Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 2076: Using all trump cards

A field of brown crystals spread from Talking Lady's feet outward, swiftly carpeting the open ground from the edges all the way to Xia Lei's position. The approaching green-skinned monstrosities trod upon them. Those at the forefront registered surprise, uncertain of the crystalline substance beneath their feet, yet propelled forward by the horde behind, they could only advance upon it.

Before long, the green-skinned fiends discerned that these crystals posed no significant peril. While the sensation of stepping on them was unpleasant, no other harm was inflicted. Their apprehension evaporated, and they resumed their furious charge towards the area.

Yellow Ball, engaged in a fierce confrontation, along with the twin sisters, all detected this issue and began maneuvering towards this sector. However, the adversaries surrounding them were overwhelmingly potent and numerous, rendering any movement inch by inch impossible; they were utterly incapable of securing this particular zone.

"This is the extent of my capabilities," Talking Lady stated, glancing back at Xia Lei. "If we survive this ordeal, I should still retain an advanced contract scroll, correct?"

Xia Lei responded with a wry smile and a nod. "Indeed, it's preserved."

She and Zhao Xiangxue, positioned beside her, exchanged a shared glance, both comprehending that the most perilous juncture had arrived. Talking Lady's strength was likely depleted; once expended, their only recourse would be self-preservation.

The ebony feline had been hunkered on Talking Lady's shoulder, its lifeblood ceaselessly seeping. Several grievous wounds marred its form, extending to the bone, revealing glimpses of its internal organs. One gash sliced through the black cat's midsection, nearly bisecting it. Had it not been a creature of superior vitality, it would have succumbed long ago.

Following Talking Lady's exertion of her power, her own energy faltered. The black cat dropped abruptly from her shoulder, succumbing to unconsciousness. Had Zhao Xiangxue not reacted with swiftness to catch it, the black cat might have become the first apex lifeform to perish from a fall of less than two meters.

Talking Lady's hair began to lift and sway. Observing the closest green-skinned monsters merely meters away, she tightened her uplifted hands into fists, subsequently toppling backward.

Before her, the dark crystalline formations on the ground erupted upward, enshrouding every green-skinned monster within their reach. As Talking Lady's body nestled into Xia Lei's embrace, these crystals detonated with a resounding boom, reducing the trapped monsters to mere fragments.

The spectacle was undeniably grand, its efficacy reaching its zenith.

This solitary maneuver annihilated an estimated tens of thousands of monsters.

They were simply too densely packed and utterly unprepared. Confronted by Talking Lady's manifestation of psychic power, the non-apex green-skinned monsters possessed zero defensive capacity; at most, they yielded fewer fragments upon their explosive demise.

The breach was promptly resealed by the human soldiery. This turn of events elicited a sigh of relief from Xia Lei and her companions. Yet, their respite lasted mere seconds before the defenses were once again fractured by the relentless monster onslaught.

Xia Lei's contingent was no longer capable of mounting a cohesive defense. Their brief success in plugging the gap this time was attributed to a fortunate convergence of personnel in the vicinity. However, this number was woefully inadequate against the sheer immensity of the monster horde.

Witnessing the rapid attrition of her team members, Xia Lei's heart ached with distress.

The monsters surged forward anew, their visages contorted with even greater ferocity, predicated on the assumption that their adversaries had exhausted all formidable tactics. Victory, they believed, was within their grasp. Upon consuming the apex lifeforms present, they would ascend to the highest echelons of existence.

"We must fight with all our might; that is our only recourse."

Zhao Xiangxue gently placed the black cat by her side. She surveyed the opposing force, retrieved several items from her spatial storage, and dispersed them amidst the charging monsters. These were dark seeds, roughly the size of glass marbles. Upon contact with the ground or the monsters, they instantly anchored and germinated, utilizing the creatures as sustenance.

The number of these nascent plants was likely in the few hundreds. Initially, they inflicted minimal damage upon the monstrous entities. However, the origin of these seeds remained a mystery; their rate of rooting, sprouting, and proliferation was astonishingly swift. They could utterly deplete a level-five green-skinned monster in a mere two seconds. Once mature, they became even more formidable, capable of dispatching level-seven monsters within seconds.

It was estimated that within ten seconds, the ensuing pandemonium caused by these seeds would begin to exert a significant impact on the monster ranks.

Something Zhao Xiangxue managed to obtain by spinning a level-nine wheel was the 'Life-Grasping Grass.' This was an exceptionally potent life form. Though its existence from rooting to death lasted merely a minute, within that span, it would ruthlessly absorb any nearby lives—be they mutated beasts or plants—as nourishment. Upon absorbing them, it would grow at an explosive rate, maturing in seconds and achieving level-eight strength. If it managed to survive for half a minute without being eliminated, it would evolve into a formidable demon vine!

If utilized effectively, this item held power comparable to that of a major faction or a cohort of top-tier cultivators.

Regrettably, its application was restricted to this specific locale. What's more... Zhao Xiangxue mused that its effects were manifesting a tad too slowly.

By the time these entities evolved into level-eight life forms and exerted a significant impact, the green-skinned monsters would have already surged forward, overwhelming Xia Lei with sheer numbers.

Zhao Xiangxue, unwilling to wait, gritted her teeth. She retrieved another item from her spatial equipment and ingested it – a vial of purple potion. Xia Lei recognized it as the Mad Flower Potion, known for its potent side effects that could amplify a cultivator's mental power and physical attributes. Post-consumption, the user would experience debilitating weakness for up to seven days.

Despite these severe drawbacks, its potent boost lasted a mere twelve seconds.

Fueled by the potion's stimulation, Zhao Xiangxue's mental power recovered substantially. She unleashed a piercing shriek, her hands sweeping in a wide arc before striking the ground with immense force. Instantly, three colossal spheres of flame erupted before her. Zhao Xiangxue then propelled them forward with all her might, transforming the flames into three roaring infernos that charged headlong into the fray.

Before her transformation, the Flame Spirit Envoy excelled at employing group-targeting abilities. This particular skill, 'Flame Surge, Dragon Soar,' stood as one of Zhao Xiangxue's most devastating area-of-effect attacks.

As the three flame dragons blazed through the battlefield, green-skinned monsters were incinerated in droves. Their charred remains plummeted to the ground, piling atop the already-fallen bodies encased in shimmering crystals.

Following the release of this formidable ability, Zhao Xiangxue's face began to bleed from every orifice. Yet, with the potion's effects still active for a precious few seconds, she charged forward, dual-wielding short blades. Amidst the chaos of leaping and striking, she decimated several level-eight monsters nearby that had narrowly escaped the fiery onslaught.

Once the twelve-second duration concluded, Zhao Xiangxue collapsed immediately, only to be swiftly pulled back by a prepared Xia Lei.