Apocalypse Gachapon

The Saintess sat in her chair, watching the setting sun dye the distant horizon a deep red.

This was a sight never seen in the secret realm.

There, if you looked up, you would only see the same monotonous gray-black, despairing, and oppressive.

Though West Asia could hardly be called a good place, compared to the Blue Secret Realm, it was like heaven.

At times, the Saintess couldn’t understand why so many of her people were dissatisfied with such a life.

Perhaps it was as the people of this planet said—greed knows no bounds.

“Your Highness, have you made your decision?”

The uninvited arrival of Zhengxi and Duoyan did not surprise the Saintess in the slightest.

She turned around, a smile on her face, but her words were as sharp as knives, stabbing into these two new powerholders who had already resolved to sideline her.

“You know I will agree—that’s precisely your vileness.”

“You don’t dare make this public, and you’ve surely planned for me to shoulder all the responsibility, using the last vestiges of my people’s trust in me to achieve your goals.”

“Afterwards, my sacrifice will grant you control over the Hall, while I become a worthless pawn, living like a walking corpse, maintaining ties with the Holy City until I’m expendable.”

Zhengxi and Duoyan remained silent, their heads slightly lowered.

Everything the Saintess said was true.

“Your Highness, sometimes sacrifice is necessary. The only difference is when and what kind of sacrifice is most worthwhile.”

At this moment, Zhengxi was no longer frivolous—his expression was solemn.

“If the day comes when I must sacrifice, I will do so without hesitation.” Duoyan placed a hand over his chest in salute. “Now, it is your turn to sacrifice.”

The Saintess nodded and stood up.

“Perhaps you are right. Perhaps this decision is best for the Hall. But you’ve overlooked one thing.”

Zhengxi and Duoyan exchanged glances, confused by her words.

“Here, or in our original home, cooperation is built on both sides standing on roughly equal footing. Do you truly believe the Holy City will cooperate with us sincerely in our current state? You pressure me, disrespect me, even humiliate me, all because you assume I will endure it for the sake of the Hall. But there’s one thing you’ve all failed to realize.”

The Saintess unfastened her cloak, revealing the white Robe of Faith beneath!

“I am still the strongest existence in all of Saint Light Hall!”

Her fair right hand reached into the void, and a halberd materialized in her grasp.

“Glory Staff!”

At the same time, an exquisite crown shimmered into existence above her head.

“Crown of Clarity!”

The two new leaders took a step back in unison.

Saint Light Armoury.

They seethed inwardly.

Once the Saintess was no longer the Saintess of Saint Light Hall, the first thing she would have to surrender was the Saint Light Armoury.

Now, her stance made her intentions crystal clear.

She was not going to meekly sacrifice herself for the Hall as Zhengxi and Duoyan had expected. Instead, she had chosen a path they never anticipated—

To fight to the end!

“Come. Today, let us settle this once and for all!”

“You’re insane! Do you know what this conflict means?” Zhengxi never imagined the Saintess would be so unyielding—she was actually preparing to fight!

“I do. It means our respective supporters will engage in a life-and-death struggle. Saint Light Hall will erupt into civil war. The losers will die, and the victors will be exiled.”

“But so what?”

At this point, both sides knew there was no room for negotiation.

Zhengxi and Duoyan slowly retreated—not to flee, but to position themselves for a decisive battle against the Saintess!

“Your Highness! Commander!”

Chilian and one of Zhengxi’s subordinates rushed into the room almost simultaneously.

Seeing the tense standoff, they froze for a moment before delivering the same message:

Deliver the Saintess to the City Lord’s palace!

Send Saint Light Hall out to face the enemy!

“Bullshit!”

Before the Saintess could react, the cold-tempered Duoyan was the first to curse.

Their allegiance to the Holy City didn’t make them fools.

“Your rudeness displeases me.”

Sayid walked in—alone.

“Assemble your forces. You have one hour to march out and engage the enemy. Saintess, you will come with me. That’s all.”

His attitude infuriated everyone in the room.

Zhengxi took a deep breath and, for the sake of the bigger picture, calmly asked, “What enemy requires our entire force to engage?”

“Eastern invaders.” Sayid sounded impatient.

The Saintess and the three new leaders immediately realized what he meant.

“And if we refuse?” The Saintess stared straight at Sayid.

“I knew it.” Instead of answering directly, Sayid muttered under his breath. In the next instant, without warning, he activated an object. Almost instantly, a tattered, ghostly banner appeared above Saint Light Hall’s encampment.

“Since you refuse, enjoy your stay here. Consider it your contribution to the Holy City’s war effort.”

With that, his body twisted into a wisp of green smoke, floating upward into the massive, spectral banner.

The Saintess and the three leaders exchanged glances, their faces ashen.

They found themselves unable to move—and worse, a strange force seemed to be draining their energy!

…………………………………………………………

“Light the lamps.”

With all of Cloud Peak’s forces in position, the King of Cloud Peak issued the first command of the final assault through the Battle Contribution Badges.

Countless flare-like projectiles shot into the sky from all directions of the Holy City. Even after rising past fifty meters, they continued ascending without falling, each burning as bright as a thousand-watt bulb. Hundreds—no, thousands-of them turned night into day.

The entire Holy City gaped in shock at the blinding lights above.

“Target: the four city gates. Attack.”

The second command followed immediately, and the assault began simultaneously on all fronts.

From above, the Holy City was surrounded on all four gates by dense formations of Cloud Peak warriors. The moment the order was given, as if rehearsed a thousand times, four massive aircraft ascended—modified Exquisite Floating Balls.

At a certain altitude, their weapon bays opened, unleashing a relentless barrage of projectiles trailing fiery tails, one after another.

These were the air-to-ground missiles, jointly designed by Cloud Peak and Commander Mu’s Resistance Zone, specifically for the new-model balls.

At the same time, four colossal figures appeared outside each gate, each nearly half the height of the Holy City’s walls.

War Fortresses—also upgraded models.

From their backs, launch racks slid out. Their heads tilted slightly, and the racks unleashed a relentless volley of small missiles, filling the air with a terrifying, continuous BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!