Apocalypse Gachapon

When people are in despair, no matter how unorthodox or absurd their actions may seem, it’s hardly surprising, because those words are no longer sufficient to describe them. Perhaps only the simplest yet most intense term, madness, can fully capture the human psyche in such moments.

Just like Gyanendra at this very instant.

Afterward, Ye Zhongming would sometimes recall this moment, initially unclear why the West Asia Saint had chosen this path. But as he gradually heard more rumors about the man, he began to understand.

This was a common occurrence, yet one that played out in nearly every waking moment.

Gyanendra had hit a bottleneck in his development in Western Asia.

One step further, and he would reach nine stars—but his resources were nowhere near as abundant as the other ruler of Western Asia.

People, money, materials, equipment… everything was lacking. The lead in reaching nine stars had already slipped from his grasp.

This was one of the reasons he had come to East Asia seeking opportunity.

Originally, he had believed it would be an easily obtained stroke of luck.

Not only had he failed to gain extra advantages, but upon returning, he found the situation drastically changed. His influence in Western Asia hadn’t expanded—it had shrunk further. He no longer had much confidence in competing with the other titan.

After shrewdly liquidating his assets and assembling this current team, Gyanendra had come to vie for the Mountain King Crown with a gambler’s mentality.

He had hoped this would return him to his peak.

Yet now, the situation had pushed him to disappointment once more—even despair.

He began to doubt his own job deeply.

Hadn’t he foreseen some of this? Under the heaven-sent opportunity of not having to fight desperately against factions like Cloud Peak, shouldn’t his precognition have allowed him to secure victory with relative ease?

So why had things turned out this way? Nearly half the rounds had passed. He had used his hard-earned, precious cards—yet the result? His own Bright Stars dwindled while the leaders remained firmly ahead.

If he lost this time, forget escaping—even if he did, he’d likely be left with nothing but himself.

At this stage of the apocalypse, losing one’s faction meant losing any chance to stand at the world’s pinnacle!

For someone like Gyanendra, accustomed to towering above others, this was utterly intolerable.

Thus, despair slowly crept into his heart—first turning his eyes red, then freezing his heart, and finally… driving his consciousness into madness.

“Gyanendra has activated the Super Misfortune Card. Targets: Cloud Peak, the Mechanical Genius, and Greater America.”

“For the next three rounds, targets cannot use any cards and will suffer a random negative status.”

“Gyanendra has activated the Annihilation Card. Each round, a random Annihilation Thunderstrike will attack a Bright Star and all life upon it. If the Guardian Beast or faction on the star cannot withstand the strike, the Bright Star will be destroyed.”

“Gyanendra has activated the Minor King Card. Card effect: Overclock! Enhances a selected card’s effects and adds a random additional ability.”

“Gyanendra’s Overclock target is the Annihilation Card. Annihilation Thunderstrike damage increased by 50%, with unenhanced effects applied to adjacent Bright Stars.”

After this rapid-fire announcement, there was no silence—only fury and upheaval.

What the hell was this old bastard trying to do?!

Three cards in a row—all rare and valuable—thrown out at once. This was even more ruthless than Cloud Peak’s move.

Sure, Cloud Peak had used the Major King and Shared Fate Cards, but they’d targeted factions already gunning for their destruction. They hadn’t touched the Cannibal Chain—they distinguished friend from foe.

But Gyanendra? Look at his targets: two of them were allies he’d just made agreements with.

Fine, verbal agreements in the apocalypse meant little—self-preservation came first. But the Annihilation Card? That was indiscriminate! Aside from Gyanendra’s own Bright Star, every other star was a potential target!

This wasn’t just striking back—it was attacking everyone. No distinction between friend or foe.

And the Overclock Card? On its own, it might’ve been harmless. But applied to the Annihilation Card? It was like pouring gasoline on a wildfire.

Gyanendra’s madness wasn’t just in burning through every card he had left—it was in the fact that he didn’t even spare himself.

The Annihilation Card made him immune, but not the Overclock-enhanced effects. If the additional strikes hit his own Bright Stars and his Guardian Beasts failed to defend them? They’d be obliterated too.

Gyanendra already had the fewest Bright Stars. If luck turned against him in the remaining rounds, losing a few more to these strikes—plus those taken by others—could mean instant elimination.

Sure, more stars meant higher chances of being hit—but even if Cloud Peak or the Mechanical Genius lost a few, they’d still outnumber him. With over forty stars each, even losing two per round would leave them ahead.

Ruthlessness toward others was one thing, but this level of self-destruction? This combo was indiscriminate slaughter. Didn’t Gyanendra realize he might be the first to fall?

And the wheel space hadn’t stated that card effects would vanish if the user died. Even if Gyanendra were eliminated, the Annihilation Card would keep wreaking havoc—this was spiting the world from beyond the grave.

But the most terrifying part? Something no one dared dwell on.

What did “cannot withstand the Annihilation Thunderstrike” mean? Who could withstand it? How powerful were these strikes? Failure meant instant elimination.

This was Round 4. Seven Annihilation Thunderstrikes remained, each hitting three stars. That meant 21 Bright Stars at risk. Statistically, every faction would likely be hit at least once, facing sudden death.

Before, even without the grand prize, survival had been possible. Now? Death loomed over everyone. Even if victory became possible again, the odds of annihilation were higher.

Gyanendra instantly became public enemy number one. Even leaders like Ella and Spade, who rarely cursed, hurled the vilest insults at the Western Asia Saint.

Ye Zhongming, however, furrowed his brow, rapidly analyzing the possibilities this indiscriminate assault created. Finally, he sighed. He had to admit—Gyanendra’s move had dragged everyone into the abyss. The 80% advantage Ye Zhongming had secured with his Major Joker had been reset to a 50-50 free-for-all.

The King of Cloud Peak could only lament: When humans succumb to certain states, they truly cast all restraint aside.

For example… madness.