Chapter 530: The Skeletal Tyrant! Who is the War Machine?

Chapter 530: The Skeletal Tyrant! Who is the War Machine?

In the beginning, when Su Ping first realized the potential of the Ten Thousand Spirits Atlas and before he attained his current reputation and status, the battles he sought and the scenes he envisioned were akin to what was unfolding before him.

The power of the Ten Thousand Spirits Atlas made the group combat of Companion Beasts nearly invincible.

During this time, although he hadn't personally trained the only Wolf Pack that formed the foundation of combat power, Lu Heng's training and the shared connection of the Ten Thousand Spirits Atlas were often active.

Therefore, while these Wolf Packs may not have high cultivation levels, almost every one of their skills was at the Skilled level or higher, either Proficient or Perfect.

All skills were like this, except for the 'Solar Heart' of those Ten Thousand Trees Lang.

The strength of the Wolf Pack did not solely depend on their cultivation levels!

Even when facing relatively unique opponents, such as Necromantic-type evil beasts like ghosts that were highly effective against Thorn Wolves skilled in close combat.

However, this did not affect the outcome in the slightest! If these hundred Wolf Packs, forming a Wolf Pack Battalion, could be completely countered by a certain type of Companion Beast, then Su Ping wouldn't have spent so much effort and resources in nurturing and training them.

The wolf pack charged.

At the same time, on the frozen ground of the Northern Chill, thick trees and vines rapidly spread, almost every second, in this desolate and cold battlefield, lush forests emerged.

These forests did not represent life but rather an even colder presence.

"Awoo!"

The loud and synchronized howls of the wolves, along with the rapidly spreading forest trees at the edge of the battlefield, caught the attention of the Beastmasters in the command center.

As discussed earlier, the main confrontation on the battlefield at the White Pine River was between the members of the Sixth Army of the Northern Border Legion.

However, at this moment, the officers and soldiers of the Sixth Army, tasked with resistance at the edge of the battlefield, looked at each other in bewilderment upon witnessing this scene:

'When did the Sixth Army acquire a Wolf Pack Legion? Which battalion's secret weapon is this?'

Although the Northern Border had many forests, and the time spent on forest combat was not short, Wood-type Companion Beasts had no advantage on this cold and dead land.

Compared to the Central Plains' war zones, the Northern Border Legion primarily relied on Necromantic, Ice, and Wind-type Companion Beasts. If necessary, they would choose Fire-type Companion Beasts that countered each other as the main force of the legion.

No one had ever heard of a Wolf Pack Legion like this!

Precisely because of this surprise, many people on the battlefield's edge paid close attention to this Wolf Pack Battalion that had suddenly appeared from afar.

This observation was crucial.

The Beast Tide, so named because the evil beasts surged like a tidal wave, was overwhelming even at the White Pine River. Although the ghost tide here was smaller and less terrifying than the main battlefield, the frozen river and its banks were densely packed like a pot of dumplings, leaving no gaps.

Even with the earlier bombardment of mechanical weapons, which had taken out many low-level skeletons, zombies, and the like, the remaining enemies were mostly evolved forms like White Bone Demons and Corpse Generals, or other advanced beings.

These beings were highly resistant to mechanical weapons; only those at the explosion's epicenter could be killed. Aside from that, it was difficult to achieve a direct large-scale annihilation.

This demonstrated the strength of these beings; individually, they might not be impressive, but when they appeared in groups of tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands, fearless and willing to sacrifice themselves, it became terrifying.

Therefore, most Beastmaster Legions adopted a defensive strategy at this time.

These undead were already dead.

Each Beastmaster Legion's Companion Beast was a part of the Dragon Nation, and while sacrifices were inevitable, they couldn't be made without meaning in such a situation.

However, right before their eyes, this unknown Wolf Pack, hidden in the forest and impossible to pinpoint, seemed like a divine intervention as it directly crossed the defense line and charged towards the onslaught of ferocious evil beasts! This scene left many frontline officers in a daze, and they took out their battlefield walkie-talkies to inquire with their superiors.

Clearly, their superiors were equally baffled by the sudden appearance of this small Wolf Pack Battalion of only about a hundred evolved wolves.

Nevertheless, with no changes in the top command, they could only proceed with the original defensive counterattack plan.

At the same time, as the forest slowly reached the banks of the White Pine River, the shadowy forest gradually merged with the endless tide of ghosts.

Then, in everyone's sight, the forest stopped moving, and the endless tide of ghosts resembled an ant colony, quickly surrounding it like a tidal wave, and the ants surged forward once more.

