Apocalypse: Master of Soul Beasts

"One, two, three, go!"

With William's shout, Chu Ziling, who stood on William's hand, launched himself with all his might towards the Silver-White Skeleton.

"Wen Yu!"

At William's call, Wen Yu, who was in front of William, spun around and stepped onto William's hand.

Then, as if riding clouds and mist, Wen Yu soared quickly towards Chu Ziling!

Chu Ziling, having landed a moment before Wen Yu, had already taken down a large number of puppets around him, clearing a landing spot for Wen Yu.

"Keep going!" Wen Yu said directly to Chu Ziling, simultaneously tearing apart another puppet charging at him.

The Silver-White Skeleton's soul flame flickered in the distance; it instantly understood the professionists' plan.

Summoners fear close combat!

The Silver-White Skeleton, without a word, turned and fled.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?"

Following Wen Yu's furious roar, a figure rapidly cut through the horde of puppets, charging explosively towards the Silver-White Skeleton.

"Help me! Help me!"

The Silver-White Skeleton grew anxious.

Its own capabilities aside, the mere fact that its physical fitness was reduced by 90% upon summoning its contracted beast was enough to turn this Third-level Demon Fiend into a weakling.

Regrettably, the Silver-White Skeleton's cries for help went unanswered.

The Bone Demon, amidst the puppets, caught sight of the flustered Silver-White Skeleton. However, it ignored the skeleton, despite Wen Yu closing in, and instead began sneaking towards William in the distance.

After the ordeal with Princess Consort Feina, William was naturally more cautious. He continuously unleashed Moon Slash, coordinating with Jiang Wentao beside him to relentlessly slaughter the dwindling number of puppets.

The Silver-White Skeleton's contracted beast, the Cerberus, was locked in a fierce, neck-and-neck battle with the Cyclops.

Empowered by the Blood and Flesh Badge and its Mortal Combat ability, the Cyclops's physical fitness rapidly surged to Level 4 standards.

Unfortunately, this Cerberus was no easy opponent.

Its three canine heads constantly spewed violent Energy Fluctuations, while the wounds on its body healed continuously.

The battle between the two had reached a stalemate.

Hearing its master's cries for help, the Cerberus paid no heed. It seemed intent on settling its duel with the Cyclops, once and for all.

That stupid dog had no idea that if its master died, it would be dragged back to the Demon Realm by the contract's power, sent tumbling back to where it came from.

"Damn it, this stupid dog is going to be the death of me!" the Silver-White Skeleton cursed its contracted beast as it continued to flee into the distance.

Unfortunately, with its physical strength reduced by 90%, the skeleton only had just over ten points of fitness remaining.

Against Wen Yu's 120+ fitness, the Silver-White Skeleton... was doomed.

The Touch of Greed slashed across the skeleton's spine, severing it in a single strike.

The Silver-White Skeleton collapsed, letting out an incomprehensible wail of agony.

Just as the power of its Contract Summoning was about to be unleashed from its hands, Wen Yu stomped on the skeleton's arms, breaking them.

There was no escape.

Wen Yu twisted off the skeleton's fragile neck with his right hand. Simultaneously, the Touch of Greed plunged into its skull, stirring violently until the skeleton's soul flame was completely extinguished.

The Silver-White Skeleton was dead.

With the death of the Silver-White Skeleton, a dark magic circle materialized behind the Cerberus, which was still entangled with the Cyclops.

A massive demonic claw shot out and grabbed the Cerberus, intending to drag the foolish dog back to the Demon Realm.

The Cerberus howled violently. Simultaneously, from its three heads, torrents of fire, venom, and ice erupted, wreaking havoc all around.

The Cyclops bore the brunt of the assault, battered by the violent energy flows. Its body seemed to be flayed layer by layer, visibly shrinking at an alarming rate.

Finally, when the rampage of energy subsided, the Cyclops's figure reappeared.

Its body, originally 4 meters tall, had considerably shrunk. The flesh and skin had completely vanished, leaving its internal organs entirely exposed.

Had it not been for the Blood and Flesh Badge, the Cyclops would have been long dead.

However, such severe injuries were pushing it to its critical point of endurance.

The Cyclops had just turned its head, intending to assist William in the distance, when it staggered twice and finally collapsed.

If the Three-headed Demon Dog had held on for just three more seconds, the Cyclops would not have endured.

「...」

At the exact moment the Silver-White Skeleton perished, amidst the horde of puppets created by the Condensing Invocation Art, all the puppets rapidly disintegrated into sand, merging into the earth and vanishing without a trace.

"What happened? Where's the Bone Demon?" William asked Jiang Wentao. He was carrying the Fourth Prince on his shoulders, greatsword in hand, as they stood back-to-back.

"I don't see it here either!" Jiang Wentao's voice replied instantly.

Their combined fields of vision covered the entire 360-degree radius, but there was no trace of the Bone Demon. It was as if the Bone Demon had completely vanished.

"Underneath! Beneath your feet!" Wen Yu's voice echoed from the distance, sending a chill down William's spine. The Bone Demon was right under them!

The speed of sound is approximately 340 meters per second. For a Third-level professionist, this wasn't fast at all.

In battles involving those above the Third-level, trying to convey urgent combat intelligence through sound was undoubtedly a fool's errand.

Therefore, Wen Yu's warning came too late.

Two massive skeletal claws shot out and grabbed William's ankles, yanking him down violently.

Only then did Wen Yu's voice faintly reach them.

William had no time to think. He immediately pulled the Fourth Prince from his shoulders and tossed him to Jiang Wentao.

Then, both the Bone Demon and William disappeared into the sand.

"Run! Run fast!" Wen Yu's second shout arrived, just as he and Chu Ziling rushed over.

This warning was for Jiang Wentao.

Jiang Wentao reacted instantly. He was about to turn and flee, but a massive figure erupted from the sand directly in front of him.

Earth Travel (B-Class, Active Ability): Allows movement within the earth, but movement speed is reduced by 90%.

Jiang Wentao stared at the four-meter-tall figure before him, cold sweat trickling uncontrollably down his back.

The figure that appeared before Jiang Wentao was the Bone Demon; William had vanished without a trace.

This scene was a grim echo of what had happened before. Just like before, it happened as a fierce battle was seemingly about to end. Just like before, it was two adults and a child facing a Demon Fiend. And just like before, one of them had already been taken by the Demon Fiend.

But this time, Jiang Wentao had no way to protect the Fourth Prince.

Even if it means sacrificing myself!