Beyond the Apocalypse-Chapter 603: Treasure map?

The battle raged on without pause. Vlad wielded his sword and relied on the Mark of Cain to carve wounds into the Dark Humanoid Automaton’s joints while Jormungandr launched wave after wave of lightning. Each slash from Vlad left a small opening that the Mark of Cain magnified, making it vulnerable to Jormungandr’s searing electrical arcs. The pair gradually wore down the construct’s formidable defenses by scorching the automaton from within.

Though the automaton’s movements became slower with each successive injury, it remained extremely dangerous. A single point-blank hit from the automaton could have severely injured Vlad or outright killed Jormungandr. Hence, the Sky Seed Depravitas moved with utmost caution, evading strikes by the narrowest margins.

In this tense stalemate, fifteen minutes ticked by. Vlad and Jormungandr’s bodies were soaked in sweat, their breaths turning ragged as the stress on their muscles and minds became ever greater. Their arms felt like lead, and the mental strain from orchestrating each maneuver—coordinating lightning arcs, maintaining precise sword strikes, and evading lethal blows—left their brains burning from overexertion.

However, the Dark Humanoid Automaton was not faring much better. Numerous cuts marred its critical joints—knees, ankles, elbows—slowing it to the point where the two Sky Seed Depravitas could dodge its attacks with less risk. It still swung with great power but too slow.

Finally, as their grueling clash approached the thirty-minute mark, the automaton trembled. Sparks danced around its body, and black smoke leaked from its seams. Then, in a decisive moment, it lowered its sword and collapsed with a resounding crash.

Wide, triumphant smiles broke across Vlad and Jormungandr’s faces at this sight.

"Success!" they shouted in unison, their voices echoing in the debris-strewn chamber.

Their strategy had worked exactly as planned. Confronting a Half-Step Legend automaton head-on in a direct contest of strength was impossible, and escape had also been out of the question. Therefore, they opted to deplete its power instead. No matter how formidable the construct was, it had apparently been sealed in this location for hundreds—maybe even thousands—of years, with no one to maintain it or recharge its energy core. Even if it had remained on standby, no battery was exempt from energy waste over time. Eventually, the combined stress of combat and compensating for its damaged joints drained its remaining reserves.

Of course, Vlad and Jormungandr refused to let down their guard prematurely. They employed their A.I. Chips to scan the automaton, confirming that it had truly powered down before letting out sighs of relief. Exhaustion washed over them, and they slumped against the rubble, every ounce of tension released.

The duo quickly consumed some restorative potions to regain at least a fraction of their stamina. Once their breathing steadied, they exchanged weary nods and rose to their feet to finish the task at hand.

Vlad concentrated on the runic cage that had formed a barrier around the room, channeling his Runic Mastery to methodically dismantle its control arrays. Meanwhile, Jormungandr moved to inspect the defeated automaton, probing the magical matrix embedded in its frame to ensure it wouldn’t reawaken unexpectedly.

After ten minutes of careful effort, the runic cage dissolved into threads of golden light, freeing the office from its claustrophobic seal. A faint smile graced Vlad’s lips as he turned to the small yellow cat, who appeared to have also finished his analysis.

"How did it go?" Vlad asked.

Jormungandr retracted the threads of his energy from the Dark Humanoid Automaton’s body, his eyes returning to their usual dark shade. "I made sure to shut it down completely. There’s no risk in taking it now. However..." He paused, his whiskers twitching. "We still can’t use it. If we supply power to its energy core, it’ll just attack us again."

A solemn, scholarly gleam lit Jormungandr’s eyes as he continued. "I have to alter its matrix so it recognizes me as its master. Unfortunately, that’s beyond my current capabilities."

With that, he produced a space ring and lifted the automaton’s hulking frame with a measured burst of magical strength, storing it within. An eager, determined spark flashed across his gaze. The challenge of reprogramming a half-legendary automaton obviously intrigued him.

Vlad merely smiled. He had no doubt that in time, Jormungandr would figure out how to subjugate the automaton, turning it into a powerful asset. That future prospect, however, did not distract from the present. Vlad’s expression hardened once again as he directed his attention to the secret compartment—and the chest—that had nearly cost them their lives.

Jormungandr, catching the same thought, hopped onto Vlad’s shoulder. Together, they approached the hidden nook. This time, the two Sky Seed Depravitas exercised extreme caution, scanning the chest meticulously with their A.I. Chips before searching every inch for runic traps. They uncovered nothing.

"Looks like the mayor thought the Dark Humanoid Automaton was security enough," Vlad mused. "And he wasn’t wrong—it could probably kill anyone under Legendary Tier if it were fully powered."

Jormungandr nodded in agreement. Wasting no more time, Vlad lifted the chest from its hidden recess. Although the wood it was crafted from appeared unremarkable, the pair detected faint magic properties that blocked normal magical scans, preventing them from discerning the contents.

When Vlad finally pried the chest open, both he and Jormungandr felt their eyes twitch in frustration.

Inside lay a single parchment and a small crystal. That was it.

Vlad’s fingers tightened around the chest. The sturdy material trembled under the furious pressure of the Depravita of Wrath, reflecting his barely contained anger. They had fought a Half-Step Legend automaton and almost died in the process—only to discover a scrap of paper and a solitary gem?

Years of discipline asserted themselves, and Vlad forced himself to take a few deep breaths, banishing the impulse to smash the chest in his rage. With meticulous care, he retrieved the parchment.

"Let’s see what this is..." he muttered. An instant later, his eyes widened, recognition dawning in them.

"This is—" Vlad began.

"A treasure map?" Jormungandr finished, his ears perking up.

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