Apocalypse Circular-Chapter 446: The Seventh Tier, Breaking Out of the Cocoon into a Butterfly
Even Wu Handing, an outsider to the situation, could sense the presence of Lukal, let alone Lu Luo who was directly involved.
It wasn’t just Lukal; he also felt two others with fragments lurking nearby.
They had obtained their fragments earlier than Lukal and were more adept at controlling the Ashen Fragment’s powers.
They could even use a part of the Sequence Power within it.
Noticing Lukal and Wu Handing was naturally an easy feat for them.
This seemed like a form of surveillance; they wanted to gauge the strength between Wu Handing and Lukal, thus assessing the power of the fragment holders.
Lukal’s subsequent actions did indeed smell of a death wish.
He had indeed noticed the Inspection Department’s presence, yet he did not retreat.
The power surge from breaking through to the Fifth Tier, combined with the power of the Ashen Fragment, gave Lukal a slight sense of arrogance.
He felt that he could flex his muscles a bit.
"There are quite a lot of people here!"
Hunched over, Lukal continued to edge closer to the tents of the Inspection Department’s members.
Wu Handing did not remind these members of the Inspection Department, as her injuries had recovered.
It was a good opportunity to use these members to gauge the strength of this uninvited guest.
It would also allow her to have a clear judgment for the upcoming battle.
"This is truly something to look forward to!"
Wu Handing squinted her eyes, stood up, and casually glanced at Lu Luo. Seeing that he hadn’t woken up, she didn’t say much.
She simply walked quietly to the door, waiting for the outbreak of the fight.
Lukal had already moved to the edge of the camp.
In the camp, a lookout patted his companion’s shoulder.
"Hey, keep watch for me."
"What for?"
"I need to take a leak."
"Damn it, you’ve been peeing five times tonight already."
"I drank too much water, y’know. Come on, the able should bear the burden; cover for me."
"I bet you just want to slack off."
The man left with a laugh, not responding to his teammate’s comment.
After leaving, he did indeed head not far from the camp, getting ready to relieve himself.
"UGH, why have I been peeing so much lately!"
RUSTLING sounds appeared near his ear, and the man turned toward the sound, but as soon as he looked, a dark shadow darted out from the other side.
PFFT!
The dagger slit his throat, and he didn’t even get a chance to cry out before he dropped dead on the ground.
Lukal wiped the blade on the body of the man he’d killed; assassinating a Fourth Tier expert appeared easy, but the burst of energy he just released could have been sensed by many.
It was just that it was rest time, and no one was that vigilant.
"The Inspection Department, that’s all there is to it."
Having killed a lookout, Lukal’s ego swelled even more.
He felt the power of the Inspection Department’s members was just so-so; with the fragment, all aspects of his power had been enhanced.
Moreover, he could use that unknown superpower.
In such a state, he was practically invincible among his peers.
"Alright, let’s go find out! Who’s the next little darling."
Lukal continued to approach while the other lookout had started to sense something was amiss.
His companion’s breath had vanished.
Unbeknownst to him, he had already placed his fingers on the alarm, and in his other hand, he drew his pistol.
"Dike? Where are you?"
After calling out twice and receiving no response, the face of the lookout darkened.
He hesitated, wondering whether he should sound the alarm at this moment.
But in the brief moment of his hesitation, danger descended once again.
Lukal’s dagger instantly sliced off the man’s hand, leaving him completely unable to press the alarm.
And his throat was also seized by another large hand, immobilizing him entirely.
He tried to raise his gun and fire, only to find an unidentified tentacle-like object suppressing his arm.
The scene filled the sentinel with horror and confusion. Is the person in front of me a human, or a bizarre creature?
"Die!"
Lukal instantly twisted the man’s head off.
For a high-tier Transcendent assassinating a lower-tier Transcendent, even with just a one-tier difference, the fight was almost like a dimensional strike.
Lukal, who had killed two people, moved forward again, entering a tent and starting a silent massacre.
However, this time, the noise of his movements drew the others’ attention.
Gunshots rang out!
"Finally discovered, eh? These people’s reactions are really slow!"
