Apocalypse Baby

Gritting her teeth, she winced as the pain from her injury surged, but a wave of relief followed as the healing potion worked its magic.

The wound began to close, her flesh knitting itself back together.

She exhaled slowly.

200 Nightmare Points for this.

It had been a hefty price, and she thought bitterly of the skeleton vendor who had gleefully taken her hard-earned points.

Points she had bled, sweat, and nearly died to collect.

Damned vendor, she thought, gripping the now-empty potion bottle tightly.

But... it was worth it.

Freya steeled herself, her fingers curling into fists.

She had made a decision—a promise to herself. If she was going to go down, it wouldn't be without a fight.

Her sharp gaze flicked ahead to Ezekiel and Dorion.

The two were inched forward cautiously, and as they moved, Baranga's glowing eyes snapped toward them.

That's when Freya noticed something.

Baranga reacted much faster to movements from those closer to the finish line compared to those lagging behind.

The beast's gaze lingered longer, its movements sharper, as if proximity made the threat more urgent.

A spark of hope ignited in her chest.

So that's how it works. If it sees them as more of a threat, I can use that.

It wasn't much, but it was something. She could work with this.

Freya weighed her options. It was risky—a gamble, just like the countless others she had taken to survive. But she was out of alternatives.

Her mind raced as she planned her next move. If she could distract Baranga by using its priority for the frontrunners, she might have a chance to advance.

All or nothing.

Without hesitation, Freya moved.

She activated her movement skill, her body surging forward with a burst of energy.

Her heart raced as she crossed the ground, but she stopped abruptly, cutting the distance in half compared to what she normally covered with the skill.

Then stopped abruptly, her heart pounding in her chest wondering if she had overdone it.

Baranga's glowing eyes locked onto her, its massive form still as a statue.

For a moment, it felt like the beast might attack, but it didn't.

It worked.

Freya exhaled sharply, relief flooding through her.

Her gamble had paid off.

Ahead of her, Ezekiel and Dorion seized the opportunity, moving forward. Their quick steps caught the beast's attention, its gaze snapping toward them as they progressed closer to the finish line.

Freya used the opening.

Summoning her strength, she activated her movement skill again, her body propelling forward in a controlled burst of speed.

This time, she stopped right beside Baranga.

The sheer size of the beast was overwhelming, its shadow swallowing her whole as she stood close enough to see the strange energy pulsing beneath its hide.

She was near the center now, dangerously close to where the beast had positioned itself.

Dorion noticed immediately.

His expression twisted with frustration as he saw how her movements complicated things.

He was so close to the finish line, but Freya's bursts of movement could throw everything into chaos.

"Hey!" Dorion shouted, his voice sharp. "Don't move into its line of sight like that! If you do, it'll be able to spot all three of us at once without needing to move. You'll make it impossible for anyone to advance!"

Freya's lips curled into a cold smile as she turned her gaze toward him:

"Oh, Dora, I must've missed the part where that's my problem."

"You dumb bitch! The name is Dorian!"

Freya scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Like I said, I'd rather we all die than let you survive."

Dorion turned his anger toward Ezekiel, his voice rising with desperation.

"You… You're really not gonna say anything to her? This affects you too, you know!"

Ezekiel sighed, the sound heavy with exhaustion.

He didn't even bother looking at Dorion as he muttered, "Whatever will be, will be."

"What are you now, Buddha?"

Freya didn't wait for their argument to end.

Her focus shifted back to the trial as she moved again, but she didn't dare use her skill this time.

A wise choice, as Baranga this time, didn't simply turn toward her like before.

Instead, the beast vanished in a blink—its massive frame reappearing directly in front of her.

Freya her breath catching in her throat as she looked up. Baranga's three glowing eyes were wide open, each pulsating with a hypnotic, unnatural light.

She froze, unable to move, as the beast loomed over her.

Her heart hammered against her ribs, but to her surprise, fear wasn't what she felt. Instead, there was a strange, almost absurd amusement bubbling up inside her. Its eyes don't even look real, she thought.

Before she could process the bizarre sensation, Ezekiel and Dorion made their move, using the distraction to slip forward.

And this time...

"Freedom!"

Dorion shouted as he crossed the finish line, his chest heaving with exhilaration.

He'd done it—he was out.

He'd made it first, not because he was the fastest, but because he knew what mattered: be aggressive, think ahead, and take every opportunity. The early bird eats the worm, after all.

