Beyond the Apocalypse-Chapter 1063: Expansion across Hell

The larvae did not take long to finish their task.

Within minutes, they had consumed every last drop of blood and flesh belonging to the fallen Devils. Not even residue remained. When their feast was complete, the bloated creatures rose into the air in unison, their massive bodies casting writhing shadows over the ruined fortress.

Overlord opened his mouth.

Instantly, thousands of larvae—each now larger than an elephant—were drawn toward him and devoured whole, vanishing into his stomach as if pulled by an unseen gravitational force. The scene was deeply unsettling, even for seasoned warriors who had already witnessed horrors beyond mortal imagination. Yet this was only one step in a far greater process.

With a casual wave of his hand, the True Depravita of Pride released hundreds of metallic spheres into the air. They descended and fused seamlessly with the fortress, sinking into its walls, towers, and foundations. Runes reignited, defensive formations rewove themselves, and the structure itself grew denser and stronger, reinforced far beyond its original state.

The power of Quietus had already retreated, and now the fortress was once again operational—this time under new ownership.

Vlad appeared in the sky alongside the other sovereigns.

"I captured the Devil Lord," he said calmly, "and branded the Infernal Monolith with my soul. I can now use it as a teleportation beacon."

The White Death and the other rulers nodded, wide smiles appearing on their faces. Everything was proceeding exactly according to plan. Still, none of them relaxed even slightly.

This was only the beginning.

"When we arrived, I severed all signals and blocked every form of communication," Overlord continued, his voice sharp and absolute. "But a conquest of this scale cannot remain hidden for long. We must exploit this window of time and strike fast—with absolute brutality. Kill or capture as many Devil Lords as possible and seize control of as many Infernal Monoliths as we can."

A solemn, sharpened light passed through the eyes of the sovereigns.

"If you encounter unexpected resistance or the situation spirals out of control," Overlord added, "contact the Xaos King immediately. His control over the Law of Space makes him the fastest responder among us."

The True Depravita of Wrath glanced at the group and performed a solemn nod, silently affirming that they could rely on him.

Overlord then turned toward the White Death.

"Graecia’s Emperor," he said, his tone grave, "you will remain in the fortress. Do not focus on expansion. Your task is to be ready at a moment’s notice. When Hell’s Paragon appears—and it will—you must face it."

The White Death took a slow, steady breath before nodding.

He was monstrously powerful, but no being reached the Paragon Rank without becoming an absolute terror. Carelessness, even for him, could mean death.

One day later, the forces of the Six Sun Alliance split into six massive groups, each led by a Lord-tier powerhouse. Overlord personally commanded the Xaos Kingdom’s forces, while the True Depravita of Wrath led the army of the Graecia Empire.

Vlad had already fought alongside many of the generals during his time in the Doomsday Worlds, and they trusted him completely.

Without hesitation, the armies moved.

Within hours, the flames of war spread across the First Layer of Hell.

--- 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Above a vast mountain range stretching for countless kilometers, two colossal dragons clashed in the sky.

One was forged of bones and spectral flames, its hollow eyes burning with necrotic fire. The other was obsidian-black, radiating a vitality so intense it rivaled the sun itself.

The lich dragon was Devil Lord Haizer.

The obsidian dragon was none other than Merlin, King of the Obsidian Dragon Kingdom.

Their battle shook the heavens. Infernal clouds were torn apart as titanic flames collided, yet the outcome was never truly in doubt. Merlin’s fire burned hotter, purer, and more violently than Haizer’s corrupted flames. His scales endured crushing blows, and his overwhelming vitality steadily crushed his opponent.

Below them, the battlefield told a similar story.

Devils were annihilated in droves, unable to withstand the relentless rain of dragon breath that fell from the sky. Entire formations were erased in seconds, reduced to molten slag and ash as the Obsidian Dragon Kingdom asserted its dominance.

---

The Faerathia Emperor’s eyes were cold and unyielding as he chased his prey across the wasteland.

