Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 1916: Novice Battlefield end

Both the fighters present on the Novice battlefield and the observers from various cosmic races tuned in had existed for countless ages. They'd witnessed just about every possible event.

Yet, none had ever laid eyes on the spectacle unfolding right now.

This style of combat left them utterly baffled.

It appeared gentle and unremarkable at first glance, yet it threw the creatures swarming the little hill into total disorder.

A single strike or two might not amount to much, but the sheer volume of these dark figures overwhelmed them. Besides, every dark figure unleashed not isolated blows, but a relentless barrage of strikes.

As Ye Zhongming kept performing his techniques from above, the dark figures underneath shifted in sync. Losses began to mount quickly, and that tally kept climbing as moments passed.

The creatures nearest the summit faced obstruction from White Robe and his companions, while the dark figures struck from behind. They found themselves unable to press forward against White Robe and the rest, nor could they break free.

No alternative existed; after all, these dark figures proved impossible to target.

In particular, the elite mature warriors faced a dire bind. Without the suppression of their power, things might have differed; they could have devised a real counter to these dark figures. But limited to two thousand furelai, they held power yet lacked the means to wield it properly.

They'd pondered it, yet under assault from front and back, doubt gripped them. The prior death of a comrade had served as a stark warning that all-out charges offered no sure escape.

So, what options remained?

One began to flee.

Positioned close to the perimeter, that individual clenched their jaw, endured a handful of blows, and bolted into the thick woods.

This sparked a realization among numerous creatures, particularly those on the outskirts. Seizing the moment when the dark figures fixated on the hill's peak, escapes multiplied.

Fatalities marked the retreat, as expected.

Ultimately, the creatures clustered at the hill's core resolved to target Ye Zhongming.

Fleeing? The fringe lay too distant. Covering that span could mean getting pummeled to oblivion by the dark figures.

Staying put? That left just this path.

Though Ye Zhongming persisted in his 'kung fu practice,' any creature charging near would draw his strikes into direct confrontation.

His strikes far outmatched those of the dark figures. Be it the psychic force embedded in them, the gravitational pull from the Earth Spirit woven into each blow, or the venom from the Double Poison Shadow, everything surpassed by leagues. Taking him down demanded far more than they could muster.

On top of that, White Robe, Yisewei, Jie Su, and their allies stood vigilant.

In truth, only a scant few creatures could still reach the summit. Even so, they unleashed massive strain on White Robe and company. Their group was woefully outnumbered, tasked with shielding too many. As Ye Zhongming's dark figures tightened the noose, the assailants plunged into utter desperation.

The battlefield dissolved into utter pandemonium. Deaths piled up without cease, as did desperate flights.

With three minutes to go, Jie Su took wounds and pulled back, reduced to merely overseeing the injured.

Two minutes remaining saw White Robe spewing blood, gravely hurt, his form battered beyond recognition—though he clung to life. Meanwhile, the already damaged He depleted his energy entirely, rendered useless in battle.

The defenders now boiled down to Ye Zhongming, still immersed in his 'kung fu routine,' and Yisewei, boasting the greatest prowess overall.

While Ye Zhongming reveled in his solo skirmishes, Yisewei shouldered every burden alone. She shielded herself while safeguarding the hurt, but as a solitary force, perfection eluded her. Losses mounted swiftly...

One minute shy of the Novice battlefield's close, the peak lay heaped with bodies and dark figures. Each instant claimed another victim.

Blinding bursts of light and massive energy surges erupted nonstop, only to fade into nothingness.

In this maelstrom, the Novice battlefield's closing chime tolled. A consciousness-shaking pulse emanated from every recorder, compelling all to halt.

The dark figures vanished. Silence cloaked the hill once more, but the strewn cadavers narrated the frenzy that had raged.

"This Novice battlefield has concluded. Cease all hostilities and remain stationary."

"Leave all remains untouched. Refrain from claiming gear or arms from the fallen."

The voice grated with its familiar chill, though a subtle rise in tone betrayed inner turmoil.

Ye Zhongming sprawled on the earth like limp pasta. Beside him crouched a grotesque, hulking figure, fixated on him from mere twenty centimeters off.

"Back off. Your breath reeks."

Though loath to utter a word, Ye Zhongming couldn't ignore the overpowering odor. In his weakened condition, it might just finish him off.

"Once we're out, let's clash again."

This creature, freshly thrashed senseless by Ye Zhongming, seethed with impotence. For one who'd curbed his might to join, the bitterness gnawed deep.

"We'll see about the moment."

"Scram!" Yisewei approached and barked.

She remained wary of cosmic race operatives acting as kamikazes. Should one strike at the defenseless Ye Zhongming, White Robe, or Jie Su, it'd spell disaster in the calmest waters.

The creature eyed Yisewei, retreated a step, yet kept gazing at Ye Zhongming, awaiting his reply.

But the Cloud Peak King's resolve held firm as stone. No coaxing would sway him.

Ridiculous notion. Inside, all capped at two thousand furelai. Powerhouses like Yisewei might push to two thousand five hundred with gear?

Out there? Forces could swell to ten or twenty thousand. For Ye Zhongming, pegged above a thousand himself, it'd court annihilation.

Not even shifting to giant form and donning the Mountain King Crown would suffice.

"Thanks."

Ye Zhongming voiced gratitude to Yisewei. Absent her fierce stand, survival eluded them all. She'd granted him another shot at unleashing fully, even at the cost of her male attendant's life.

Atop the hill now, surviving mature warriors numbered only Jie Su, White Robe, Yisewei with her maid, and a pair from the Changxu Water Race. All others perished.

Among Novices, the closing rush felled many. Yet, those Ye Zhongming prized—Helsky, Jie Kui, Mechanical Genius, Mu Hanyi, and more—endured.

"Later, aid White Robe when you can. And don't forget, you owe me one."

Yisewei shed her usual reserve with others, delivering this evenly before tilting her gaze skyward.

Far off, spacecraft shadows loomed, en route to retrieve the enduring Novices.

Ye Zhongming exhaled deeply. The grueling Novice battlefield had wrapped. What followed ought to be the eagerly awaited prize handover, no?