Apocalypse: Starting With Three Unique Blessings-Chapter 50: The Fourth Wave.

Time flew by, and the next beast wave was upon them sooner than anyone anticipated.

Magnus stood before his troops, gaze fixed on the horizon, waiting for the inevitable. Each tick of the clock felt like an eternity.

Finally, a distant cloud of dust announced the horde’s approach. Magnus’s brows furrowed. The sheer size of the dust cloud indicated an overwhelming number of beasts. Even the combined forces of the previous three waves paled in comparison.

Behind Magnus, the men swallowed hard, their chests tightening. Their confidence, bolstered by Magnus’s new summon and their upgraded weaponry, began to waver. As the dust cloud grew larger, fear slowly crept into their hearts.

Magnus sensed their rising anxiety and knew he had to act. He couldn’t afford to let fear cripple them, not now.

Clearing his throat, he activated [Resonant Voice] and began to speak. "Warriors of the Lancaster territory! I see them. I see the beast horde. They are vast," he paused, took a deep breath, and straightened his posture before continuing, "They are vast, yes. But they are not invincible! Look behind you. This is your home. Your people live right behind those walls. Your brothers and sisters. Your families, friends, and loved ones."

"Will you allow these beasts to take them?" he asked, his voice ringing with fierce determination.

A moment of silence hung in the air before a resounding "No!" erupted from the ranks.

Magnus smiled inwardly. He could feel the renewed resolve in their voices. He wasn’t finished yet. "They think they can just march across our land and take what is ours? They think we’ll cower? They think we’ll break?! I say we SHOW THEM what we’re made of!"

"I see the fear in some of your eyes. I feel it in myself. But fear is a liar! It tells you you’re weak when you are strong! It whispers defeat when victory is within our grasp! Spit in the face of fear! Let the rage in your hearts burn hotter than their fire!"

"For every family, for every home, for our fallen brothers, for every inch of this land, we WILL hold the line! We will NOT yield! We will FIGHT! And by the gods, we will win! TO ARMS!" Magnus roared.

"For the Lancaster territory!" the men thundered, charging forward behind Magnus. The approaching horde’s outlines grew clearer, revealing a multitude of beasts, tens of thousands strong. Among them, the auras of hundreds of Feral-Rank beasts pulsed menacingly.

Magnus felt a tightening in his chest, but he refused to yield. It didn’t matter what the heavens sent to crush him, whether it was a beast horde or something else entirely, he would fight to his very last breath.

Steeling his resolve, he charged towards the horde, launching Vorax, who perched on his neck, into the fray.

After absorbing all the celestial essence Magnus had given him the previous day, Vorax’s aura had shifted, becoming stronger. The change was subtle, but Magnus, having spent considerable time with Vorax, was attuned to its presence. He had noticed the shift and wondered what changes the celestial essence had brought about. He was about to find out.

As Vorax expanded mid-air, taking its full form, Magnus finally saw the transformation. Vorax retained its previous shape and size, but something was different.

The broken spikes and the single injury from yesterday were completely healed. This wasn’t surprising to Magnus, knowing the accelerated healing capabilities of beasts. Since Vorax thrived on energy and had consumed a significant amount of celestial essence, its rapid recovery was expected. However, it was Vorax’s appearance that truly shocked Magnus.

While the overall form remained the same, the steel-like plates covering Vorax’s body and the spikes protruding from it gleamed with an unnatural brilliance, far exceeding their previous luster. It looked as if someone had meticulously polished them.

Magnus frowned. He would examine Vorax more closely later. Right now, he had to focus on the immediate threat of the beast horde.

Charging forward, he spotted a bull-like creature rushing towards him. Without hesitation, Magnus punched forward, smashing his fist into the center of its head, expertly avoiding the two sharp horns.

*Crunch!*

The sound of fracturing bone echoed as Magnus’s fist caved in the bull-like beast’s skull, killing it instantly. But Magnus had no time to dwell on his victory. The moment the creature fell, he dove backward, narrowly avoiding the swipe of another beast’s paw.

*Caw!*

A massive eagle-like creature descended from the sky, its huge wings blotting out the sun. Neither Magnus nor his men reacted with alarm. They recognized this beast as belonging to one of Magnus’s new summons, a beast tamer.