Lu Luo was not too satisfied with the performance of these Inspection Department members because, in his opinion, so many Fourth Tier Transcendents shouldn’t be slaughtered by a Fifth Tier in this manner, even if this Fifth Tier possessed Sequence and had certain assassination capabilities.
The main reason for this outcome was because these members of the Inspection Department were far too arrogant.
They utterly looked down on these ’savages’ and never anticipated that someone would really come here to attack and assassinate them during the night.
Really stupid, both weak and dumb. But for this Lukal to be able to use a tentacle of the Devourer, now that’s truly surprising. The speed at which these people are exploring the Sequence is really fast.
Lu Luo continued to watch the spectacle, while Wu Handing herself was slightly excited.
She was estimating how many moves it would take her to kill Lukal. Ten moves? Maybe not even that many. After all, he’s just a Fifth Tier Transcendent.
"That’s about enough. If any more people die, there might be a change in their mindset."
Grasping her fragment, Wu Handing suddenly burst out of the room.
Her speed was far superior to Lukal’s; not even the power of the lava fragment could bridge the gap between them.
Besides, Wu Handing had a fragment herself.
"Oblivious to death!"
A black claw suddenly appeared, and before Lukal’s palm could tighten, it was slashed into several pieces by the sharp claws.
The pain didn’t even reach his brain.
Wu Handing then kicked him, sending him flying away.
"Princess Your Highness!"
Seeing Wu Handing repel the enemy, the others bowed their heads.
They felt a mix of shame, having previously hoped that Wu Handing would take them in, but with such a performance, it was impossible to expect the Princess to request transfers for them.
"Reflect on yourselves."
"Yes."
The team leader at the front did not dare to retort, because standing guard at night was originally their duty.
The outcome was so dire that they couldn’t even bear to see it themselves, let alone blame Wu Handing for it.
"I’ll take care of that man."
After Wu Handing spoke, her figure had already dashed out, striking Lukal in the chest with her fist.
The force of the black claw’s punch penetrated Lukal’s internal organs, and following that blow, Lu Luo knew Lukal was not going to survive.
"Where is the thing?"
"I don’t know what you’re talking about!"
Lukal, writhing in pain, lay on the ground, waiting for Wu Handing to approach again.
Because Wu Handing gave him the illusion, he could fight back and get a kill!
"Heh, naïve fellow. Even if you don’t say it, I can find it on your corpse."
Wu Handing struck once more, and at the same time, a tentacle shot out from Lukal’s spine.
The spikes and mouthparts on the tentacle took Wu Handing by surprise; for some reason, instinctively, she found them somewhat frightening.
"Die for me!"
The tentacle wrapped around Wu Handing’s body, poised to pierce her chest.
However, after making contact with it, Wu Handing realized that although the tentacle was strong, it wasn’t strong enough to cross tiers.
The somewhat calmer Wu Handing immediately severed the tentacle with her sharp claws.
"Ridiculous!"
A black claw burst through the skull, and Lukal, the holder of a fragment, ultimately died before Wu Handing.
Looking at the severed tentacle, Wu Handing pondered.
There’s a dense concentration of Sequence Energy on this thing; it must be some kind of Sequence Power. But Lukal is definitely not a Sequencer; this power must be related to the fragment he possessed.
Wu Handing rummaged through Lukal’s body and at last found another fragment beneath his flesh.
Wu Handing was somewhat surprised by the fragment; the power it held was purer and stronger than her own.
This thing must have been nurtured by him for a while.
After acquiring the second fragment, Wu Handing’s gaze lifted slightly, looking towards the distant Double Tower Mountain.
There stood two other fragment holders.
The three of them looked at each other across the darkness, but none made a move.
After the two left, Wu Handing also returned alone to her campsite.
"There should be no trouble tonight; be more careful next time."
"Yes!"
Back in the tent, Lu Luo had already woken up in a daze, even finding time to grill some meat.
Smelling the aroma of the grilled meat, Wu Handing’s eyes suddenly lit up.
"Although I’ve had many exotic delicacies, I always feel that the grilled meat you make is especially delicious."