This scene tightened everyone's hearts.

Only those who have truly experienced the Ghost Tide firsthand can truly understand the despair and helplessness of being surrounded by enemies on all sides, with no room to retreat.

What was the situation with this mysterious forest and its inhabitants? Only Su Ping and those observing via satellite knew the full picture.

However, it was precisely because they knew that no one in the command center had anticipated this.

The capabilities of the Ten Thousand Trees Wolf were known to some of those present.

Many had witnessed the transformative sparring match in the Eastern Sea Army.

The evolved Ten Thousand Trees Wolf could directly create vast forests, forming tree prisons, and engage in highly effective combat strategies.

Undoubtedly, this Ten Thousand Trees Beast was perfectly suited for such a situation.

But no one expected what they witnessed. Despite some concealment from the trees, they could still make out the overall scene, and everyone present had the same thought:

"Perfect!"

The commander of the Sixth Army, the most anxious Yan Sheng, couldn't help but speak up.

Indeed, it was perfect.

It wasn't just the strength of these beasts; in fact, the truly powerful ones hadn't even made their move yet. Su Ping stood above the forest, surrounded by his companion beasts, gazing down at the battlefield.

The battle was fought by a hundred evolved Forest Wolves.

The combat of these evolved beasts left them in awe: perfect!

"Look over there, the coordination between the Forest Wolves and the Thorn Wolves. The Forest Wolves may not be the strongest in direct combat, but their control over the wood element is exceptional. These physical beasts, with just a second of control and entanglement, can launch a direct attack with the Thorn Wolves! Even soul contract beasts might not be able to coordinate so perfectly every time, right?"

"And over there, in this battle, as soon as a companion is about to get injured, the twenty Spirit Wolves seem to have anticipated it and provide immediate treatment, preventing local breakdowns in combat effectiveness.

The Ghost Tide is endless, but if even one of these hundred evolved Forest Wolves is lost, it could lead to the destruction of the entire army by the ants! How is such coordination possible?"

"And the Ten Thousand Trees Wolf leading the entire battlefield, those ten Ten Thousand Trees Wolves, not only shaping the terrain of the forest battlefield, but also using their mysterious abilities to provide energy to the other Forest Wolves through the Wood Heart, ensuring combat sustainability.

At the same time, they directly block and defeat spiritual attacks from flying and wandering spirit types! Just ten Ten Thousand Trees Wolves can influence the direction and rhythm of warfare in an area exceeding five kilometers!"

"..."

The entire command center, which had previously been filled with fear and trepidation for Su Ping, now marveled at the wolf pack's combat prowess.

In the midst of the endless Ghost Tide, a mysterious vacuum zone had formed within the concentrated forest.

The food, which had previously resembled the bodies of an ant swarm, now resembled a large fish swimming in the water, opening its mouth wide to devour the smaller fish around it.

Not only did they swiftly eliminate the Necromantic beasts that dared to enter the Ghost Tide army, but they also actively moved to hunt in other areas.

How could a mere hundred beasts achieve such a feat?

However, what surprised the many legion leaders present even more was how Su Ping had achieved this.

If these hundred evolved Forest Wolves were all Su Ping's contract beasts, it would be understandable. After all, contract beasts could quickly receive their master's intentions through soul contracts.

But this was clearly impossible.

More importantly, with such a vast forest, how could Su Ping, a human Beastmaster, possibly maintain such comprehensive mental connections, even with exceptional spiritual sensitivity?

Furthermore, the cooperation and tacit understanding among these Forest Wolves were unlikely to be achieved even by human Beastmasters' contract beasts.

There was only one possible explanation!

"Is Su Pei Yu Shi also this skilled at training beasts?" someone marveled.

In the legion, training and nurturing were often separate fields.

Undoubtedly, individual Beastmasters' elements made nurturing masters even more critical, but in the legion, training for combat was equally vital.

The legion was the most concentrated manifestation of collective power, and legion Beastmasters might not individually match those elite Beastmasters in the association, who had access to abundant resources and countless simulated opponents.

However, if they were adept at improving teamwork, they could undoubtedly outperform the same number of individual Beastmasters.

But now, in this legion, the most proud domain, amidst the forest formed by the evolved Forest Wolves, seemed insignificant.

These were a full hundred evolved Forest Wolves, and they weren't contract beasts with Beastmasters; they were all wild beasts, trained to perfection, with combat prowess that was flawless and unbeatable. What did this represent?

"If such talent were to join the legion, perhaps our local combat effectiveness..."

