Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies Chapter 1362: Infinity

Six individuals from the Knights of the Round Table were dispatched for this mission to the Snowy Plateau Region.

Leading this contingent was the deputy commander, Judgment Knight Lancelot.

The remaining members of the team consisted of:

Rebellious Knight Mordred, a man in his thirties characterized by short, curly chestnut hair.

Pure Knight Agravain, a strikingly beautiful young woman with light blue eyes and long, wavy hair resembling seaweed.

Shining Knight Lamorak, a swordswoman with short hair and a gaze that was both cold and sharp.

Green Knight Bors, a man possessing black hair and an aquiline nose.

Guardian Knight Galahad, widely known as the Golden Lion due to his blond hair, a man of middle age and imposing build.

Lamorak proposed a novel strategy.

Upon hearing Lamorak's suggestion, Agravain tilted her head, her eyes wide with curiosity, and inquired:

"And how precisely would we accomplish that?"

Lamorak placed a hand on her rapier, a confident smirk playing on her lips.

"Our objective is simply to locate two of these monsters and position them so they face each other. This arrangement should provoke them into attacking one another."

"Even though we are incapable of defeating them directly, under the established regulations of the 'Asylum,' they possess absolute invincibility and authority within this domain."

Lancelot quickly grasped the implication of Lamorak's plan.

"Are you suggesting we exploit a loophole in the local rules, ensnare them in an endless cycle, and thereby trigger a collapse of the established order?"

Based on the directives left behind by Batu:

Firstly, the Shadow Figures were impervious to conventional elimination through attacks.

Secondly, any individual under the target of a Shadow Figure's attention would be assimilated into one of them the instant their gaze shifted away.

This paradox was akin to an object possessing both the ultimate offensive capability and the ultimate defensive measure simultaneously.

Consequently, by compelling them to attack one another, the fundamental logic of the entire challenge would falter.

"I believe that is a rather clever approach. It certainly warrants an attempt,"

the Golden Lion Galahad remarked, stroking his chin with a cheerful grin.

Meanwhile, unseen in the deepening shadows, an unquantifiable number of those Shadow Figure monsters had begun to materialize.

They remained utterly immobile, like statues frozen in the gloom, their hunched forms reminiscent of mummified corpses, yet an unnerving sensation of being perpetually "observed" emanated from them.

Without hesitation, Lancelot instructed a few soldiers to proceed and arrange for these Shadow Figures to be positioned facing one another.

The soldiers dutifully carried out their orders.

As long as they were under direct observation, these creatures exhibited no movement, allowing one to interact with them freely.

However, under no circumstances should one avert their gaze.

The instant they were no longer in one's line of sight, they transformed into beings of unimaginable speed and terrifying ferocity.

In a remarkably short time, over a dozen Shadow Figures were strategically placed in a circular formation, ensuring each faced its neighbor.

Lamorak began to retreat slowly, step by careful step.

"Maintain my pace. We will withdraw from this location gradually, allowing them to recede from our field of vision incrementally."

Each member of the group cautiously moved backward. Upon reaching a bend, they continued their retreat until the figures were completely out of sight.

All eyes remained fixed forward, filled with a mixture of apprehension and anticipation, awaiting the outcome based on the figures' subsequent actions.

After an interval exceeding ten seconds, no discernible activity was observed ahead, yet the passage of time felt agonizingly slow to everyone present.

Lamorak took a deliberate breath and signaled a nearby soldier with a thumbs-up. "Proceed to investigate."

The soldier advanced cautiously, his rifle held ready.

Upon rounding the corner, he looked up to find a colossal Shadow Figure directly before him, its form practically looming over him.

Behind it, filling the entire corridor, were more than a dozen Shadow Figures. Devoid of discernible features or expressions, the soldier nonetheless felt their intense "scrutiny"!

"Urgh..."

He attempted to cry out, but in his overwhelming terror, only a strangled gasp escaped, as if an unseen force were constricting his throat.

Witnessing his distress, Lamorak and the others immediately understood the failure of their stratagem.

"Do not falter!"

Lamorak commanded urgently.

At that precise moment, a piercing scream echoed from the rear of their assembly.

Lamorak and the others whirled around, their faces contorted in shock. To their horror, they realized that, at some unperceived moment, a Shadow Figure had infiltrated their ranks, its immense form now positioned directly behind the group.

"When... did that occur?"

Lancelot's countenance darkened considerably.

Their vigilance had been constant, meticulously monitoring all directions. Logically, there should have been no blind spots. How, then, had the Shadow Figure materialized amongst them undetected?

Could there be some other rule, previously overlooked, governing their situation?

Another scream rent the air. Lancelot glanced upward, noticing that the soldier dispatched for reconnaissance had vanished. In his stead, a large, viscous, black substance was slowly emerging from the ground, gradually coalescing into a new Shadow Figure.

It turned its attention towards the group, fixing them with a silent, unblinking stare.

Instantly, pandemonium spread in all directions. Even the most resolute minds would falter under such a sudden turn of events.

Initially, following Lancelot's command, every soldier was tasked with maintaining vigilance in all directions.

However, amidst the chaos, their gazes became disoriented, unsure where to focus.

Screams echoed one after another. Two more soldiers fell prey to the Shadow Figures, rapidly being transformed into their own kind.

The balance of power shifted drastically. The number of Shadow Figures on the scene surged, while the ranks of Lancelot's soldiers diminished.

Previously, they could manage to keep track of every surrounding Shadow Figure, but now, their attention was stretched perilously thin.

The instant their gazes were averted, the Shadow Figures would strike with incredible speed.

"Let's move! We need to get out of here first!"

Mordred knelt, placing his right hand on the ground. Swiftly, a vast, muddy mire materialized beneath their feet. The immense forms of the Shadow Figures became mired, sinking slowly. Even as they were momentarily out of sight, the creatures still advanced upon them.

Green Knight Bors rested his right hand against the wall. A deep rumbling ensued as the wall's surface abruptly fractured. Thick vines erupted from the wall, forming a complete barrier between them and the pursuing Shadow Figures.

Yet, soon afterward, a grinding, shattering sound reverberated from beyond. Even the formidable wooden barrier began to disintegrate at an alarming rate.

"Go!"

Mordred urged in a low, urgent tone. Everyone descended through the ceiling of their current level, dropping to the floor below.

However, shortly after, they observed another sizable contingent of Shadow Figures closing in at the end of the corridor.

Behind them, the passage was now entirely obstructed by a growing multitude of Shadow Figures.

Mordred's throat constricted as he uttered a furious curse, "Damn it all!"