His opponent was a humanoid Devil Lord with pale skin and elongated fangs—Lortar. Normally a savage and terrifying warrior, Lortar now fled in desperation. The Sword of Light wielded by Brightkin had carved wounds into his body that refused to heal. Worse still, those wounds expanded on their own, searing his flesh from within.

Light energy was the natural nemesis of blood Devils, and the Faerathias wielded it to perfection.

Lortar screamed as another beam of radiant power struck him, blasting chunks of flesh from his body.

Beneth the Lords, Lortar’s vampire Devil subordinates were being slaughtered en masse. Bursts of light erupted across the battlefield, vaporizing Devils where they stood.

Their dark castle glowed like a miniature sun.

They were being burned alive.

---

There was a Devil Lord in the First Layer known as Astrous the Defiler.

True to his name, he delighted in tormenting women of every race he encountered. Countless screams echoed through the caverns beneath his domain.

Today, however, he was the one screaming.

A woman chased him relentlessly across the broken terrain. Astrous’s massive, bloated body trembled with fear as he fled, his usual arrogance completely shattered.

The Amazon Queen’s eyes were filled with loathing and disdain.

She caught up to him in an instant.

Her shield slammed into his back with devastating force, shattering his spine and sending his enormous body crashing into the ground. Astrous howled in agony as he tried—and failed—to move.

At the same time, the forces of the Amazon Kingdom flooded the cavern networks beneath his domain. They slaughtered every Devil they found, leaving no survivors.

Astrous’s reign ended in absolute humiliation.

---

Near a roaring volcano, an explosive battle raged.

A Devil Lord resembling a giant formed of magma and stone clashed with a massive, bulky figure whose skin was like carved rock, lightning and thunder coursing through his body.

The Dvergar King snarled as he seized the Devil Lord by the neck.

Lava burned his reinforced flesh, but he did not flinch. With a roar, he brought his hammer down again and again, each strike sending shockwaves through the ground. The Devil Lord vomited mouthfuls of fiery blood as his body cracked and fractured.

Around them, Dvergar warriors tore through Devil forces with brutal efficiency. Their elemental resistances allowed them to fight unimpeded amid heat, magma, and ash—an overwhelming advantage that turned the battlefield into a slaughterhouse.

---

Although the First Layer of Hell was a realm of horror, soaked in blood and death, there existed rare places that appeared almost peaceful at first glance. One such location was the massive lake known as the Silent Stream.

Despite being called a lake, its sheer scale rivaled that of a small ocean. Its surface was unnaturally calm, reflecting the dim infernal sky like black glass. To the untrained eye, it seemed serene—almost tranquil. Yet the truth hidden beneath its waters was far more terrifying.

Thousands upon thousands of aquatic Devils dwelled within, monstrous beings that would devour anything foolish enough to step into the lake. Not even Superior Legends dared to cross it carelessly.

At this moment, however, the Silent Stream was anything but calm.

The waters churned violently, boiling and exploding as if an unseen massacre were unfolding beneath the surface. Waves rose and collapsed upon themselves, and the lake roared like a living creature in pain. It did not take long for corpses to begin surfacing—mangled, torn apart, and lifeless.

Yet these bodies did not belong to intruders.

They were the remains of the aquatic Devils that had once ruled the Silent Stream.

Watching the carnage from the sky was Overlord. His gaze was cold and composed, yet beneath it burned quiet pride as the progress of every battlefield flowed through his mind. He had orchestrated this war down to its finest detail, and the results were unfolding exactly as he had predicted.

He was not alone.

Floating beside him was the Devil Lord who had once ruled the Silent Stream—Aquil. Aquil possessed the form of a grotesque, fiendish kraken the size of a massive building. Countless tentacles hung limp beneath him, and his monstrous eyes were wide with terror.

He did not move.

His massive body was completely paralyzed, pinned in place by dozens of divine weapons that had pierced through his flesh, soul, and core. Each weapon radiated overwhelming authority, suppressing his power utterly.

The True Depravita of Pride was the strongest among the Depravitas, second only to the True Depravita of Wrath himself. Defeating Aquil had been effortless—especially when the Devil Lord had been caught completely off guard.

The Silent Stream had fallen.