"That’s a given, since we won’t be enjoying it many more times. Scarcity makes things precious after all!"
Although what Lu Luo said was true, Wu Handing didn’t like the way he expressed it.
Always talking as if there weren’t many meals left, as if he was about to die.
"Do you talk like this at home as well?"
"Uh? My word is law at home," Lu Luo said earnestly.
But Wu Handing didn’t quite believe it.
"Heh, men always like to boast about their status at home, oh, I mean the Imperial throne."
"Have some supper, then sleep."
"Aren’t you going to ask what happened outside? As a Transcendent, you should have at least a little curiosity, right?"
"You going out means something happened, but you coming back means it’s already over. If it’s over, then why should I ask?"
"Makes sense."
Wu Handing picked up a skewer of grilled meat that Lu Luo had prepared and casually began to eat.
If not for Lu Luo’s lowly status, I might have considered taking him under my wing.
「...」
The next day, there were even more Transcendents gathered at the mountain peak.
Some Transcendents had already begun to group together, either deliberately or inadvertently, casting glances at Wu Handing’s direction from time to time.
It was clear that Wu Handing’s formidable strength had led them to regard her and the scattered members of the Inspection Department as potential adversaries.
"The situation doesn’t look good," Lu Luo warned Wu Handing.
Wu Handing was, after all, the one he had chosen; it would be a great pity if she were to die here.
"What’s so bad about it? They’re just a bunch of savages. If I can’t even deal with them, how can I ever reach the pinnacle?"
Lu Luo shook his head. I can think that way, but I can’t speak like that.
A great person once said, "While you despise the enemy strategically, you must take them seriously tactically."
There were so many opponents now, and there was even a sense of them banding together.
In Lu Luo’s view, although Wu Handing’s strength was still decent, here, she wasn’t stable.
"You’re brave!"
"I have to be."
In the following period, Lu Luo often began to drift away from Wu Handing’s group.
Wu Handing also discovered that she often couldn’t find Lu Luo.
When she did find Lu Luo, she repeatedly stressed that he should not run around, otherwise he might end up dead in the street.
But Lu Luo wouldn’t listen!
Later on, as the pressure on Wu Handing from other Transcendents increased, she no longer had the energy to worry about Lu Luo.
"Your Highness, there are more and more people around us."
"Prepare the bombs."
"Bombs?"
"Didn’t bring any?"
"Brought them."
As a member of the Inspection Department, carrying mass-destruction weapons was almost inevitable.
But usually, bombs were used against large Exotic Species; conflicts between humans generally only went as far as firearms.
But these people didn’t expect Wu Handing to be so ruthless!
To use bombs like these, to be honest, was somewhat against the warrior’s code.
In fact, after going to the Circular, Wu Handing had come to understand this point.
The victor was king, and only those who survived had the right to speak.
The Circular had bombarded her with missiles before, and she had barely survived.
This experience had been a huge shock to her and also taught her a lesson.
Only those who are alive are the strong.
The process doesn’t matter at all.
Wu Handing placed a fragment on the ground, instructing the Inspection Department members to start attaching bombs.
Bombs were placed at 15-meter intervals, forming a dense field of lethal explosives.
And this fragment would become bait for a great number of untamed Transcendents, a true death trap.
After all was set up, Wu Handing raised the fragment and said loudly,
"Ladies and gentlemen, you must have come to Double Tower Mountain today for this, right?
"I was too, but in the process, I seem to have offended someone I shouldn’t have.
"You began to cluster around, targeting me intentionally or otherwise.
"I know you despise the Inspection Department, but we really don’t have to compete with your barbarian groups for scraps.
"Today, I leave this fragment here.
"To the victor go the spoils!
"I don’t want to be enemies with so many of you at once, and I am powerless to fight against all of you.
"I also know that once a battle starts, you will surely band together and get rid of me first.
"Because we, the Inspection Department, are the greatest hidden danger in this affair.
"We are completely withdrawing from this matter, but after your struggles are over, we will still come back to clean up.
"I hope by then you can hold on."
Wu Handing spoke very clearly and logically, compelling a touch of conviction.
Lu Luo, stealing glances from the side, found it somewhat admirable.