Someone couldn't help but sigh with regret, but quickly held it back.

Training is what determines the lower limit of a legion's combat power, but a Beastmaster is what sets the upper limit of a nation's strength.

Which is more important is clear without explanation.

However, just this scene before them was enough to showcase Su Ping's capabilities as a Beastmaster.

The pack of hundreds of wolves moved as if they were his limbs, their coordination surpassing even that of wild Companion Beasts. This well-trained pack was awe-inspiring.

Yet, not everyone was blindly optimistic at this moment.

"Su Ping has attracted the attention of higher beings in this local battlefield!"

Any Beast Tide would never consist solely of cannon fodder.

Even the smallest Beast Tides would include Monarch-level and Emperor-level ferocious beasts.

Even though this area was just on the outskirts of the main battlefield, at the edges of the front line, they would still be present.

Not far away, a massive shadow appeared at some point.

It was a figure that many were familiar with, yet one that struck fear into their hearts.

Su Ping stood atop the forest, squinting at the distant giant creature:

"Bone Tyrant?"

A well-known second-stage evolution of the Skeleton Warrior, both Overlord-level Skeleton Overlords and Monarch-level Skeleton Monarchs could evolve into Emperor-level Necromantic beings.

Its massive body was also incredibly powerful, capable of rivaling Bone Dragons of the same level in raw physical strength.

Although it had no other abilities, this alone was already formidable.

On the battlefield, such an existence was like a war machine, a meat grinder.

Facing such an opponent, no one could afford to be careless.

This included Su Ping, who was now the target of this creature's advance.

It must be said that although Su Ping had seen information and introductions about this creature multiple times at the Beastmaster Association, this was his first encounter with the most renowned powerful evolution among the Skeleton-type beasts.

Only after witnessing it in person did Su Ping understand why its physical combat power could rival that of a Bone Dragon.

Huge!

Its hundred-meter-tall body was the largest Su Ping had ever seen among Companion Beasts, rivaling the Mechanical Titan he had encountered at the entrance of the Demon City Mechanical Association.

Of course, the Titan Host was also quite large, even bigger, but its main body couldn't move, making it fundamentally different from this creature.

As it approached, each step of the Bone Tyrant seemed to make the ground beneath tremble slightly.

Its menacing white bone spikes and massive white bone longsword gleamed coldly in the moonlight. Even the ferocious beasts around it turned into bone fragments or meat paste with just a slight touch.

Fierce, menacing, and terrifying,

The external characteristics of Necromantic-type Companion Beasts were fully embodied in this Bone Tyrant.

However, Su Ping was completely unfazed. He even stopped Little Qing, who was about to take flight in excitement, and gently placed his hand on the hilt of Qian Yi's sword, preventing her from acting.

If these two little ones were to join the fight, there would be no suspense.

By now, the wolf pack's combat power against a group of enemies had already been proven. The training, growth, and the most extraordinary ability granted by the Ten Thousand Spirits Atlas—the shared vision effect—had turned the pack into the most cohesive team, accustomed to such battles.

And now, it was time for this wolf pack team to face a higher-level opponent.

To the Bone Tyrant, the entire forest seemed like a mere small pit, easily crossed with a few leaps.

The Bone Tyrant, despite its brute force and size, was not like the mindless other Necromantic beasts. With its massive bone longsword, it slashed directly at them!

In a single clash, the sturdy trees, which seemed as solid as iron pillars, became as fragile as noodles under the seemingly blunt bone sword.

Su Ping's eyebrows furrowed, but he was helpless.

Obviously, even with the wolf pack's extremely strong team coordination, including the Ten Thousand Trees Wolves, which were Monarch-level beings, it wasn't enough.

Not all Companion Beasts were like Qian Yi and Ya Ya Qing.

Fighting opponents of higher levels was as easy as eating and drinking for them.

Even with the Solar Heart, and even though he had absorbed a lot of energy through it previously, there were two things to consider. First, the Bone Tyrant was no ordinary Emperor-level beast.

"Roar!"

Accompanying this roar that shook the heavens was a sense of majesty!

This majesty was different from the wolf king's majesty of Old Sha; it felt like a tangible substance.

Bone Tyrant's racial skill, advanced skill: Bone Tyrant's Might!

After all, the Bone Tyrant didn't have any energy-based attack abilities, and its place among the higher-level Necromantic beings was solely due to its powerful physical strength, making it an extraordinary existence.

Among Emperor-level beasts, possessing advanced skills wasn't particularly rare.

