Beyond the Apocalypse-Chapter 998: The final phase of the Doomsday Worlds

Akai’s eyes sharpened as he heard those words. It was an extremely dangerous approach, reckless even, as they would be betting everything they had in a single blow. Yet, despite its audacity, the plan was also brutally straightforward. If they truly possessed the strength to carry it out, the chances of success were not insignificant. After all, if they managed to kill the Sacred Kings and most of the Lords of the Vorometallicae Race, the world itself would be thrown into chaos.

The destruction of such powerful beings would shake the very foundations of reality. Even if, by some miracle, the Vorometallicae Race managed to survive, they would no longer pose a threat for thousands, perhaps even tens of thousands of years. By any measure, it would be a victory beyond reckoning. Yet, despite the potential glory, many things still troubled Akai.

"Are you familiar with the power of the Sacred Kings?" he finally asked, his voice low and cautious.

Akai had seen one of those entities fight only once. It was a memory that had burned itself into his mind. He had been young when one of the Sacred Kings attempted to force his way into their world, seeking to claim the Faerathia Realm for his own.

Akai’s father had met the intruder in battle, flying into the void itself to stop him. The clash had been beyond comprehension, a power and fury that could rend space apart. Thanks to the Origin Power of the Faerathia World, his father had managed to repel the invader. But even that victory came at a terrible cost. The great emperor was left with corrosive wounds that took decades to heal.

Remembering that, Akai could not help but question whether Vlad truly understood what he was proposing. Did this man, this True Depravita of Wrath, truly comprehend the scale of the forces he wished to confront?

What the prince heard next struck him like thunder.

"I have faced one already," Vlad said calmly. "And I defeated him."

He did not bother with modesty, but neither did he boast. His tone was steady, cold, and matter-of-fact, as though he were recalling a grim necessity rather than a triumph. "His name was Barbatos. I took him by surprise and relied on the Origin Power of my world. It was no easy feat, but I managed to take an arm and a leg from the Sacred King."

As he finished speaking, Vlad lifted his hand. A shimmering blade of light appeared, the Soul Blade. Its surface pulsed faintly with energy that made the air tremble.

Akai stared at the weapon, his expression darkening as he focused. He could feel it, the remnant aura of an immensely powerful Voroe Lord, embedded deep within the sword’s essence. The energy was undeniable, a living scar of the being Vlad claimed to have defeated.

The Faelara Prince frowned. A flicker of confusion and unease crossed his eyes as he looked back at Vlad. The man before him possessed great strength, that much was certain, but was it enough?

Akai could sense no power vast enough to stand alone against a Voroe Sacred King, nor to perform all the legendary feats the Graecia Empire had attributed to him. Of course, Akai did not voice his doubts. Soon, he would see Vlad’s true power for himself.

After a few minutes of contemplation, Akai’s expression hardened. He nodded slowly. "If you are truly able to forge an alliance with the other four civilizations," he said, "then I, and the Faerathia Empire’s army, will follow you into the Chaovoratties Plane to face the Voroes together. Three Lords will march—myself, my father, and our Master of War. Alongside us will be two thousand Legends, at least twenty of whom will be Superior Legends."

Vlad’s lips curved into a wide, predatory smile as he heard those words. Three Lords and two thousand Legends, such a force would be a tremendous asset. The alliance of Lords would occupy the Voroe Lords directly, but since they would be fighting on enemy ground, every soldier would have to be prepared for relentless assault. During battles of that magnitude, even the smallest distraction could mean death. Each Legend would have to serve as both sword and shield to protect their Lords. Everyone would have a role.

Akai’s gaze grew sharper, and his tone carried a meaningful edge as he continued, "Then it is time to deliver the finishing blow to the Voroe forces in this world. Prepare yourself."

Vlad understood the hidden meaning behind those words instantly. The situation was already teetering on the brink of chaos. If they pushed just a little further, the Chaovoratities Plane would have no choice but to send one of its own Lords to intervene. There was no point in pretending to follow the unspoken rules when one’s armies were being annihilated.