The eagle descended with incredible speed, propelled by a gust of wind. The tips of its outstretched wings shimmered with a razor-sharp edge. It plunged into the heart of the beast horde, its wings slicing through several creatures before its talons slammed into another, lifting it high into the air. With a brutal force, the eagle tore its captured prey in two, showering the ground below with blood, before letting the remains fall.

Without hesitation, the eagle scanned the battlefield before repeating its deadly dive. Meanwhile, Magnus and his men fought relentlessly.

One figure conjured a dozen whirling wind blades, sending them hurtling into the oncoming horde. Elsewhere, Kelvin and a man clad in red armor, riding a wolf with brilliant blue fur, battled a massive creature radiating the aura of a Feral-Rank beast.

The red-armored man lunged forward, his spear erupting in flames that seared away chunks of the creature’s flesh, inflicting agonizing pain.

The blue wolf roared, unleashing a streak of lightning from its jaws. The creature convulsed as the high-voltage current coursed through its body.

Seizing the opportunity, Kelvin punched the air, sending a large, flame-wreathed fist rocketing towards the creature’s head.

The beast sensed the impending danger, but it was too late. The fiery fist connected with a resounding explosion, obliterating the creature’s head and sending charred flesh flying in all directions.

Without a word, the duo moved on to their next target, their teamwork seamless and devastatingly effective.

Magnus fought with equal ferocity. He had lost count of the beasts he had slain, the number of times he had swung his sword. His shoulders ached, his body was splattered with blood, but he pressed on.

Suddenly, a huge snake lunged at him, its jaws gaping wide. It spat a stream of reddish liquid.

Magnus reacted instantly, dodging the venomous spray.

He recognized the snake as a Hemlock Serpent, a highly poisonous creature known to inhabit toxic environments. Its venom, derived from consuming poisonous plants and creatures, was incredibly potent. Even a single drop could penetrate the skin, causing death within seconds. Expelling the venom quickly was crucial for survival. Magnus knew he had to avoid contact at all costs.

The reddish venom landed on the ground nearby, sizzling and corroding the earth, turning it black.

Magnus’ heart clenched as he witnessed the venom’s corrosive power. That could have been his internal organs.

The massive snake hissed angrily, frustrated by Magnus’s evasiveness. It charged again.

Magnus felt a surge of apprehension. He sensed the creature was a Feral-Rank beast, at the peak of its power – far beyond his ability to handle alone.

He dodged the snake’s strike, the massive body sliding past him. Just as he thought he was safe, the snake’s tail whipped around, sending him flying.

*Cough! Cough!*

Magnus coughed up a mouthful of blood, the impact having caused internal injuries.

Without hesitation, he retrieved a healing potion from his inventory and gulped it down. He turned to face the snake once more.

But the snake’s eyes suddenly flicked upwards. A huge eagle was diving towards it, its gaze filled with unmasked killing intent. Horror filled the Hemlock Serpent as it recognized the beast’s overwhelming power.

Both creatures were Peak Stage Feral-Rank beasts, but the difference in their strength was vast.

The eagle, a Storm Eagle known for its razor-sharp talons, wings, and wind-based abilities, was ranked among the strongest of normal beasts. The Hemlock Serpent, reliant on ambush tactics and its potent venom, ranked significantly lower in direct combat. Facing the Storm Eagle head-on was a death sentence. Its instincts screamed for escape.

But it was too late. With a powerful flap of its wings, the Storm Eagle unleashed a massive wind blade that sliced through the Hemlock Serpent’s neck, severing its head. Blood sprayed across the battlefield. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Magnus glanced at the headless Hemlock Serpent, then up at the Storm Eagle. With a sharp cry, the eagle soared into the sky, searching for its next target.

Magnus turned to his summon, the beast tamer mounted on the blue-furred wolf. Their eyes met. Magnus knew the tamer had sent the eagle to his aid. A brief nod was exchanged between them. The tamer then directed the wolf forward, rejoining Kelvin in their relentless assault on the surrounding beasts.

Magnus didn’t pause either. He plunged back into the thick of the battle, facing the oncoming horde. There was no time to waste. The beast wave was far from over, and every second was precious.