The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse Chapter 1471: Heading Out

With their preparations concluded, they set off on a journey towards the east, the direction where the much-coveted Immortal Essence Water was located.

Klaus, fully armored with determination, was more than ready to confront any danger their path might present alongside his capable team. As they made swift progress, he maintained a vigilant posture, his senses keenly alert, prepared to intervene and shield his companions from any emerging threats.

Despite their status as immortal lords, their suppressed powers necessitated him to assume a more proactive role, covering any vulnerabilities that might arise.

Fortunately, even after two hours of relentless travel, no formidable beasts had yet attacked. Nevertheless, they pressed onward, their guard remaining steadfastly raised. Soon, a noticeable warmth began to permeate the surrounding atmosphere.

"Halt..." Klaus signaled, raising a hand to command a stop.

They obeyed immediately, all five members assuming a state of heightened alert. Their defenses were bolstered, and they braced themselves for an imminent confrontation.

Klaus lightly tapped his foot on the earth, initiating a series of ripples that expanded outwards, meticulously probing the vast expanse of the vicinity.

Employing his divine sense, he detected nothing concrete. However, the subtle vibrations from his ripple attack located its intended, colossal target.

"Rory, ascend into the air and prepare to unleash your assault." Klaus instructed.

She acknowledged with a nod and gracefully took to the skies. In that precise moment, a deafening roar echoed from approximately five hundred meters away. Klaus offered a slight smile and turned to Echo. "Utilize your spatial magic to enhance your ice attacks. This will imbue them with greater potency and alarming speed."

She responded with a determined nod, her mind already formulating intricate attack sequences. Meanwhile, the monstrous beast began its advance, its passage marked by the snapping of trees as it moved relentlessly towards them.

High above, Rory's gaze fixed upon a monstrous centipede, an sight that sent a shiver down her spine. Without a moment's hesitation, she loosed an arrow, striking the creature's head with a powerful, piercing blow.

The arrow breached its formidable exoskeleton and lodged itself within its massive frame. However, to her dismay, it was instantly consumed by emerald flames, provoking a frown from Rory.

"It wields formidable flame mastery, so do not underestimate its power," Klaus cautioned, turning his attention to Omen and Slate. "Let's engage. We will move in for close-quarters combat."

They assented with affirming nods and swiftly advanced.

Omen flourished his sword, a fiery aura igniting around its blade. Slate, conversely, tapped into the wind's essence, moving with a speed that blurred the senses. His spear was encased in both hardened, scaly armor and a potent poison.

Klaus, on the other hand, extended his palm, and with a surge of power, [Bloodwork], his wickedly effective blood-draining scythe, materialized in his grasp.

A subtle crimson mist swirled around the weapon, emitting a low, resonant hum of contained energy.

"Soon, my companion, very soon we shall shatter the initial seal and awaken your true soul." He murmured, his free hand brushing against the scythe as if offering reassurance to the dormant spirit within, before vanishing into the ether.

His next reappearance was atop the colossal centipede's fiery carapace, his feet encased in a layer of ice.

With a fluid motion, his hand swept downwards, and the scythe's razor-sharp edge plunged deep into the beast's back, eliciting a torrent of dark ichor.

Omen and Slate executed their attacks simultaneously, Omen's blade carving a grievous wound into the creature's flank, while Slate's strike left both a laceration and a dose of potent venom. In response, the centipede unleashed a terrifying roar, one that could rival even that of a dragon.

The injected poison began its insidious work, corroding its insides. While it was a Calamity Beast, rendering standard immortal rings ineffective, the current circumstances were different.

It was merely at the Immortal Monarch stage, and thus, an immortal ring wielded by an Immortal Lord was certainly bound to exert some influence.

Consequently, Slate's venomous strike proved fatal, as were the subsequent attacks that continued to land upon its beleaguered form.