Akai wanted to use that coming battle as a test, a chance to see the true extent of Vlad’s power.

The True Depravita of Wrath stared at the Faelara Prince for a long moment, then nodded in agreement. It was indeed time to claim the entire Doomsday World for themselves, to forge the breach that would open the path to their ultimate goal. But if the conquest was to happen here, it had to happen everywhere else as well.

"Three weeks," Vlad said finally. "In three weeks, we act. Be ready, Akai, for if we have a chance to kill a Voroe Lord, we must take it. Removing such a piece from the board would change everything."

Akai’s expression turned solemn as he nodded in return. The pact was sealed in spirit, if not yet in blood. Both men rose from their seats and clasped hands. The first foundation of their alliance had been forged. Now it was a matter of proving their worth, of fulfilling their promises, and advancing toward the final war.

When Vlad returned to his camp, his army was already settled deep within an empty mountain range. The night was silent, save for the faint hum of power that pulsed through the air like a heartbeat. Alone in his tent, Vlad connected once more to Overlord, reaching across dimensions to Terra. What he saw filled him with fierce satisfaction.

Reports from the other four Doomsday Worlds streamed in, each more promising than the last. Freya, Jormungandr, and Fafnir had all succeeded in their missions. Each had struck at the heart of the Voroe strongholds, leaving devastation in their wake. They had not only broken the enemy’s power but also forged relationships of mutual respect and shared purpose with the other great races—the Amazons, the Obsidian Dragons, and the Dvergards. These alliances would form the pillars of their war effort.

As for the Ouroboros and the Graecia Empire, their bond had already been strong before this campaign began. Now, after the True Depravita of Greed had marched alongside the Empire’s legions through the Land of the Three Calamities, their partnership had grown even stronger. The White Death himself had given his approval to aid in the invasion.

Everything was finally in order and advancing just as they had planned. With every report confirming progress across the battlefronts, Vlad sent the signal. The time had come for Freya, Jormungandr, and Fafnir to make their decisive moves within their respective Doomsday Worlds.

Each of them understood the gravity of what was to come. The coordinated strike would mark the turning point of the campaign, one last great push to break the resistance of the Vorometallicae Race and claim control over the remnants of their corrupted realms.

As for the Land of the Three Calamities, Vlad knew it was well-secured. Crown Prince Altharion had proven himself a commander of rare brilliance and ferocity. He could handle the Voroe Lord that had been dispatched there. That would allow the True Depravita of Greed to accompany him.

It did not take long for Ouroboros to return to Terra. Without hesitation, the white werewolf moved swiftly to the Dark Land. When Vlad saw him again, he was greeted by an unexpected but welcome surprise: the True Depravita of Greed had succeeded in elevating his body to the Lord Tier.

For a moment, Vlad allowed himself a rare smile. Everything was advancing in the right direction. The plan, long in motion, was finally bearing fruit. There was no more time to waste. Together, they moved—Vlad, Ourobors, and the armies that followed them—racing across the desolate terrain of the Dark Land.

Their march was one of devastation and purpose. Fortress after fortress of the Vorometllicae Race fell before them, each reduced to ruins and ash. The skies burned with crimson light as hundreds of thousands of Voroes were slaughtered in mere days. Their screams echoed through the plains of darkness, mingling with the roar of battle and the thunder of collapsing strongholds.

The pressure upon the Chaovoratities Plane grew unbearable. Even from beyond the veil, the rulers of that dimension could sense the imbalance. The devastation had become too great to ignore. Then, at last, it happened.

A deep, resonant alarm echoed across the entirety of the Doomsday World, a sound unlike any other, heavy and absolute. It was the cry that marked the arrival of a Lord. The air trembled, space itself distorted, and every being could feel the oppressive presence descending from beyond the stars.

While the sight might have filled others with terror, Vlad, Ouroboros, and Akai had been waiting for this very moment. Without hesitation, the three ascended into the skies. Their auras flared like suns, their combined power shaking the firmament as they rose to meet the approaching entity.

The true battle was about to begin.