Chapter 1 The Outbreak

Across the vast sea, the water teemed with sea beasts, their limbs twisted, their faces contorted in grotesque shapes. Like a massive ant colony in a primeval forest, they were a mass of interlocking claws and teeth, seemingly intent on destroying everything in their path.

"Boom!"

Just then, the attack from the pro-war coalition began.

Explosions erupted in a blaze of light as countless white streaks tore across the sky, accompanied by ear-splitting sonic booms.

In that instant, over three thousand missiles screamed forth, hurtling towards the approaching horde.

"Naval fleets, anti-aircraft batteries, air squadrons, commence a full-scale bombardment of the beast tide! Prevent them from landing!" James commanded through his tactical comms, his voice calm and steady. Now that the beasts were on the surface, missiles and other such weapons could be effectively deployed.

However, James held little hope that these weapons would be enough to stop the landing.

Firstly, the horde was already too close to the shoreline. Secondly, humanity's reserves of traditional weaponry, like missiles, were critically low.

Repeated waves of ravenous beasts had depleted those reserves, and with nations pouring resources into equipment for the evolved and scaling back on traditional arms, humanity's stockpile was less than a fifth of what it once was.

The days of unrestrained firepower were over.

This barrage of three thousand missiles, for example—in the past, the Oly Kingdom alone could have sustained such attacks indefinitely. Now, the entire coalition could only manage about thirty such strikes!

Humanity's development of and reliance on evolved weaponry had become perverse. All hope was pinned on the evolved troops. They would be the main force in today's battle.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Missiles and cannon shells rained down on the approaching tide.

The sea exploded in fire and thunder.

Limbs were torn asunder and sent flying into the sky.

"They're just numerous, nothing to fear!" James said with a smile in the command center before issuing further orders. "Second Evolved Brigade, Third Evolved Brigade, prepare for combat!"

Though the bombardment had inflicted losses on the horde, the black mass continued to advance on the shoreline through the raging inferno.

The landing was inevitable. Nuclear weapons were out of the question at this range; the radiation and shockwaves would do more damage to the allied forces than to the monsters.

The beasts had nothing to fear from radiation, but most human soldiers did.

"Energy boosters charging!"

"Charging complete!"

Eight thousand evolved warriors from various nations disconnected the charging cables from their combat suits. The European Union had generously provided large quantities of evolved combat suits to less-advanced countries for this battle.

The boosters on the lower back of the suits could generate tremendous thrust, allowing the warriors to briefly hover in the air.

"Check high-heat ammunition!"

"Checked and confirmed! Fully equipped!"

"Don anti-magnetic helmets, adjust light refraction!"

Click!

With the flip of a yellow-brown visor, eight thousand evolved warriors stood ready, gripping alloy steel blades and new-energy firearms. Facing the monstrous tide surging towards the shore through the barrage, they roared their defiance!

"Kill all the enemy!"

"Зaгpyзka!"

"Döda fienden!"

"敵を殺す！"

Countless cries to kill, shouted in different languages, rose to the sky, forming a gale that threatened to blow away the dark clouds above.

Thousands of steel blades were raised, their cold light glinting towards the sea!

In the shelters of the pro-war nations, the battle was being broadcast on television.

The surviving citizens looked up at the screens, their blood boiling.

"That's our nation's warship! Those are our nation's warriors! He has the Kairati crest on his shoulder!"

"The great Germanic warriors will tear our enemies apart!"

"Fight! Fight! You are humanity's last hope! Raise your blades and kill them all!"

The shelters reverberated with the near-hysterical shouts of the people.

At this moment, the world's remaining population of less than three hundred million watched the battle through every available channel, cheering on the warriors of their respective nations.

Buzz!

Fighter jets streaked across the sky, releasing a rain of bombs that detonated near the shoreline.

There was no fire, no blast, no deadly shrapnel.

Only a cloud of dust, like a sandstorm.

"That’s... lead milling powder bombs! They can block most electromagnetic waves!"

Someone recognized the bombs. Learning from the Markard Harbor disaster, the coalition was using weapons that could limit the abilities of the Zhinan-type (cerebral) Beast Kings, creating a more favorable battlefield for the allied warriors.

Enshrouded in lead milling powder, the cerebral shockwaves of the Zhinan-type Beast Kings would be distorted and weakened, reducing their threat level.

And for the evolved coalition troops, 99% of whom were of the Reversion type, it would have no effect.

"Aroo!"

The beast tide reached the shoreline. Facing the human coalition, the monsters roared their fury, then surged onto the beach, fearlessly charging towards the first line of eight thousand evolved warriors.

Buzz!

Buzz!

Buzz!

Flashes of electricity lit up the area covered in lead milling powder. The Zhinan-type Beast Kings were trying to attack, but they were restricted to a small area. Cerebral attacks that could sweep three hundred meters now only reached less than ten, the powder continuously dissipating their power, causing them to explode harmlessly.

"It works!" James laughed. The last defeat at Markard Harbor had been caused by the surprise attacks of the Zhinan-type Beast Kings. Now, with their advantage nullified, the tide was turning!

Eight thousand evolved warriors charged into the tide of beasts!

In the command center, the officers felt a surge of excitement, envisioning the evolved troops tearing through the horde, monster corpses littering the sea!

But the next moment, they froze.

A shadow like a mountain rose from the beast tide—a sea lizard over a hundred meters long, its back covered in jagged bone spurs. Its claw descended like a dark cloud.

The warriors at the front were instantly pulverized!

Its tail swept out, impaling hundreds of soldiers on its bone spurs, flinging them into the air before swallowing them whole!