Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 1944: Mock scenes

"The guidelines here are quite straightforward. Initially, neither Thousand-Person Commanders nor their Deputy counterparts must join this brief evaluation, and this exemption will persist going forward."

"Next, the protocols for these temporary appraisals aren't set in stone; put differently, it's my call. Naturally, I'll confer with the Thousand-Person Commanders on it."

"Furthermore, this trial splits into three segments, though the central approach remains singular: battle."

"The Assault Camp, assembled in under ten days, shall confront every other... individual, excluding the Thousand-Person Commanders themselves."

Ye Zhongming hadn't even wrapped up laying out the protocols when, right from the outset, the Bronze Mask Warriors in the crowd could no longer stay composed.

How so? The Assault Camp taking on all of us? With just sixty-five members, against almost ten thousand fellow fighters?

Moreover, even without the Thousand-Person Commanders stepping in, plenty of high-Furelai warriors linger among the rest. Surely the fresh Bronze Order Leader recognizes that? And what's the peak Furelai level in that Assault Camp bunch?

"I haven't completed my explanation." Ye Zhongming's icy tone infused with a trace of mental energy silenced the entire clamor instantly.

"Three segments. Segment one: twenty-on-twenty skirmish. Segment two: thirty-on-thirty clash. Segment three: sixty-five-on-sixty-five showdown."

"All you Thousand-Person Commanders, gather here."

With those words, Ye Zhongming's eyes shifted to the rear. The twenty lead and assistant Thousand-Person Commanders approached promptly.

"You'll pick the fighters for the bouts. I'll designate the arena. Any objections?"

What retort could these Thousand-Person Commanders muster? Dare they decline? The challengers are pitting sixty-five against your near ten thousand. Refusing them the battlefield pick would scream outright cowardice.

The Thousand-Person Commanders conferred briefly and settled on a balanced setup for equity and even odds. Each squad would dispatch eleven members, then incorporate the top five Hundred-Person Commanders by power, forming a force of one hundred fifteen in total.

Every fighter gets just a single shot. They pick their own round for engagement.

In short order, these 115 combatants sorted themselves into three squads: twenty, thirty, and sixty-five strong.

Once preparations wrapped up, every Bronze Warrior fixed their gaze on Ye Zhongming.

The intent shone clear: we're set, what of your Assault Camp?

Ye Zhongming remained poised and gave a light applause.

Soon, rhythmic footfalls echoed from the stairwell's edge, as a squad radiating potent presence advanced.

The leading Thousand-Person Commanders' eyes narrowed sharply.

Boasting superior might, they perceived far beyond the average soldier.

While regular warriors noted merely a couple of fresh gears on their known allies, the Thousand-Person Commanders zeroed in on the transformed vibe these fighters exuded.

They puzzled over how such profound shifts occurred in merely under ten cosmic days.

Little surprise this new Bronze Order Leader brimmed with assurance, vowing to unleash these sixty-five against the whole Bronze Camp.

Yet... despite the aura shift, no way did their power surge qualitatively in so brief a span. They may have grown, outpacing fellow Bronze Warriors in this stretch, but tackling over a hundred elite rivals struck as overly bold.

A few Thousand-Person Commanders scanned the handpicked 115 once more. They affirmed these as the cream from each Thousand-Person Unit. A handful overlooked? Unlikely in great number. Even Jie Kui, Ye Zhongming's trusted ally, contributed top talents. What fueled this Bronze Order Leader's bold faith?

"Fine, let's commence. Opening bout: twenty versus twenty, on the Gravel Fire Path."

At Ye Zhongming's declaration, shock rippled through the assembly even deeper.

All had assumed Ye Zhongming would opt for a locale the Assault Camp drilled in lately—one ideal for squad maneuvers, traps, and stealth—and station them defensively; that alone might secure victory.

Yet the Gravel Fire Path hardly fit. Sure, boulders loomed, sands thickened, and lava pools simmered alive or inert, but it forced head-on clashes without escape.

Though Assault Camp averages edged above standard Bronze Camp levels, they paled next to these chosen aces. Had madness seized him in picking such ground?

"Get set; it kicks off in one minute."

Uttering that, Ye Zhongming joined the Assault Camp ranks. The Thousand-Person Commanders exchanged glances, deeming little prep needed. Only First Thousand-Person Commander Zhong Hongke tossed out casual directives like 'stay vigilant, foes have evolved, secure the win.'

Ye Zhongming reached the squad. Surveying the Assault Camp's spirited resolve, he felt content; no fear shadowed their stance against the 'senior vets' from old units.

The Cloud Peak sovereign truly shrugged off victory or defeat, but pre-fight dread would sour his view entirely.

"Shi Yong, you'll join every round, spearheading each one."

Ye Zhongming addressed Shi Yong, the Assault Camp's mightiest, directly.

"Count on it!" Mask hid his face, yet his gaze blazed with thrill.

"Opening round, twenty versus twenty group fight. They're blind to our upgrades and shifts, making this the simplest to claim. No room for slip-ups. Unleash everything, wrap it swift before they regroup, got it?!"

"Got it!"

The Assault Camp fighters roared back, drawing stares from the opposing Bronze Camp side.

"Excellent, advance then. Full power authorized."

Ye Zhongming gestured, marking the true launch of this trial. Logistics crew bustled in, fitting 'Full Adaptors' to the combatants—a cutting-edge device syncing gear effects to the test environment for near-perfect mimicry.

Then, a vast white glow flared at the training field's heart. Those inside the zone pulled back on instinct. Gradually, hues and vistas morphed within. In roughly thirty seconds, from afar, it mimicked a fiery expanse: sands and molten flows mingled, black rocks dotted about, pale-red-tinged dunes, drab lava craters, some venting fumes or trickling magma.

The realism stunned, hitting nigh ninety-nine percent fidelity to reality.

Observing the spectacle, Ye Zhongming marveled silently. Cosmic kin birthed such wonders; this mere simulation outstripped Earth's tech by untold eras.

Twenty from each faction materialized at opposite ends of the vista. The inaugural twenty-versus-twenty battle stood poised to erupt.