Post-Apocalyptic Dispatch Society

Clang!

A middle-aged man raised a large hammer and slammed it into a plate, causing a resounding sound as those nearby closed their ears, grunting in irritation. But immediately after that, they inched towards the sonorous plate, staring at the barely visible dent on it.

"My god, how did you raise its strength to this level?" One of them muttered.

Another placed it on a stand and stood over it, seeing it only bend mildly, exclaiming in surprise, "How's it this tough?"

Considering its length, even steel of that thickness would bend more under his weight. So, it was a startling wonder as everyone expressed their admiration.

"Hehe, I've been thinking of creating a ship using this." Chief Yubak grinned in response, "Even the Empire's famed canons shouldn't be able to make a dent on it. Even when it's this thin, it should last a couple of hits from the cannon balls."

"If I manage to make them thicker and still make them retain this level of strength and toughness while still within the desired density, we can begin production of a ship immediately," Yubak said in excitement.

Irrespective of where he was, his instinct as an engineer would never die. The moment he embarked on the creation of a ship, his eyes sparkled.

"As expected of the Chief." The villagers commented in praise as each of them displayed the items they were working on too. All of them were engineers that worked under Chief Yubak. And each of them had their respective expertise.

And with the abilities of their West Guardian armours, they began to experiment with it, creating items of their desire happily.

With the passing of every day, more and more of them were becoming Horned Humans as the Chief and a couple of others had already reached Stage 2, now possessing enough power to make a difference.

That was why they were able to make better quality experiments. Even Chief Yubak, this middle-aged man felt like he had become a tad younger, able to work for greater hours with better energy and enthusiasm.

It wasn't just ships that they were researching but also architecture, weapons, etc. One of them was even working on a way to thin the sheet created using their armour, taking on a trait similar to their wings to create a high-quality paper that wouldn't be damaged over time and was more resistant to fire and water.

The eye part of their armour was similar to an insect eye as the compound lenses were useful for a lot of applications. And as engineers, the curiosity of everyone was brimming.

Adding on their healing powers and natural regenerative traits, the entire village was overflowing with endless vitality.

They had even created a discussion hall where a variety of information was processed and stored for future documentation.

Right as the villagers were experimenting with the plate that Chief Yubak had created with great enthusiasm, the eyes of everyone turned sharp suddenly as they frowned, sensing their Guardian Beast alerting them of danger.

Those at Stage 2 had a stronger connection, able to sense that Yihan was in danger. The Guardian Beast only alerted them that one of them was in danger. Only if the connection was stronger could more details be transmitted.

But as Yihan was the only one away from the village at the moment, they understood that he was in danger.

Immediately, all eyes fell on Chief Yubak as one of the villagers said, "Yihan has gone to help Xuna to create more Guardian Beasts. We have to help him since he's now in danger."

"Pack up enough Nacre Cores and let's set flight immediately." Chief Yubak said as everyone took on their West Guardian forms, taking flight within a minute.

…

Chirp!

A group of male Spageons chirped incessantly as a girl frowned in response upon hearing them. She raised her hand, watching a Spageon perch on it and chirp at her, intending to convey something.

"I'm sorry, only my brother can understand what you're saying." She smiled wryly before her eyes hardened, staring at the Spageon, "But fret not, I can assume what's happening. There's only one reason for your current behaviour."

She snapped her finger as immediately, the air was filled with an incessant buzz as hundreds of mutated Hoil Bees took to the air. She was Hakhena, Lucress' daughter, one who used her Hoil Bees to result in a growth spurt for plants.

Immediately after, she turned around, staring at Felor, the eldest prince of the Fornol Empire, one that had visited to see her, saying, "It seems they've encountered a troubling situation. We need to hurry and rescue them."

"Come with me," Felor said in a hurry, not hesitating for even a moment as he summoned the royal guard. Everyone boarded Hakhena's Hoil Bees, taking flight immediately as they sped in the direction of the Pitcher Plant Forest.

…

Boom!

Another sculpture slammed into Varnol, destroying a batch of its petals once again, turning its flight unstable as the number of petals had been alarmingly reduced to a pitiful number. There were cracks everywhere as the Varnol trembled from time to time.

It clearly had lost most of its strength, unable to last long under the incessant attacks.

"Hah!" Xuna shouted, watching the last of the sculpture miss its target, slamming near the Varnol, barely missing it. The impact into the ground spilled a lot of sand, some of it flying into the Varnol, causing the three people on board to cough in response.

In active battles, Luncress and Lortwik were useless, for they had no fighting capabilities. They were only as strong as the monsters they reared. And by now, all of them had been killed, save for one female Spageon that Lortwik had saved for the Empress to use in times of emergency.

They would rather give up on their lives than endanger the Empress, aware that she needed to get out of this situation alive for the Fornol Empire to withstand attacks from Xuna in the future.

His family was one of the Dukes of the Empire. And as those possessing power second only to royalty, the Turman Duke Household would definitely face attacks from the Lerni Empire, and leading the charge would be Xuna, a terrifying opponent.

After all, it could be said that Xuna was the strongest Horned Human in the world, for only she had attained Stage 5. And this gap would only grow in the future. Without the Empress, they were very well doomed.

So, she had to make it out of here alive as Lortwik nudged her in a hurry, "Your majesty, leave! We'll do something to hold her back."

Lortwik unfurled his ability, staring at his dad, resolved for their deaths, "If we combust our powers, we'll use the nectar to draw in all the creatures in this region. They'll devour us indeed, but the resulting chaos would allow you to escape."

Feleokruna only frowned in response, clearly unwilling to lose two of the most valued Blight Humans of her Empire, planning to fight Xuna once again, even if she had to take on Yihan atop that, with no support from the father and son pair.

Whether it was Luncress or Lortwik, they were a strategic resource. Even if they weren't the top fighting force, they were able to mop the floor in the range below that, with each worth an army.

"All three of us will survive…" Feleokruna began to speak when suddenly, she was alarmed, hurriedly facing her palms downward to unleash the strongest of her lasers.

Luncress and Lortwik were startled by her actions when they stared to their shock; a leaf pierced through the floors of Varnol, opening to reveal a mouth as it tried to clamp upon them. Though, her actions saved them as her lasers melted through the leaf.

Kieee!

An ear-piercing screech resounded through the desert region as multiple leaves jutted out of the ground. Feleokruna hurriedly melted through all heading her way as the Varnol wobbled its way through, flapping its petals slowly to fly past as multiple leaves tried to clamp upon it.

"Shit, again?" Xuna and Yihan stopped in alarm as she changed one gun to assault form and sprayed bullets at the targets, shredding them apart as they approached her. Yihan carried her while she used the chance to use two guns in assault form, better able to deal with the leaves this way.

Yihan gradually raised their altitude, making a mental note that the leaves were able to reach a height of hundred metres from the ground. Beyond that, they were safe.

The Varnol too raised its altitude somehow as the people in it sighed in relief, terrified of the phenomenon they were experiencing.

"What in the…damnable hell?" Xuna was flabbergasted, staring at massive waves of luck churn at the centre of the Pitcher Plant Forest, beginning to take the shape of a humanoid, one whose forehead was embedded with a gem composed of two conflicting energies.

Within a few minutes, the luck transformed into the same humanoid they encountered within the pitcher of the Pitcher Plant King. The fact that its luck took on this form meant only one thing, which was what Xuna was unable to comprehend.

"Is this a…Guardian Beast?"