Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 2078: Open

With the integration of the Thousand Beast Manor, the population of warbeasts within Cloud Peak experienced a notable surge. The mountain villa now employed a multi-faceted approach to warbeast rearing, incorporating Blue Secret Realm's diverse species and medicinal herbs, along with Lan You's systematic agricultural practices, all contributing to the robust development of their warbeasts.

The addition of the Beast Manor brought forth enhanced rearing methodologies, specialized caretakers, advanced breeding laboratories, and a comprehensive array of beast pools, ranging in size. The synergistic combination of resources, personnel, systems, and technology from both entities propelled Cloud Peak's warbeast scale and quality to unprecedented levels.

This significant advancement extended beyond the terrestrial forces of the Warbeast Camp, reaching into the aerial dominion as well.

Cloud Peak's air force had evolved into a three-pronged structure. The reconnaissance division comprised swift, agile, and diminutive flying creatures and machines, with the Exquisite Floating Ball now a key component.

The transportation division managed flying machines and warbeasts dedicated to transit. Beyond the Exquisite Floating Ball, Cloud Peak possessed numerous flying machines, primarily utilizing wheel technology. While such equipment was once a frequent target in the early years of the apocalypse, it had inexplicably become safer, facilitating the rapid expansion of Cloud Peak's aerial transportation capabilities. This logistical prowess was instrumental in their swift territorial acquisitions, circumventing the substantial resource drain associated with frequent teleportation usage.

Further bolstering this division were the colossal 'big birds' observed on the Mei City battlefield, behemoths notable for their carrying capacity rather than combat prowess, vital for transporting substantial supplies and personnel.

Finally, there was the combat division.

In an apocalyptic world where combat prowess reigned supreme, Cloud Peak's commitment to balanced development still positioned the combat division as the bedrock of its air force.

The air force combat division was, in essence, divided into two sub-sections: the Warbeast Department, consisting solely of combat-oriented flying life forms, and the Sky Rider Department, integrating human control. Regardless of specialization, both divisions were populated by diverse flying life forms, leveraging their unique attributes to forge distinct combat styles that collectively formed Cloud Peak's formidable air force.

When aggregating the machines and life forms from all three divisions, Cloud Peak's air force emerged as one of the largest combat formations, numbering over five hundred thousand individuals.

It should be noted that the reconnaissance and transportation departments constituted more than half of this total.

However, the air force deployed for the current aid mission rivaled the flying parasites in sheer numbers, with the Sky Rider Department alone accounting for fifty thousand members. The combat effectiveness of the Sky Rider Department, defined by overall combat strength rather than individual might, surpassed that of purely aerial life forms.

While the synergy between a sky knight and their warbeast might not always yield a simple sum of their individual strengths, the ability of sky knights to command warbeasts—ensuring obedience, tactical execution, and coordinated maneuvers—made them exceptionally potent in group engagements, harnessing collective power.

With Xia Lei currently confined to that mysterious spatial anomaly, the air force was the vanguard, advancing without hesitation, identifying any obstacle as an immediate adversary.

Aerial engagements differed drastically from ground warfare, presenting a more complex, three-dimensional, and perilous battlefield where disabling flight capability could be as decisive as outright elimination.

Historically, aerial combat demanded the utmost precision, leaving little room for error.

Yet, in the present crisis, the personnel of Cloud Peak cast aside such considerations, surging wave after wave towards the parasite swarm. The mutated life forms, sensing the gravity of the situation, also descended into a state of heightened frenzy.

Thanks to Red Hair's single-handed engagement with two top-tier life forms, the presence of another formidable entity in the rear, and the Undead Dragonfish's timely intervention which conjured tens of thousands of allies in a single maneuver, Cloud Peak's aerial combat operations proceeded with remarkable smoothness, inflicting substantial damage upon the flying parasite lines.

Although Cloud Peak's aerial forces were not outnumbered, and the flying parasites' inherent advantages were less pronounced against them, the battle situation remained quite favorable. However, with an enemy force of two hundred thousand, they were not easily vanquished. Subsequently, the sky knights began intentionally bypassing enemy lines to target the layer of gray substance encasing Cloud Peak's command center, hoping to breach it and enable Xia Lei and the others' escape.

Magic crystal cannons relentlessly bombarded this substance layer, but a portion of both airborne and ground life forms were redirected to assault these positions. An increasing number of magic crystal cannons started falling silent. In its urgent bid to rescue Xia Lei, Cloud Peak could no longer afford to worry about the magic crystal cannon emplacements, leaving the Cloud Peak fighters there to fend for themselves. It was easy to predict that if the battle wasn't concluded swiftly, there would be virtually no survivors near the command center's magic crystal cannon positions.

Having marshaled tens of thousands of flying parasite corpses to aid in the fight simultaneously, the Undead Dragonfish was visibly depleted. It hovered in the air for a time, regarding the massive red-haired sphere, unaware of the internal battle. The only certainty was that Red Hair was still alive.

The Undead Dragonfish's body began to quiver. A formidable aura emanated from it, drawing the attention of all nearby life forms.

After a brief pause, its already colossal form plunged toward the gray substance.

This was a desperate assault by a prime life form.

The level-nine flying parasite, guarding the innermost sanctum, sprang into action. It, too, let out a tremendous roar, charging headlong at the Undead Dragonfish.

Previously, whether from magic crystal cannons or the occasional Cloud Peak life forms breaching the defenses, the damage inflicted upon the gray substance was minimal. Perhaps with sufficient accumulated quantity and power, it could prove effective, but that would require time.

However, a full-power strike from a level-nine life form was a different matter. It lingered precisely to prevent such an eventuality.

Its objective was not to annihilate a foe of equal standing or dispatch numerous enemies; rather, it was to detain Cloud Peak's level-nine life forms until its comrades within the independent space accomplished their surprise attack mission.

The two supreme life forms flew at their utmost speed. Any targets that appeared in their path were instantly pulverized into bloody mist. Even those unfortunate enough to be too close were drawn into the immense vortex of wind generated by their charge. The fortunate lost their footing and plummeted to the ground; the unlucky were directly engulfed by the crushing force near their bodies and obliterated by the impact.

At a pivotal moment, the two collided.

Even upon reaching the apex, level-nine mutated life forms placed their ultimate faith in their own physical forms.

The impact between the Undead Dragonfish and the top-tier flying parasite resulted in an explosive outcome. Enormous energy ripples radiated outward, throwing both the flying parasites and Cloud Peak's air force into disarray. A vast expanse of emptiness formed around the point where the two life forms met.

A shadow descended from the heavens. Many who were intently focused on this struggle watched with bated breath.

It was the supreme flying parasite that was falling. In the most direct confrontation with the Undead Dragonfish, it had been defeated and met its end.

The Undead Dragonfish maneuvered erratically in the sky; clearly, it was not unharmed. Finally, it strained itself, charging towards the edge of the gray substance. Its immense body slammed against it, producing a deafening sound.

It then slid down the surface of this substance, crashing to the earth and kicking up enormous plumes of dust.

The entirety of Cloud Peak's aerial force momentarily faltered, then erupted in a unified, resounding roar.