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The Apocalypse Grinder - Chapter 218
🕑 Added 2025-09-10 21:48:39 +0000 UTC<< Chapter 217 | Index | Chapter 219 >>
Using magic money to block the laser-rifle beam was a last resort, but Ronan was forced to do so in order to not lose his arm. The sniper was deathly accurate and had been about to strike the exact same spot on his shoulder that it had hit with its last shot.
However, the moment the shield faded he was faced with three oncoming blades and had to unleash surging strikes to push the two melee captains back. Knowing it was do or die, he stopped caring about preserving his resources.
In the brief window between him pushing back the captains and them recovering, he stepped towards the longsword-wielding alien and used gust. The sudden spell caught it off guard and it tripped over its right foot.
The experienced soldier caught its balance quickly, but not quick enough. Ronan unleashed everything he had in the moment of weakness. Surging strikes, magic strike, arcane piercing strike, and even lightning strike.
A bolt of lightning struck from the sky as half a dozen copies of his blade stabbed its chest in succession. The first barely broke the skin, but the final surging strike was able to hit something important. Ronan heard the squelching burst and felt the way the alien’s body suddenly jerked to the side across his conjured blade.
He let the weapon go, leaping backwards as two more swords cut through the space he’d occupied. A whine alerted him to another laser-rifle shot and he was just about able to twist out of the way of the deadly blast.
Unfortunately his attack hadn’t killed the captain. It was bleeding profusely from its chest, but the tell-tale chime of death hadn’t rung yet. The Agrathen fell to its knees and pulled something out of thin air. Ronan immediately recognised the health potion, and formed a hasty mana bolt to blow it out of his enemy’s hands.
As the spell screamed through the air, the other captain darted in and cut it apart. Ronan watched as the hole in his victim’s chest closed up and the bleeding was stemmed. The other soldier helped its wounded comrade to its feet and they turned to Ronan once more, right as another laser beam cut through them on its path towards him.
Ronan started to dodge, but immediately realised he would be too slow. He had a sudden idea and while leaping to the side he used dispel.
The laser beam tore through the side of his chest and left a bleeding gash. The dispel hadn’t done anything, leaving him dismayed. Ronan had suspected the grathen were using a skill to operate the rifles, but apparently it was just powerful technology at work.
The dual-wielding captain was on him like a berserker, swinging the laser-blades with fury. Every second saw three or four slashes striking at him, but Ronan managed to hold out. The only reason he was being pushed back was likely the fact these soldiers had twice-evolved classes and were used to working in tandem.
In a one-versus-one duel he would be able to take any of the three down in under a minute. Even the injured captain was advancing again, ready to rejoin the melee. He needed to create another opportunity to bring the bastard down.
Once he took out one of the captains, the overall battle would become far easier. The stagnant melee continued for a while, with neither side gaining the upper hand. Ronan wasn’t able to find an opportunity to strike again and considered splitting his stream of thought to search for one.
However, he was unsure that he would be able to hold his own with just 60% of his brainpower devoted to the battle. As if to prove the point, he almost had his left hand chopped off as he was distracted considering how to win.
He yanked his arm out of the path of the swinging broadsword, but in turn opened himself up to a lunging thrust from the other captain. The laser-sword slashed across his gut, but failed to break past the layer of flesh beneath his skin. His resistances were too sturdy, and thus far he hadn’t suffered any true damage.
If an opportunity wouldn’t appear, then he needed to make one. The two captains pushed Ronan back, but he was able to hold them off. In the corner of his eye he saw the sniper’s rifle glowing as it prepared to take another shot. Realising he would struggle to avoid it if the current stalemate continued, he stumbled backwards and let the melee captains break his guard. Or at least, they believed they had.
All three laser-blades cut into his legs and arms as he exposed his limbs. The pain was bad, but he clenched his jaw and withstood it. As predicted, the sniper fired its rifle at his neck, seeing an opportunity to bring him down.
Rather than dodge, Ronan stepped forward into the blast. As he did so, he let one of his blades dissipate and his arm shot towards the wounded Agrathen. The alien saw him lunging, but was caught in the momentum of the blow it had just dealt him.
Ronan’s hand wrapped around its arm and he immediately used stone grip. In the same motion, he yanked the alien towards him right as the laser beam from the rifle reached them.
It tore through the golden uniform and into the alien’s flesh. The already wounded captain yelled as the laser burned into it, but the pain was only beginning. Ronan started stabbing it with the shortsword in his right hand, over and over.
A sharp pain came from his stomach, but he ignored it and kept stabbing. He was using arcane piercing strike on every thrust, and he didn’t stop until he felt the alien in his grip go limp, followed by a chime.
The blind rage with which he’d attacked had gained him an advantage in the numbers game, but it had backfired. As the alien’s head slumped over, the world flashed white and Ronan’s face erupted in burning agony.
For the next few seconds he wasn’t aware of anything except the sensation of the skin and muscle in his face melting and burning, falling off his skull. He activated heal two dozen times, feeling his mana plummeting as the weak spell fought against whatever had struck him.
What felt like an eternity in hell later, his hearing returned. He heard shuffling and squelching from right below his head. Ronan roared and did something he hadn’t since he first began experimenting with sorcery.
With a sweeping wave of his arm, he shunted a chunk of mana out of his hand, blasting everything nearby far away and sending himself flying backwards. The damage the mana-wave did to him was far less than the suffering he’d just experienced. When he landed, he rolled so that he was sitting on the ground. Two seconds later he restored his vision.
The sight that greeted him was far from ideal. He had half a dozen stab wounds in his gut and chest, his face was burned beyond recognition, and his vision was still slightly hazy. The only silver lining was the fact that all of the wounds the aliens had dealt him were cauterised thanks to the burning heat of their energy weapons.
He used suture wound a few times on those that were still bleeding and continued to cast his version of minor heal. After a certain point it stopped being effective. Whether it was the spell itself that was lacking or his ability to cast it without the guidance of a skill, Ronan wasn’t sure. It didn’t matter because the end result was the same.
Raising his head, he met the vengeful gaze of the dual-wielding captain. The body of its slain comrade was on the ground beside it, proof of Ronan’s strength and skill. Preparing for the next round of battle, Ronan conjured a short spear and began channeling a rainbow bomb.
Instead of advancing towards him, however, the captain instead began to back away. Ronan looked beyond the Agrathen and realised the ship carrying the sniper had disappeared. His eyes swivelled upwards as he heard a crackling sound and felt the mana in the atmosphere being sucked away.
The front of the ship was pointing in his direction, the nose having peeled open to reveal a huge metal tube. Lines running along the tube were glowing bright white and he felt the power gathering inside it.
You’re fucking kidding me. Taking on three enemies who had received their first race evolution and second class evolution was just about bearable, but fighting a ship? That was another matter.
His only hope was the rainbow bomb he was channeling in his hands. As the ship’s cannon began to whine louder, he pushed himself, trying to force the spell to completion earlier than usual.
At the same moment, a loud boom rocked the world and Ronan tossed his rainbow bomb in the direction of the ship.
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