Rory located her target once more, and Echo conjured ten deadly spears fashioned from ice, launching them at the centipede. Augmented by spatial essence, the projectiles pierced deeply into its vulnerable body, eliciting agonizing roars.

After ten agonizing minutes, the centipede had endured the loss of over eighty percent of its vital essence.

While the sheer damage inflicted by a group of True Immortals might seem staggering, the primary factor accelerating their victory was Klaus's formidable weapon, Bloodwork.

As it relentlessly absorbed the creature's lifeblood, the centipede sustained blood loss exceeding its regenerative capabilities, trapping it in a desperate predicament.

Thus, a mere fifteen minutes later, another Calamity Beast met its demise, with Omen being the recipient of its core this time.

Given that their second encounter of the day also involved a Calamity Beast, Klaus deduced they were destined to face more such formidable foes in the near future. This, in turn, implied they would have ample opportunities to acquire additional valuable cores.

***

Meanwhile, the 7th Jade Princess and her retinue materialized within the jade nest, finding an unexpected reception awaiting them. The first sight that greeted them upon their arrival was an immense shadow, exuding an aura of profound suppression.

"Huh."

For a fleeting moment, she emitted a sigh, mistaking the ominous presence for the mere shadow of a colossal tree. However, as the Jade Princess's gaze lifted, it settled upon a gigantic bird, its wings unfurling like metallic blades tipped with sharp spikes.

"Well, we need to flee... like, immediately."

A pair of wings, woven from the essence of blue-hued wind, spontaneously materialized on her back, and she vanished in an instant, her four companions following suit seconds later.

"Employ your immortal rings to enhance your speed. Engaging that avian monstrosity is futile; our best course of action is to escape." She harbored no illusions of arrogance, understanding her limitations against a being of such immense power.

Indeed, the creature was a demigod-level Calamity Beast. Even if she had reached the Immortal Lord stage, this opponent was far beyond what she and her teammates could handle.

Regrettably, the adversary was a demigod with a specialization in flight and aerial combat.

Mere seconds into their flight, they understood they were in inescapable trouble, caught in a calamity of their own making.

"Princess, we should split up. At least one of us can lead it away," suggested one of her companions, spotting the colossal bird hurtling towards them.

Its wingspan stretched an immense 500 meters. Each beat of those wings propelled it forward with terrifying speed, relentlessly closing the distance.

"That won't be necessary, Via. Just keep flying for now," the Princess commanded.

In her grasp, a boat-like artifact pulsed with a soft green light, its glow intensifying as they continued their desperate flight. Behind them, the monstrous bird drew nearer with every powerful wing stroke.

The boat-like item continued its ethereal glow for thirty seconds before suddenly unfurling into a sleek, emerald flying vessel. Three pairs of wings emerged from its sides, beating the void and causing it to crack.

The Jade Princess leaped aboard without hesitation.

"Hurry, our time is running out!"

They scrambled inside, and just as the last member boarded, a massive metallic beak lunged towards them. It seemed the bird, sensing its quarry was about to escape, made a final, desperate lunge.

However, the instant the final person stepped onto the vessel, the void tore open, the boat vanished within, and the rift sealed shut behind it.

The bird let out a furious shriek, a clear testament to its rage.

Yet, with nothing left to direct its fury at, it resumed the pursuit. It too opened a void channel and plunged through, hunting the five insignificant beings who dared to flee.

***

Elsewhere, a five-person team materialized within the Nest, their faces concealed by masks, their identities a complete mystery. However, had Klaus been present, he would have recognized the individual sporting green gloves.

This was the same man who had made the killing gesture towards him just as they were about to enter the Jade Nest.

Upon arrival, they immediately adopted a high state of alert. After a tense few seconds revealed no immediate danger, one of them produced a digital map.

After a brief study of the location marked in red, he pocketed the device.

"We are approximately 72 hours away from our destination. We must hurry and reach it before anyone else does."

They exchanged nods and, before long, melted back into the shadows, departing with swift, silent movements, leaping from one patch of darkness to another.