It seems Wu Handing isn’t very foolish after all; she knows how to shift attention. Being able to temporarily part with a fragment, she could indeed be called a courageous person.
Lu Luo was looking forward to her next actions.
「...」
Soon, the equipped Inspection Department left the area they were in.
And that fragment, indeed, had fallen into the campsite.
Seeing the members of the Inspection Department leave, the others did not attempt to stop them.
After all, the strength of the Inspection Department members was formidable, and no one wanted to bear the guilt of attacking their men.
After the Inspection Department and Wu Handing left, these people began to observe the things they had left behind.
And gradually, they started watching the people around them.
Now that the Inspection Department was gone, these people... were all enemies.
"Is the thing real?"
"It’s been confirmed over there, it is indeed real."
"The Inspection Department can actually leave something like that behind; they sure are bold."
"Heh, is it not because they fear our numbers?"
"So, to whom does this thing belong now?"
From the initial loud noise, cheering themselves on, to the final mutual wariness, eyeing each other as adversaries.
The gazes of these savages turned gradually from unrestrained to cruel.
They began to engage each other in combat, killing each other.
After the first wave of fruitless fighting broke out, a part of them had already rushed towards the location of the fragment.
This scene was all monitored by Wu Handing from afar on surveillance.
Savages are just savages; they have no brains and don’t even know what they should do, let alone doing the right thing at the right time.
The fragment had been picked up by someone, but Wu Handing didn’t immediately press the detonator to set off the bomb.
Instead, she stood there as if watching a play, observing these people scramble and fight each other.
It wasn’t until the camp’s surveillance was accidentally destroyed that she grinned and stood up.
"It’s about time, prepare to move."
"Yes!"
The moment she pressed the detonator, a halo of light appeared at the mountaintop.
Following that, came the roar of the explosion and a strong shockwave.
BOOM!
Everything within hundreds of meters was leveled to the ground.
The volcano crater, which was already on the verge of an Outburst, was now teetering on the edge of potentially triggering an even more massive eruption and explosion.
Standing at a distance, Lu Luo frowned slightly at the explosion’s effect.
I had truly underestimated the personal equipment of the Inspection Department! Could they really create such explosive weapons with the materials on hand?
After the Outburst occurred, the Transcendents staggered to their feet, dazed and confused.
Their eyes were filled with bemusement and terror, but before they could react, the Inspection Department’s slaughter had arrived.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The dense energy bursts instantly brought down the Transcendents who were already seriously injured.
Their defenses were no longer sufficient to entangle in combat with the Inspection Department members.
The thirty members of the Inspection Department unleashed a silent slaughter.
Wu Handing, following behind them, also took every chance to strike at those trying to escape from the crowd.
The slaughter concluded quickly. As Wu Handing walked, guided by her fragment, she found two additional fragments.
Feeling the Sequence Energy erupting from the fragments, Wu Handing was more excited than ever before.
"Hehehe, the person who lives until the end is the true victor! Starting the champagne at halftime is not a good idea."
Pocketing the fragments, Wu Handing continued walking up the mountain. She could feel the fragment holders watching her.
Today, no one can escape from here.
The holders of the fragments didn’t want to leave, but rather, couldn’t.
These Magma Sword fragments would naturally guide them, moving toward the peak of the mountain.
If they tried to leave, the fragments would spontaneously detach from their bodies.
If they had never gained this power, they could leave anytime they wished, but once they truly possessed it, they simply couldn’t bear to part with it.
The temptation of the Sequence was just too great.
Men die for wealth as birds die for food, let alone for power!
When Wu Handing neared the first fragment holder, the other holders made their move.
Apart from the four fragments held by Wu Handing, the remaining nine were held by five individuals.
Their distribution was 1-1-2-2-3.
But their strength was only at the Fifth Tier, which for Wu Handing, didn’t pose any threat at all.
"Five people joining forces, huh? Hehehe, interesting! Even if you beat me, what follows will be nothing but mutual slaughter, so why bother?"
"That comes later; the most important thing now is to deal with you first!"
These five masters didn’t waste much time talking; they quickly assembled to battle Wu Handing.