However, for the wolf pack, it was undoubtedly overwhelming.

The entire forest created by the Ten Thousand Trees Wolves was being mowed down like scallions.

The previously coordinated wolf pack quickly retreated.

The difference between the Emperor Rank and the Monarch Rank was overwhelmingly evident at this moment.

If it were daytime, the Ten Thousand Trees Wolf, relying on its Solar Heart, would have an almost infinite supply of energy, and it could easily engage in a war of attrition with this Skeletal Tyrant.

But now, it was night.

Su Ping couldn't help but sigh, feeling the terrifying pressure on a spiritual level, and glanced at Ya Ya and Qian Yi, whose battle intent was becoming more intense.

No wonder in this Beastmaster world, while swarm tactics were useful, they were also extremely limited.

Advanced and powerful beings couldn't be defeated solely by swarm tactics, and even if it were possible, the consumption would be unimaginable.

And indeed, there was no need for that.

With this thought, Su Ping nodded, glanced at the two little guys who were full of enthusiasm, and was about to speak when suddenly, a figure looked at him, equally excited and eager to try.

This figure was none other than Laosha, who had not taken action until now.

Strictly speaking, Laosha was also a member of the wolf pack, being the first Ten Thousand Trees Wolf. Laosha's realm was also the highest, initially not even close to the Monarch Rank, but now, he had reached the advanced level of the seventh stage of the Monarch Rank.

Apart from the potential of the Ten Thousand Trees Wolf, it was also due to Su Ping's relentless nurturing with resources.

However, it seemed that Laosha hadn't fought for quite some time.

But could Laosha really face this massive Skeletal Tyrant?

Su Ping wasn't sure, but seeing Laosha's eager gaze, he nodded, "Laosha, give it a try!"

Laosha's skills were not much different from the other Ten Thousand Trees Wolves, except for one unique aspect: the Wolf King Authority, which seemed to be a prototype of a position skill, and his proficiency in Solar Heart.

Laosha's Solar Heart was at the Proficient level.

Under the effect of 'Son of the Sun', its absorption at night had also improved to a certain extent.

Moreover, the Wolf King Authority seemed to have some resistance to the Tyrant's Authority of the Skeletal Tyrant.

So, Laosha took action.

Facing this massive and disproportionately larger opponent, Laosha showed no sign of fear.

The old wolf, of advanced age, burst forth with an indescribable fighting passion.

Countless swirling trees quickly emerged from the ground, spreading from beneath the ice layer, enveloping the giant figure that had cleaved through the forest. They entangled it at an unimaginable speed.

The entire earth seemed to connect with the body of the Skeletal Tyrant, and this colossal war machine was directly restrained by the powerful pulling force, its steps halted in place.

The Skeletal Tyrant lowered its head, looking at the branches and vines that completely bound its lower body, and swung its blade.

The sturdy branches and vines were severed like thread, but almost instantly, they began to heal.

At the same time, with Laosha's wolf howl, the ten Ten Thousand Trees Wolves rushed over at high speed.

These wolves were part of the original pack with Laosha.

Since then, they had trained together day and night, becoming extremely tacit.

More trees surrounded them, and in a short time, a net woven from trees enveloped the Skeletal Tyrant.

Su Ping breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the Skeletal Tyrant's movements becoming more and more sluggish.

Seeing this, Su Ping thought the Skeletal Tyrant might be defeated. However, before he could fully relax, a loud roar from the giant skull made his eardrums hurt.

"Roar!"

The Skeletal Tyrant's lower body, which was almost kneeling, suddenly stood up. Countless trees were uprooted from the ground.

The entire ground became a mess.

The Ten Thousand Trees Wolves connected to the trees were flung away, including Laosha.

"Roar!" Another loud roar echoed, and the giant white bone blade, despite its size, moved with incredible speed. The entangled trees and vines shattered into fragments, and the giant white bone palm directly crossed over everything, heading towards the tiny figures on the ground.

The Skeletal Tyrant seemed extremely furious, as if it was annoyed that such a powerful being was being hindered by these small creatures.

The Tyrant's Authority was unleashed, and the Ten Thousand Trees Wolves led by Laosha had their auras completely locked down, unable to escape. It seemed they could only watch as the Skeletal Tyrant raised its blade.

It swung its blade towards a Ten Thousand Trees Wolf lying on the ground, and in that instant, Qian Yi drew his longsword, with the five elements swirling around him. But a branch suddenly shot out, pushing the Ten Thousand Trees Wolf away!