As soon as he crossed, a notification pinged in his mind.

Ding

[You have cleared Trial 1 of Nightmare]

[You have received 2000 nightmare points]

[You have received 20 upgrade stones]

The exit to the next trial appeared before him, a bright portal shimmering with promise.

But instead of rushing through, Dorion did something unexpected—he plopped down on the ground, grinning like a maniac.

He wasn't in a hurry anymore. He turned his eyes back toward Freya and Ezekiel, just to watch the fun unfold.

"Shit," Freya muttered under her breath.

Her teeth clenched as she glared at Dorion, who sat there with a smug look plastered on his face.

He's out.

Now, it was just her and Ezekiel left, standing at the edge of the trial's final stretch.

Freya exhaled, her breath heavy and filled with frustration.

She took a step forward, the ground beneath her shifting slightly as she moved. Instantly, Baranga's gaze snapped to her—faster than before.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She had to be cautious now. Every movement mattered.

Ezekiel, sensing the change in the air, adjusted his pace as well.

He was no longer rushing, no longer reckless.

The two of them moved slowly, carefully—each step calculated.

Suddenly, Baranga shifted.

The beast's massive form blurred, appearing in front of them in an instant.

But neither Freya nor Ezekiel flinched. They'd anticipated it. They knew Baranga was fast, but this time, they were ready. They moved with precision, staying calm despite the beast's intimidating speed.

And then, with one final push, Ezekiel crossed the finish line.

Dorion, who had been lounging at the sidelines, turned his head, his eyes narrowing as he watched Ezekiel's victory.

Ezekiel paused, catching his breath, then spoke in a voice filled with resolve:

"I need to end this nightmare... for the sake of those who have died. And I can only trust myself to do it."

Dorion chuckled, a mocking smile curling on his lips.

"Why be a hypocrite? Just be honest like me."

With that, Dorion stood up, dusting off his hands as he prepared to leave. The show was over. There was no more waiting, no more playing. It was time to move on.

Freya stood there, the weight of her situation sinking in.

She watched as the others disappeared into the exit, most likely heading to the next floor.

Her heart pounded as she realized the cruel truth—she was the only one left behind.

Ezekiel didn't even spare her a glance, his eyes fixed forward as he moved toward the exit.

His determination was unshakable, leaving Freya in the dust.

Damn it.

Her fists clenched at her sides, frustration building inside her.

If only she had moved faster.

If only she hadn't hesitated or let her fear take control.

She sighed deeply, the regret washing over her like a wave.

But it was too late now.

There was no turning back.

Her gaze shifted to the finish line, barely a dozen steps away.

It felt like a cruel joke, knowing that the small distance was now an impossible mountain.

She'd never make it in time, especially with Baranga's eyes locked onto her.

The beast's gaze felt like a heavyweight, and she could practically feel the pressure closing in around her.

Dammit.

Freya exhaled sharply, the tears welling up in her eyes.

She sniffed, wiping them away, refusing to let them fall.

She had tried.

She had really tried her hardest to survive... but it just wasn't enough.

And now...

She closed her eyes, the finality of it all settling in.

I guess this is the end.

Freya took a deep breath, her resolve hardening.

She was ready to make one final move.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she gathered every ounce of strength.

The decision was clear: she would take action.

It would likely mean her death, but she'd rather face it head-on than succumb to the inevitable result of inaction and face the same grim fate without a fight.

She focused her gaze on the finish line—just a dozen steps away—and made her choice. Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire

It's impossible, she knew.

But that didn't matter anymore.

She was going to make that leap, no matter how unlikely.

She would die on her own terms, with a smile on her face, even if it was the last thing she ever did.

She exhaled, her body coiling like a spring, ready to jump.

This is it.

But just as she prepared to launch herself, an ear-shattering explosion echoed from behind her.

Boom!

The entire place trembled from the shockwave, and instinctively, Freya spun her head around, her eyes wide with disbelief.

She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

The towering guardian statue that had been watching over the entrance out in the snow was now lying face down on the ground, its head completely blown to pieces.

Standing nearby, as if he belonged in this chaotic scene, was a man wearing a hat, casually dressed in beach clothing and flip-flops, looking completely unfazed by the destruction he'd just caused as he strolled in.

Freya blinked in utter confusion.

"What the hell...?" she muttered under her breath.

The scene before her felt too absurd to be real.