Apocalypse Gachapon - Chapter 1669: Protector Beast
Nine Treasures’ sudden appearance on the Bright Star with its mate instantly lifted the spirits of all Cloud Peak members.
Two level-eight mutated lifeforms, combined with Xia Bai—one of the strongest eight-star evolved —formed a trio that radiated reassurance.
Even against this unknown monster with nearly halved strength, let alone a level-nine lifeform, these three could put up a formidable fight.
Ye Zhongming’s tense expression relaxed noticeably.
A guaranteed victory was far preferable to uncertainty.
No matter how thoroughly they’d analyzed the situation earlier, reality remained unpredictable. Any unforeseen mishap would spell disaster.
But now, with this lineup, there should be no issues.
Sure enough, when a two-headed, four-winged, four-armed flying monstrosity appeared, Xia Bai—supported by Nine Treasures and the snow-white level-eight mutated earthworm—completely overwhelmed the creature.
However, the battle wasn’t without its heart-stopping moments. The Twinborn Voidbeast possessed a bizarre short-range spatial teleportation ability, launching unpredictable attacks that kept Xia Bai and the two earthworms on their toes.
But Xia Bai thrived on adversity—her attack power escalated with each injury, eventually overwhelming the Voidbeast.Notably, the presumably female white earthworm proved unexpectedly formidable. Hailing from icy tundras, it wielded ice-based skills with breathtaking mastery. Its physical resilience was equally astounding. When the Voidbeast’s first teleportation strike wounded Xia Bai, this earthworm tanked the onslaught, buying Xia Bai crucial recovery time. From that moment onward, they dominated the fight until securing the kill.
“Hey, Little Ye, this one’s not bad. I’m kinda into it,” Yangos remarked, licking its draconic lips with its forked tongue.
Ye Zhongming shot the vile dragon a sidelong glare and sternly warned, “Don’t covet your friend’s mate!”
Yangos scoffed but added, “It reminds me of my kin—the Frost Dragons.”
“You’ve remembered your past?” Ye Zhongming’s eyebrows shot up.
If the dragon could recall its origins, it might provide crucial clues about the wheel—or even the apocalypse itself.
But Yangos shook its head. “No, just a feeling.”
Yellow Ball rolled its canine eyes nearby, radiating a “Then why even bring it up?” vibe.
With Xia Bai’s successful challenge, Cloud Peak’s entire force was transported onto the Bright Star. A brief flicker of darkness later, they found themselves on a stunningly beautiful planet.
No blue skies or white clouds—instead, vibrant hues painted the atmosphere. The air was sweet, the soil fertile, teeming with vitality.
Were it not for the Voidbeast’s gory corpse, this place would be paradise.
Ye Zhongming scanned the surroundings but found no trace of other factions. It truly felt like an alien world.
Everything felt unnervingly real.
Maintaining defensive formations, Cloud Peak fanned out in a circular search pattern from their arrival point.
Within minutes, they discovered a structure.
A Gothic-style cathedral, predominantly white and blue, adorned with dazzling gemstones atop its spires, exuding opulence.
After cautious reconnaissance, they entered—only to find the lavish interior completely empty, save for a massive flat crystal panel etched with bizarre patterns.
The luminous crystal bathed the interior in soft light. The patterns depicted unfamiliar mutated lifeforms—animals, plants, energy entities, mechanical, and undead beings.
At the top loomed a nine-headed dragon whose mere illustration radiated terror, though Yangos insisted it wasn’t draconic.
After extensive scrutiny yielded no insights, the crystal suddenly flared to life.
The previously static patterns now glowed vividly, each creature portrait accompanied by an empty energy bar beneath it.
“Guardian System activated. Factions that have obtained Bright Star ownership via purchase or challenge may acquire guardian lifeforms depicted here by submitting equivalent payment. When the energy bar is filled, the guardian beast awakens as the star’s protector.”
Cloud Peak members stared, baffled by the guardian beasts’ purpose.
“Each Bright Star accommodates only one guardian beast, but guardians can be upgraded up to five times via equivalent payment. Upgrade costs scale with the guardian’s base strength and upgrade tier.”
The instructions were clear, yet the system still hadn’t explained why they should acquire these guardians.
“Guardian beasts serve as sole protectors when human factions depart their Bright Stars. When other factions attempt passage, they must either challenge the guardian or purchase transit rights, with proceeds going to the star’s owners. If a guardian is defeated in combat, star ownership transfers to the challengers.”
Surveying the thousands of patterns, Ye Zhongming felt a headache brewing.
Since when did wheel trials need such convoluted mechanics? Was this some kind of mercenary summoning system?
Just as confusion peaked, the wheel’s final announcement dropped, leaving everyone speechless.
“When all factions complete their Bright Star trajectories via purchase or challenge, occupied stars will form a new pathway. Each surviving faction will strike the Soaring Crystal ten times based on their star ownership count. The faction securing the most stars wins ultimate victory—and claims the Mountain King Crown.”
