Apocalypse Gachapon

But the umbrella paused, just for a moment.

Seizing the chance, Xiao Min ignored the pain and lunged forward, gripping two spikes with bare hands, bracing against the umbrella’s momentum.

The relentless pull slowed but didn’t stop the umbrella. Her boots scraped against the ground, cracks spiderwebbing beneath her—the blue-grade footwear wouldn’t last ten seconds.

Yet the reduced speed opened new options.

Warriors piled behind her, linking arms to form a human chain, pulling against the umbrella. Others leaped onto the chain itself, forming a living counterweight.

Distant fighters exploited the slower pace, hacking at the same chain link with desperate focus.

At another umbrella, a Youth Army member activated a giant bloodline, his body swelling. He raised a blue shield and charged.

The umbrella’s spikes punched through the shield, impaling him—yet he roared, pressing forward, uncaring of the wounds, his gargantuan form straining to halt the advance.

This member’s actions were slightly effective, and the umbrella slowed.

A Female Guard captain who focused on a light armored job, though less physically powerful than Xiao Min, didn’t back down. She activated all her skills, and numerous sword lights stabbed toward the umbrella.

She drank all sorts of potions and crushed scrolls that could help her.

Others used their own strength, while she used the strength of various skills.

She stabbed many swords toward the umbrella in a short time, and the dense clashing sounds were connected as one, making it sound like a long ring.

Her body retreated as the umbrella proceeded forward. After she finished all her skills, she used pure physical attacks.

She went all out.

At a certain moment, her blue sword shattered. The umbrella that had slowed slightly sped up.

As the umbrella accelerated, she threw herself onto the spikes, her body a final barrier.

“Captain!”

Screams erupted as her sisters unleashed skills, trying to aid her.

The spikes pierced her palms, then her torso—the blue armor lasting only a heartbeat before failing. She was hurled backward like a ragdoll.

Fifty warriors were needed to finally slow this umbrella, twice as many as Xiao Min’s group.

Five umbrellas were now under control.

But the other five rampaged unchecked toward Cloud Peak’s core formation, where casualties had already begun.

A crimson figure streaked across the battlefield—Red Hair, who had been fighting alongside Xia Bai, rushed to assist.

Her spear stabbed into the ground, intercepting one umbrella. Warriors swarmed it, securing the line.

Red Hair herself confronted another, her hair morphing into a living shield before entangling the spikes. With sheer strength, she halted its advance single-handedly.

Two more umbrellas were subdued.

But three still tore through Cloud Peak’s ranks.

Xia Bai, Yangos, Ye Zhongming, Undead Dragon-fish.

Everything happened so quickly.

Ye Zhongming, spotting the crisis, dispatched his icebird and puppets from Bright Water Realm—but those seconds might as well have been light-years.

When the Ice Birds arrived, the three umbrellas would have killed many more warriors.

It seemed like Cloud Peak’s largest loss since entering the wheel space was about to arrive.

Just as the bloodiest toll seemed inevitable, three white threads shot from Cloud Peak’s center.

They passed the warriors that wanted to use their bodies to block the umbrellas and struck the remaining umbrellas like cannon fire.

At the threads’ origin, a round figure launched into the air—Ball Ball, the unknown hell-creature that had “stuck around” after Ye Zhongming awakened its bloodline.

It landed behind the umbrellas, its stretchy body distorting as it pulled the threads taut, slowing the deadly advance.

“Ball Ball?!”

Recognition dawned as the umbrellas finally halted.

The creature, usually seen gnawing on the white threads trapping Talking Lady and the Black Cat, now wore an exaggerated “I’m trying so hard” expression, its form wobbling with effort.

“Ooooh! Ooooh!”

Its signature noises seemed to scold: Quit gawking and help!

The warriors surged forward, adding their strength to secure the umbrellas.

The threat was neutralized.

“Not bad,” taunted the annoying voice, now tinged with irritation. “But I’ve still got my ultimate move!”

At that moment, Ye Zhongming, still fending off the puppets, spoke coldly:

“Last chance. Cease fire, and we pass this trial together.”

“Why?!” The voice dripped with mockery, confident in its advantage.

“Because,” Ye Zhongming replied, “you’re an idiot.”