CHAPTER 834: HYPERION

Hundreds of parchments filled the laboratory, each inscribed with complex runic formations, some scattered on the ground as though they were nothing more than discarded notes. Yet, if even a single one were completed, it could make Sages or even Legends burn with desire. But Vlad was not interested in them—not anymore.

All his focus, all his power, all his mental prowess were now locked into a new project. One that could elevate his already overwhelming strength, even after his fusion with the other True Depravitas. In front of him floated a sea of runes, glowing with radiant intensity. They drifted together, slowly forming the outline of a humanoid suit of armor—not metal, but pure runic energy.

Vlad’s eyes gleamed with wonder and determination as he stared at the partially completed set.

"Hyperion," he murmured aloud.

That was the name of the Runic Set—not just a legendary artifact, but something far greater. Hyperion was a Lord-Tier Runic Set, something so rare and powerful that only those at the peak of creation itself could even dream of wielding it. A completed version could empower even figures like the White Death or the Empress of Valhalla—beings who stood at the peak of the food chain of the universe.

However, what floated before Vlad was far from complete. Even after weeks of relentless effort, he had only managed to forge the High Legend Tier version of Hyperion.

"If it were just me, the enhancement granted by High Legend Hyperion would be worth the cost of manufacturing," Vlad muttered. "But after fusing with Jormungandr, its enhancement has become too small to matter. And once I fuse with all three..."

He let the thought trail off, exhaling deeply. A complicated smile curled across his lips. It was strange, ironic even—he was struggling not because of weakness, but because he had simply grown too powerful. His strength had outpaced the capabilities of the most advanced runes available to him.

With a quick wave of his hand, the current set of runes vanished, dissolving into sparkles of energy. He turned back to his workbench, eyes sharp with focus.

If High Legend wasn’t enough, then the answer was obvious:

Forge the Superior Legend Tier.

It wouldn’t be easy. Nothing worth fighting for ever was. And Vlad had never been one to shy away from difficulty.

He immersed himself once again, training his hands with micro-movements of such precision and dexterity that he could now control runic lines less than a nanometer wide. His mind, meanwhile, raced through thousands of runic formulas and arcane patterns, integrating their knowledge until they became part of his subconscious.

But just as he began to hit his stride, a pulse of light from his space ring interrupted him. He sighed in annoyance.

"Back to business, then."

In the next instant, Vlad teleported directly into the Xaos Kingdom’s command center, where dozens of massive virtual screens displayed real-time surveillance across the world.

As he scanned the displays, a wide smile spread across his face—one filled with thrill and excitement.

Before him were live feeds from three massive strongholds, each forming the core of military power across the Blizzard, Yeti, and Grizzly Continents. Thirty-two days had passed since the invasion of those continents took place, and now the Xaos Forces had completely secured them. Defensive perimeters had been built. Outposts fortified. Internal order established.

An incredible feat, made possible only through the sheer genius of Overlord’s logistical mind. Tens of thousands of individuals had been relocated, each performing a small role—yet, when combined, their work had reshaped the structure of three entire continents in just over a month.

Now that stability was achieved, it was time to move again.

Time to strike.

Just as before, the Xaos Kingdom would launch a three-pronged assault, like a trident piercing into the heart of their enemies.

Although repeating the same tactic might be risky, Overlord calculated that no reinforcements had yet arrived from outside the Exilon World. A single month wasn’t enough time to mobilize and train an army capable of resisting the battle-hardened elite of the Xaos Kingdom. Thus, the same strategy could still work—if executed with precision and made some minor adjustments.

Overlord turned to Vlad, awaiting approval.

The True Depravita of Wrath nodded once.

That was all the confirmation needed.

At once, the order was given.

Hundreds of thousands of Scout Drones, each camouflaged in the form of small natural animals—birds, insects, rodents—began to move. They had already been stationed across the borders of the next three target continents, and now they flooded the earth and sky, marching in synchronized, calculated waves.

While a massive swarm might have drawn attention, Overlord’s systems controlled them expertly. The drones gradually split into smaller and smaller clusters, blending in with their environments so seamlessly that not even the sharpest Sage would find them suspicious.

As they advanced, they relied on the intelligence provided by the Rebellion—detailed reports of terrain, strongholds, and troop placements—relaying all real-time data back to Overlord’s central system. Every path was mapped, every possible ambush accounted for.

Once the drones confirmed no catastrophic threats and ensured the safest infiltration routes, Overlord gave the second order.

The vanguard began to move.

The Reapers.

These monstrous weapons of war surged through the ground, burrowing silently. Their presence was undetectable to anyone below the rank of Sage. They used the paths cleared by the scouts, heading straight for the core strongholds of the target continents.

And not far behind them came the main army—tens of thousands of warriors, each fully prepared, their eyes sharp, their minds focused.

This new wave would act in perfect synchronization with the Reapers. Their roles were clear: the Reapers would destabilize enemy defenses, while the soldiers swept in to secure control.

Their formation was perfect.

Their timing, flawless.

And their momentum?

Unstoppable.

Due to their impressive speed and the fact that they did not have to worry about concealing their energy as the path ahead was clear for them, the forces of the Xaos Kigndom advanced at a shocking speed, and it was not long before they were close to the enemy’s strongholds.