Wu Handing didn’t hold back this time and directly activated her Sequence.
Sequence A - Exotic Species Mimicry.
Black scales and keratin appeared on Wu Handing’s body.
Whether it was shooting or slashing with a sword, they could only leave a white mark on her.
They simply could not inflict any substantial damage.
Wu Handing took on the attacks of three people and bit off one person’s thigh in one bite.
Then she grabbed his head and tore it off with brute force.
ROAR!
A roar later, Wu Handing’s aura completely intimidated the four of them.
After turning into an Exotic Species, Wu Handing’s personality also became unstable.
Now, all she wanted was to plunder and slaughter.
Carrying the anger from her injuries at the Circular, Wu Handing felt she particularly needed to vent.
And the people before her were the perfect targets for her release.
"All of you, must die!"
She charged swiftly, her streamlined body easily dodged a big move from one of the Fifth Tier Transcendents.
Even in her mimicry, she maintained a human’s combat mindset.
Agile, swift, strong.
Such a Wu Handing was like a precision killing machine.
She rampaged through the crowd.
The remaining four Fifth Tier masters fell one by one, their powers no match for the transformed Wu Handing.
Even with the enhancement from the Ashen Fragments, without their Sequences, they simply could not compare to the elite Wu Handing.
This temporary alliance was met with nothing but a one-sided slaughter.
Just five minutes later, Wu Handing had killed all five people.
The rest of the Inspection Department was clearing Double Tower Mountain.
The qualities exhibited by these wandering Transcendents truly made Lu Luo shake his head in disappointment.
They had the power and the opportunity to struggle against the Inspection Department, but the qualities these savages displayed were truly indescribable.
From this scene, Lu Luo could fully understand the gap between savages and a regular army.
"Sigh, expecting these people to put up a fight was really too much to ask!"
He left the mountain peak and went who knows where.
On the other side, Wu Handing, who had killed everyone, had begun collecting the Ashen Envoy’s fragments.
She found all thirteen fragments one by one.
After gathering these thirteen pieces, they spontaneously came together, forming the shape of a giant sword.
"The great sword, oh, how I love the big ones!"
The giant sword was covered with cracks and signs of use. Wu Handing knew, At this moment, the Sword of Magma is not complete; it must be missing something.
Gripping the hilt, Wu Handing looked toward the crater.
Indeed, it seems I must go to the crater!
As she made her way up, some members of the Inspection Department kindly stopped her.
"Your Highness, the Princess! The summit is very dangerous; the volcano could erupt at any time after the recent explosion. Moreover, there are many unstable energies inside..."
Wu Handing listened to the person’s endless persuasion without a trace of a smile on her face.
The black eyeshadow left from her transformation gave her an ominous, even evil appearance.
After she glanced at the person, he no longer spoke.
"Just a volcano. If I were to fear a mere volcano, then my Sixth Tier would be in vain!"
Carrying the fragmented Sword of Magma, Wu Handing took steps toward the summit.
Standing at the mouth of the volcano, Wu Handing jumped down, landing on a giant stone amidst the lava.
The temperature around her was extremely high; her clothes had been burnt away by the intense heat long ago.
However, the Exotic Species keratin layer could form a set of black armor, insulating heat while also sparing her from exposure.
"What a pity!" Lu Luo exclaimed.
After he made a sound, Wu Handing immediately looked in his direction.
Unfortunately, there was nothing there.
Could it be an illusion?
Wu Handing furrowed her brows, then turned her gaze back to the lava lake.
She looked at the lava, then at the Ashbringer in her hand, unable to suppress her thoughts any longer.
After so much effort to get here, if I just lose it like this!
Wu Handing fell silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed.
"If it’s lost, then it’s lost. What do I, as a princess, have that I cannot afford to lose?"
Having said that, her fingers gripping the Ashbringer suddenly let go.
The shattered great sword fell straight into the lake of magma, the rolling lava gradually engulfing the Ashbringer.
Wu Handing continued to stand on the rock, silently watching the lava lake, saying no more.
Time passed by, minute by minute.
