated that essence booster for elite beings, Ye Zhongming truly stirred, his eyes snapping open right then.

As he rose to his feet, the tide of battle started to turn.