Chapter 522 - Falling Debris

Whether it was on the Great Wall, by the foot of the wall, or on the plains, shouts and screams were heard everywhere after the light beams descended.

"Ahh, It burns! The light is so hot!"

"Everyone, quickly take cover!"

Tribesmen cried after being scalded by the light while elven warriors warned them before conjuring large shields made of vines for everyone around them.

On the top of the Great Wall, high-level elven warriors also made vine covers for themselves and other soldiers in their vicinity before they continued to bring up their tribesmen located at the bottom.

At the same time, a great change took place within the sea of rats on the plains as the scorching sunlight seared them after vaporizing the rain.

Squeak! Squeak!

The rats struck by the intense sunlight were paralyzed on the spot as they dropped to the ground and squirmed in burning agony!

Their furs were reduced to ashes, their limbs bent in weird angles, and needle-like spikes began poking from under their flesh!

It was like they were undergoing a transformation—no, a mutation!

The entire world experienced its own series of troubles brought by the Cataclysm's arrival as timbered buildings within cities were set aflame amidst panicky citizens seeking cover and molten steel beams falling apart.

Outside of towns and cities, the cold rivers boiled while the snowy peaks of the Great Mountain Range melted.

Hot water descended from their steep cliffs like waterfalls, transforming the nearby regions into swamps and flooded areas.

Within the deep Wildlands, twelve pillars of red light surged towards the high heavens from their ancient relics.

Wingrats were not the only beasts plaguing the Wildlands.

They were not the only breed of rats as there were also Groundrats, Shadowrats, and variant species of rats plaguing the Wildlands with their incredible numbers.

Even so, not all regions within the Wildlands were plagued by rats.

In different parts of the Wildlands, the rabbit race was an even bigger problem than the rats!

Rabbits were docile omnivorous beasts, considered to be one of the weakest species amongst the beast race existing within the Wildlands.

However, their numbers were even more fearsome than the rats!

And when all these cute bunnies are transformed into ferocious, hunger-crazed, berserk rabbits, their threat level can only rank them higher than the rats!

No one truly knew how dangerous they were until they all crawled out from the rabbit holes!

Many Low-rank beast tribes and Mid-rank beast tribes fell to the swarms of rabbits and rat tides while survivors fled for higher ranking beast tribes for even a fighting chance of survival during the outbreak.

Outside of High-rank beast tribes and King-rank beast tribes, carcasses piled like tall mountain peaks, and blood flowed like rivers!

These tribes were the absolute hegemons of the plains!

Their tribesmen numbered in the tens of millions while their Transcendent-level warriors numbered in the tens of thousands!

It was not possible for such behemoth tribes to be toppled by weak races like the rabbits and rats, even if their numbers were in abundance.

Absolute strength could not be defeated by numbers alone.

…

Back in the Western Frontier, Leon descended from the skies, shortly returning to Aria's side within the thunderclouds.

Aria had long reopened her eyes due to the events happening. Seeing Leon returning, she quickly asked, "Did the Cataclysm…?"

"Yeah… it has arrived," Leon admitted with a nod.

Seeing that Aria was planning to follow him, he stopped her while shaking his head, "Stay here and continue to cultivate, Aria. You don't get many opportunities to cultivate in places with much Lightning Essence."

"But…" Aria wanted to speak.

However, Leon shook his head again, "No buts. Stay here obediently and cultivate. Now that the Cataclysm is here, the future is uncertain. As such, we must use every chance we have to raise our strength as quickly as possible. I will go see the situation outside."

Aria immediately bit her lips.

She understood Leon's reason and completely agreed to it. As such, even though she was unwilling, she nodded with her head lowered, "Be careful."

"I will." Leon smiled.

The strong sunlight was able to pierce through gaps within clouds.

However, the thick and concentrated thunderclouds were one of few places where even the sunlight could not penetrate.

As such, it was almost entirely safe as long as Aria remained cautious and did not purposely allow herself to be zapped by the full brunt of the thundercloud's high voltage.

Shortly after Leon left, Aria gazed in the direction of his departure with eyes filled with hidden emotions.

"You're giving me this chance to cultivate and quickly raise my strength, but who will do the same for you?" Aria muttered with a soft sigh.

She did not doubt that many areas on the surface required attention and help now that the Cataclysm arrived…

And the person who wanted to raise his strength more than anyone, is being forced to busy himself helping others.

Leon was tied down by responsibilities.

This made Aria feel extremely uncomfortable in her heart. She wanted to share his burden, but it seems that reaching Transcendent was still far from enough.

Her eyes immediately became sharp and determined before she closed her eyes and focused wholeheartedly on her cultivation within the thunderclouds.

…

Meanwhile, after Leon descended out of the clouds, the chaotic situation on the surface became clear to him.

The rain stopped, and the fires were stuffed out.

Normally, this would have been bad for the elves still waiting to be transported to the top of the Great Wall. However, the rat tide was paralyzed by the sunlight as they underwent strange mutations.

On the Wildlands' distant horizon, burning debris shortly fell from the heavens and parted the earth with colossal amounts of soil rising into the skies.

Rumble!

The earthquake generated from the crash reached all the way to the Western Frontier with a strong gust of wind as the Great Wall shook and several tribesmen staggered, falling off the rising platforms.

"Ahh, save me!"

"Help me!"

They cried with fear.

Leon immediately shot over without much thought, but there were also much closer people who reacted and caught the tribesmen before him.

"Young Prince, you're here."

"Marquis Haldir."

Leon returned the Supreme Elder's greeting with a nod shortly after the person saved his tribesmen from the fall.