After waiting for ten minutes, there were no more changes in the lava lake!
Wu Handing frowned slightly, her expression a bit downcast.
Because the thirteen Ashen Fragments themselves were treasures already.
Even if unable to reforge the Divine Artifact, they were still of great value.
Now, to have lost it due to her own whim, it was impossible not to feel a twinge of regret.
I really am...
Just as Wu Handing was about to speak, her expression suddenly changed.
She felt the temperature of the magma under her feet seemed higher than before.
Moreover, the bubbling was more frequent than just moments ago.
Could it be?
Lava rolled up, and a red-black mixed giant sword slowly rose from the magma.
The Ashbringer, finally reforged.
And there it was, appearing before Wu Handing’s eyes.
Wu Handing was both excited and nervous.
Her fingers had turned white from gripping too hard.
When she once again grasped the Ashbringer, an unimaginable power surged within her heart.
"Seventh Tier! Is that all!"
Wu Handing felt every pore of her being erupting, her power undulating, echoing in every corner of the mountain.
The lava waves grew higher and seemed to threaten to engulf Wu Handing.
But Wu Handing did not retreat; she instead grasped her greatsword and leapt directly into the lava lake, allowing the fiery magma to scorch her own body.
"From the moment I was born, I have been in constant pain. Compared to the Seventh Tier, what is this pain?"
ROAR!
The lava gradually climbed over Wu Handing’s calloused skin, engulfing her entire body.
Her energy, her Sequence, both surged to their peak at this moment.
The wandering lava, as if endowed with life, kept infusing power into Wu Handing’s body.
Her energy grew stronger and more boundless.
The whole volcano erupted at the same instant.
BOOM!
Standing amidst the erupting magma, Wu Handing gradually felt her body merging with the heat.
The callouses slowly covered her entire body, then gradually turned a crimson red.
The high temperature continually burned her life, and her Essence of Life ascended to a whole new level at this moment!
As the energy absorbed wave after wave, Wu Handing, standing in the midst of the lava, became even more composed and excited.
She felt herself ascending.
Her Essence of Life ascending.
Who would have thought that I would gain such an opportunity here by a stroke of luck amidst calamity?
"Indeed, every setback in life is an opportunity."
The red carapace gradually cooled, and Wu Handing emerged like a phoenix reborn from the flames, breaking free from her chrysalis.
She soared into the sky.
Reaching the Seventh Tier meant the ability to fly, and now she had completely freed herself from the shackles of the earth.
Only the sky was the place for her to spread her wings and soar.
Her Exotic Species form, too, underwent a complete transformation due to the lava’s and life’s ascensional baptism.
From the previous black calloused layer, a state both ugly and terrifying, into an entity that floated like red gauze, clinging to her body.
Although it looked very light and thin, Wu Handing felt an unprecedented strong force within it.
This is the power that befits the Seventh Tier!
"The Seventh Tier, so beautiful, so powerful!"
Wu Handing slowly landed on the ground, the red gauze gradually retracting, merging into her body.
She was the forty-sixth princess, quite far down the line of succession.
Yet she was the fourth amongst the Imperial Family’s offspring to enter the Seventh Tier.
This meant that upon her return to the Imperial Capital, she would enter the upper echelons in a single move, stepping into the view of the powerful elite.
With her age, becoming Seventh Tier, she even had the potential to contend for the throne in the future.
However, Wu Handing didn’t care about those fleeting clouds at all.
All I want is to grow stronger and stronger, until I am the strongest. Until I become the top person in the Imperial! By then, what would being the Emperor amount to?
"Hahaha, everything is just the beginning; the Seventh Tier is merely the first step on the ladder to godhood. This sword will be the testament to me becoming the new War God of the Imperial."
Gripping the Ashbringer, Wu Handing was about to leave.
But just as she was about to walk away, the ground beneath her began to shake.
Before Wu Handing had time to sense what was happening, an enormous tentacle burst through the ground and struck her in the stomach.
The force was so great that even her Seventh Tier body was not spared.
Looking at the almost sky-reaching tentacle, Wu Handing was somewhat shocked!
Could it really be... a sealed entity?
