Apocalypse Gachapon

“Why is this happening?”

“Why is this happening?”

The Saintess knelt on the ground, her hands propping up her body, forcing herself not to collapse.

Above her head, one wandering soul after another howled past.

Some were mournful, some ferocious, some utterly deranged—all drifting endlessly through the gray void.

She was no longer in the room from before but trapped in this misty, desolate space.

Earlier, when she had still been somewhat lucid, she had seen dark, cloud-like masses at the top of this space, from which these souls continuously emerged.

The Saintess had not yet reached level nine, the realm once occupied by the Holy Father, but she knew she was close. Since arriving in this place, her understanding of space and power had undergone a qualitative leap. Perhaps one day, her body would finally sense and grasp that transformative force.

When Zheng Xi and Duo Yan had cornered her earlier, aside from the obvious reasons, part of her had also wanted to wait.

Once she reached level nine, not only Zheng Xi and Duo Yan but even the long-absent veteran powerhouses would return upon hearing the news. Saint Light Hall would once again become an unstoppable force—no longer oppressed by the Holy City, but even capable of standing toe-to-toe with Cloud Peak.

But why?

Why, when she was just one step away from level nine, could she do nothing against these souls? She could resist, but she couldn’t break free.

Earlier, that man named Sayyid had launched a sudden, inexplicable attack. After merging with a tattered banner, every member of Saint Light Hall had been drained by these emerging souls.

Drained… of all forms of energy.

Yes—energy from equipment, soul artifacts, their own bodies, even their lifeforce.

The appetite of these souls was disgustingly voracious.

The process was hopeless. The Saintess had resisted, but her body couldn’t move at all. She could only watch helplessly as her energy was siphoned away. And she had witnessed the fate of every single Saint Light Hall member in the Holy City.

She had wept, but even her tears were absorbed. After the incident began, she had been transported to this eerie space. Below her, the ground acted like a monitor, displaying the suffering of every Saint Light Hall member in the city.

One by one, they died. One by one, their images faded from the screen.

As the leader of Saint Light Hall—someone who had desperately wanted to settle her people on this new planet and let them take root—watching this unfold was unbearably cruel.

Eventually, she grew numb. Most of her people were already dead. The remaining few were only the strongest, highest-level evolved.

She would never forget how each person on that screen had slowly dissolved into nothingness. Compared to dismembered limbs and bloodshed, the sight wasn’t particularly gruesome. But the silent slaughter, the way it seeped into the bones of those who witnessed it, was utterly soul-crushing.

Her loyal maid, who had followed her for years, vanished just like that. Chi Lian, her staunchest supporter, couldn’t endure the torment—first her equipment disappeared, then her body.

In the end, even Zheng Xi and Duo Yan, who had just been threatening and coercing her into marrying the Holy City’s ruler, couldn’t escape death.

But before they perished, they had kept their eyes fixed on her. She understood the message in their gazes.

“Avenge us. Kill them all. Avenge every last one of our people!”

The Saintess descended into madness, but the suction around her kept her immobilized—unable to even scream.

Her Robe of Faith shattered.

Her Crown of Truth shattered.

Her Scepter of Glory shattered.

Even the Armory of Dawn—shattered.

She knew that without these artifacts shielding her, she wouldn’t have lasted this long. But their protection was finite.

Now, it was her turn.

First, her skin—once smooth and radiant—turned dry and dull.

Her lush hair withered into straw-like strands.

Her flesh shriveled.

The Saintess, who had been in the prime of youth (or at least appeared so), was now a shriveled old woman.

Her people had placed their hopes in her. Even her adversaries had entrusted her with their dying wishes.

Yet she could do nothing.

Until—

CRACK!

The eerie space shattered.

The tattered ghost banner reappeared, but unlike before, its “tattered” appearance was now just an illusion. Countless souls writhed across its surface, their dark-gray mist making the banner itself seem worn.

At the same time, with the last dregs of her energy, the Saintess sensed a familiar yet foreign presence.

It had to be Ye Zhongming, the King of Cloud Peak—but stronger than before. As strong as the Holy Father had been.

Hope reignited in her heart.

She even felt and grasped the power she had longed for!

Energy from the surrounding space crashed into her like a tidal wave. Feeling the tremendous changes within her body, she first panicked—then laughed hysterically.

She panicked because she had finally comprehended the secret to reaching level nine. Under normal circumstances, she would have ascended right then.

But now?

Her body was broken. Aged. Ruined.

This torrent of energy would destroy her completely.

Was this fate?

The thought crossed her mind—but she refused to accept it.

She saw what Sayyid was doing.

This banner was undoubtedly an incredibly powerful artifact, but to unleash its might, it required vast amounts of energy.

And Saint Light Hall’s people had become its fuel.

Now that it had stored enough energy, the banner was turning its attention to Ye Zhongming.

With just one flick, a massive ghostly head shot out from its surface, striking Talking Lady and her black cat at an unavoidable speed.

The Saintess wasn’t them, but she could still sense their apex-level power.

Yet both level-nine beings plummeted from the sky, their bodies wracked by corrosive dark energy.

She saw Ye Zhongming and the other level-nines react—some preparing to defend, others charging forward, a few retreating.

“Ye Zhongming!”

Her voice was hoarse, broken, filled with grief.

“I’ll help you! But you must promise me—kill the Holy City’s ruler! Kill every last one of them!”

Without waiting for his answer, before the banner could launch its second attack, her body suddenly straightened.

Then—

Silver-white flames erupted from her.

Amidst manic laughter, the Saintess transformed into a blazing meteor—and slammed directly into the banner!