Roar!!!
A howl rang through the sky, and the earth trembled faintly.
A streak of golden light flashed across the sky, repeatedly slamming into the enormous, grotesque face and knocking away showers of blood.
As if unable to endure the attacks, the face blotting out the sky dipped downward and hurtled toward the earth.
Behind it, its boundless colossal body, wreathed in the dim glow of darkness and destruction, descended fully upon the land.
A line of tiny, firefly-like text appeared:
"Apocalypse: World Life Disaster has now descended."
"This apocalypse is unfolding completely, to achieve its conquest of this Icebound World."
Across the entire world, the swirling snow vanished without a trace.
In an instant, endless city ruins, grotesque and terrifying monster armies, and poisonous mists drifting everywhere came into view.
Oldest held the Black Trident, golden mist curling around him as he looked down at the apocalyptic scene.
"--Looks like this just got harder. Any problem?" Gu Qingshan shouted from the ground.
Oldest shook his head, unimpressed. "This is nothing."
"Don't get careless. Every time you try to look cool, something goes wrong," Gu Qingshan called earnestly.
Oldest's face twitched.
He released the Black Trident, and a surge of dark light abruptly blazed from his body.
"By my name, I grant you the power to awaken. Form ranks here and protect your king."
Oldest murmured the words and tossed a ring from his hand.
Boom!
The space around the ring shuddered.
Countless monsters formed up in battle ranks, crowding the sky in a dark mass.
They were clad in layers of heavy armor, their bodies twisted yet imbued with an uncanny sense of power. Gray mist curled around them, lingering without end.
They opened their eyes one after another and stirred to life.
"Protect our king."
"Protect our king!"