Almost immediately, the ground trembled, and the frozen earth churned, creating a deep pit several meters deep and dozens of meters long beneath the white bone blade.

The Skeletal Tyrant turned its head, its blood-red soul fire illuminating the scene. Laosha had reappeared nearby, his body covered in broken branches and fur.

With such injuries, the same thing applied: if it were daytime, he could recover almost instantly, but now, it was different.

Even so, it couldn't affect Old Sha's actions.

His body dimmed, the light fading.

Although the previous battle seemed to have lasted only a short while, trying to restrain an Emperor Rank existence known for their physical prowess was no small feat.

Even as a high-level Monarch, Old Sha was feeling the strain.

Despite the moonlit night offering a certain degree of support, the idea of using it to restore the Sun Heart was like a dream, especially against such a formidable opponent.

Even if he could persist, defeating this opponent seemed impossible.

Perhaps during the day, there might have been a chance.

Su Ping prided himself on his objective analysis of the battle situation, so in the next moment, he had already allowed Qian Yi, who had been impatiently waiting, to join the fight.

However, at this moment, something unexpected happened.

Old Sha's gaze became incredibly determined.

He was the grandson of the legendary Wolf King of the Great Prairie, the forty-second son of the Wolf King, Qing Ya Tian Lang Wang's most useless son, banished from the Great Prairie in disgrace.

But regardless, he carried a portion of the Tian Lang bloodline.

He had his pride, especially after his last evolution and awakening the Sun Heart skill.

And this time, he had confidence. He felt the surging power within, and now, this situation was the perfect opportunity for that power to manifest!

"Woof!"

Even Su Ping didn't understand what Old Sha was doing. He raised an eyebrow at Old Sha, who had suddenly started howling.

The next moment, a light shone from Old Sha's body.

It wasn't evolution or anything else.

It was the light of skill enhancement.

Su Ping's eyes widened.

An enhancement of the Sun Heart? Before this, Old Sha's Sun Heart had already reached the Proficient level.

However, the enhancement wasn't significant.

Was it about to reach the Mastery level? He had never seen anyone master a high-level skill.

From the looks of it, the difference between the Proficient and Mastery levels seemed considerable.

Under Su Ping's gaze, Old Sha seemed to have finally broken through the threshold, and his body suddenly burst into a faint light.

The next moment, this light transformed into a pillar of light, like the initial Sun Heart that Su Ping had seen during the Legion Grand Competition.

At that time, under the dark clouds, a ray of light had fallen upon the Ten Thousand Trees Wolf.

But even then, it was still daytime!

Now, it was night, perhaps even the dead of night.

Yet, even so, the faint light on Old Sha's body still illuminated the entire world, concentrated on his body. In the pitch-black night, the light seemed to gather from beneath the moon, less blinding than the daytime sun.

But even so, this was a manifestation of energy gathering!

Almost visibly, Old Sha's injuries rapidly healed.

In the glow, the vines and trees that had previously lost their energy supply quickly spread again, entangling the Bone Tyrant once more.

"Roar!"

It was like sticky candy, impossible to shake off, leaving the Bone Tyrant agitated.

But what truly unsettled this terrifying undead being was the giant wolf that glowed and absorbed the light.

At some point, the light on the wolf's body became increasingly brilliant.

In the dark battlefield sky, in the dimly lit Dragon Nation, the light transitioned from a star to a bright moon, and then, under the dazzling light, the real moonlight seemed to pale in comparison, like a blazing sun rising in the sky.

On the battlefield, Old Sha stood like a sun atop the high throne suspended by the endless trees.

Even the other Ten Thousand Trees Wolves, who had lost much of their combat power, seemed to feel the radiance from Old Sha, quickly recovering. At this moment, Old Sha became a bridge and medium for these wolves.

Old Sha seemed to replace the sun that had disappeared beneath the night sky, becoming a new sun!

So, they joined the weaving of the Tree Prison, delaying any action from the Bone Tyrant.

On the other side of the battlefield, many figures looked towards the bright sky, wondering what was happening.

Finally,

Facing the Bone Tyrant, still entangled by countless vines, this being who could be called a war machine, Old Sha opened his mouth wide, and the accumulated power transformed into a pure spherical energy ball, rushing towards the Bone Tyrant at an unimaginable speed.

Boom!

The world exploded into silence for a brief moment.

The explosion started from the Bone Tyrant, spreading outwards.

And so, the shattered bones and the charred pit that extended for several miles from the Bone Tyrant's starting point were proof enough of who the real war machine was.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end