Apocalypse Baby

Grim Lord unleashed a flurry of deadly slashes—each one powerful enough to rend steel apart.

Alex dodged swiftly, but tension crept up his spine.

A single sweat drop rolled down his forehead.

"Too close."

Before he could react, Grim Lord closed the distance, their weapons clashing in a brutal exchange—

Sparks ignited as steel met steel.

Alex gritted his teeth, parrying another vicious strike.

But it wasn't just the Grim Lord.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Fireballs rained from above—

A lightning-fast energy bolt shot from the side—

Isla and Ella had joined in.

The battlefield became a chaotic storm of explosions, fire, and steel.

Alex barely had time to think as he weaved between attacks, his sword flashing like a blur.

And yet—

He still found time to mock.

"You know…" he huffed between swings, "you need to stop talking like a final boss from a shitty game."

The Grim Lord roared, furious.

It raised its chain blade, preparing to strike—

Alex pulled his sword back, feigning a counterattack.

But instead—

He whispered.

"Petrify."

The invisible paralyzed the Grim Lord's body.

For a second, it froze.

Alex's eyes flashed.

"Now!"

He shifted his weight, ready to deliver a devastating blow.

But then—

A glow.

A flicker of danger.

His instincts screamed.

He barely turned his head—

Just in time to see a massive fireball rocketing toward him.

"Tch."

Alex didn't hesitate.

With a sharp thrust, he drove his sword straight into the Grim Lord's throat.

At the same time, he activated [Aegis Arcane], summoning a protective barrier around himself which received the attack.

The smoke cleared.

And Alex was shook.

Despite Alex's sword lodged in its throat, its ghastly eyes burned with malice.

And then—

WHAM!

The Grim Lord's massive blade came crashing down.

Alex's barrier shattered instantly.

KABLAAM!

The impact sent shockwaves through the air.

Alex was blown backward, his body smashing against the ground.

Pain shot through his shoulder.

Blood.

A fresh cut.

Meanwhile, the Grim Lord bled from its wound, but its flesh began to stitch itself back together.

Alex gritted his teeth.

His own wound was already healing, [Minor Heal] kicking in but...

He felt it.

Danger.

His instincts screamed at him to move.

Above—

A storm of fireballs rained down.

BOOM!

BOOM!

Explosions erupted as the scorching flames torched the battlefield.

Alex pushed off the ground, sprinting sideways as fireballs slammed into the spot he had just been.

The heat scorched his back, but he didn't stop.

No time to rest.

No time to breathe.

Isla and Ella were responsible for the barrage.

And Alex knew he had to get rid of them ASAP, but—

Something else nagged at his mind.

The Grim Lord.

More specifically, the neck chain it wore—a dark, rusted chain with three skull pendants.

He hadn't noticed it before.

But now?

One of the skulls glowed with an eerie green light when he had used [Petrify].

Alex tilted his head slightly.

What are those?

He barely had time to think—

GRRAAAGH!

A chorus of growls snapped him back.

He was surrounded.

Undead players closed in, their rotten faces twisted in rage.

Leading them was Kato.

Alex didn't flinch.

The first wave lunged.

Alex raised his hand.

[Aegis Arcane].

A shimmering shield formed around him.

CLANG! CLANG!

Weapons struck, but every attack bounced off his magical barrier.

Then he moved.

Like a blur, Alex phased through them.

His sword flashed.

And the undead collapsed instantly, their bodies falling apart as he cut through them with precision.

One by one, they dropped.

Then he saw Kato.

The last one standing.

He snarled, raising his weapon to strike—

Too slow.

Alex's sword came down in a devastating arc.

With sheer force—

BOOM!

Kato's body exploded apart.

But before Alex could even take a breath—

WHOOSH!

A ripping force tore through the air.

A rendering strike—

From behind.

The Grim Lord had already recovered.

Alex reacted instantly, twisting his body in an almost impossible motion—

Like he had eyes in the back of his head.

The attack missed.

He landed smoothly, his grip tightening on his sword.

But a barreling force closed in from behind.

Fast. Aggressive.

And was about to hit him.

Alex twisted his head slightly—just enough to catch a glimpse.

An undead.

If he remembered correctly, this was Akio.

One of the three he had killed in the second trial.

Alex reacted instantly using [Earth Swim].

WHOOSH!

His body sank into the ground like a shadow.

As he disappeared into the earth, his hand shot out.

GRAB!

His fingers latched onto Akio's leg, and the undead was dragged halfway down, its body thrashing, unable to escape.

Then Alex sprung up.

His sword flashed.

CRACK!

A single stab to the skull.

The undead's head shattered, and it stopped moving.

Again no time to breathe as...

SHHK!

Vines suddenly curled around his legs.

Alex's blade slashed, cutting them apart.

But the vines pulsed.

Moving sudden surge of strength.

Faster. Tighter.

They coiled around his ankles before he could react.

Then...

WHIP!

"Whoa.."

Alex was yanked up.

Swung into the air.

And then flung downwards the Grim Lord like a missile.

The undead tyrant was already waiting.

Its massive sword drew back.

The blade glowed red-hot, lava dripping off its edge.

Like a batter preparing for a home run.

Only this time, the ball was Alex.

And if that sword connected—

He wouldn't just be sent flying.

He'd be split into three.

But...

Despite plummeting helplessly toward the Grim Lord, Alex grinned.

A sharp inhale.

His chest expanded.

Then...

A powerful howl.

BOOM!

A shockwave of raw sound energy erupted from his mouth.

The force slammed into the Grim Lord, hitting it like a wrecking ball.

The towering undead staggered back, its footing nearly lost.

Alex was still airborne.

But with the recoil from his own attack he angled his body, adjusted midair, and flipped.
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Then landed on the ground.

But the moment his feet touched the ground, Alex activated [Blur].

FWOOOSH!

His speed exploded.

His figure became a blur, shooting forward like a bullet—

Straight for the Grim Lord.

One arm outstretched.

Target locked.

The chain.

Dangling from the Grim Lord's neck—

Three eerie skull pendants.

He didn't know what they did.

But something told him…

They were important.

And he was going to rip them off.

WHOOM!

The Grim Lord's reaction was instant.

It arched backward in pure panic—avoiding Alex's hands.

Then leaped away.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

The undead tyrant put as much distance as possible.

Alex stopped in his tracks.

Grinning.

His eyes locked onto the Grim Lord's face.

The undead's panic faded—but just barely.

Alex chuckled.

"Knew it."