The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

“Klaus, I, the Devil Archer, challenge you to a duel. If you have the gut, accept, and we will fight to see who is the best of the younger generation. I’ve heard you’re decent, so don’t disappoint me. If you dare to accept, we will duel in the Oracle.” Klaus watched the video of a young man with a bow-shaped mark on his forehead, his face expressionless.

“Who is this clown?” Klaus asked.

“He calls himself the Devil Archer,” Anna replied. “He’s one of the three Legacies of the Northern Union’s younger generation. His real name is Max Duncan. He’s from the Duncan Legacy family, the rulers of the Northern Union.”

When Danny called, he added the others to the video call. Now, Daniel, Lily, Kilian, Mark, Kay, Lucy, Nia, and Asha were all on the line. Klaus had just finished watching the challenge video and couldn’t help but want to slap that arrogant fool.

“The Legacies?” Klaus asked.

“Yeah, there are eight of them,” Lucy jumped in. “The Northern Legacy rules the Northern Union, led by the Duncan monarchy; the Vargas Dynasty rules the Southern Union; the Eastern Union by the Sheng Empire; and the Western Union by the Von Falkenrath Cult.

The Equatorial Union is ruled by the Kamara Dynasty, the Austral Union by the Koa Sovereignty, the Glacial Union by the Frostweaver Dynasty, and the Aqua Union by the Coralborn Dominion.

These Legacy families maintain order and protect the unions. When the apocalypse descended and governments fell apart, these families rose to restore law and order in a world that had been shattered by the sudden arrival of Spiritual Qi. Without them, Earth would have—”

“Uh, Lucy, dear,” Klaus interrupted, “I love how smart you are, and I appreciate your knowledge, but can we stick to the current topic? You know, the Northern Union?”

Lucy blushed, realizing she had gone off on another tangent. As a bookworm, she tends to be more talkative about things like this. The others watched the immortal fairy blushing, and they couldn’t help but give Klaus a thumbs up in their heart. Their boy has tied her down for good.

“The Northern Union… yes, let’s get back to that,” Lucy said. “In the Northern Union, there are three Legacies. They’re like heirs, just like us. One of them is Ella Duncan. She’s a mage, much like Anna, but her power makes her unique.

She awakened a terrifying version of the water element called Corrosive Annihilation Water.

She’s calm and respectful, but make no mistake—she’s extremely dangerous.” Lucy paused and then continued.

“The second is Ethan, and he’s even more dangerous. They say he killed a Tier 3 monster before he even awakened. He’s highly skilled with the spear. From what little we know about him, he’s very arrogant, and he has every right to be.

He awakened a lightning element talent, and his Spearman class lets him use lightning incredibly efficiently. He’s truly terrifying. If possible, it’s best to stay on his good side,” Lucy said.

“Lucy dear, are you worried about my safety? How sweet. I knew you were that kind-hearted the moment I laid eyes on you,” Klaus flirted, making Lucy blush deeply. The others watched with smiles on their faces.

“I’m serious, Klaus. Ethan is truly terrifying, and provoking him could be very dangerous for you,” Lucy said, her concern clear on her face.

“Don’t worry, my dear. I won’t provoke him unless he comes after me. But hey, have some faith in your boyfriend. I’m no pushover, you know,” Klaus said with a wink. “By the way, what’s that clown’s name again?”

“Max Duncan. He’s also dangerous, and his name, Devil Archer, is well-earned. He awakened a bow class and a darkness element. But what makes him truly terrifying is his weapon. It’s a soul weapon, which means it was awakened within his soul.

Soul weapons are special; you can create your own if you have the skill and enough spiritual Qi. But those who awaken automatically are usually prodigies with unmatched talent.

Max Duncan is one of those few. His bow is called Devil Slayer, which is where his name, Devil Archer, comes from. Like Ethan and Ella, he’s extremely powerful and very arrogant,” Lucy explained.

“So that’s the situation, huh? Some fool wants to challenge me because he thinks he’s powerful. Well, it sounds like he has a death wish,” Klaus muttered.

“He’s asking for the duel to take place in Oracle, so it would be a virtual death,” Mark said.

“That’s cowardly. It should be in the real world if he wants to challenge me. Let’s see who will be left standing,” Klaus said coldly.

“Oracle is a safe place for duels,” Mark said. “It’s designed to simulate real battles but without the risk of actual death. Max probably wants it this way to avoid serious injury.”

Klaus shook his head. “I don’t care. If he’s so confident, he should fight in the real world. I want to see if he’s as strong as he claims.”

“So, are you going to accept his challenge?” Lucy asked, her concern evident.

“Probably. If I don’t, he might use it to cause trouble for me and those I’m affiliated with,” Klaus replied.

“You think he’ll target Nucci Fashion Trend X?” Nia suddenly asked.

Klaus frowned, considering Nia’s question. “It’s possible. Max might use this as an opportunity to undermine me in any way he can. He could target Nucci Fashion Trend X to create more problems for me.

So rejecting his challenge is not an option.”

Daniel nodded in agreement. “It’s a smart move on his part if he’s looking to cause trouble.”

“Well, he thinks he’s invincible now, but I’ll check his arrogance. People like him believe they can do whatever they want just because they’re legacies. But I’ll be sure to put him in his place,” Klaus said confidently.

“By the way, how do I accept his challenge?” Klaus asked.

“You can just post on your social media accounts,” Anna replied.

“Alright, it’s time to show these fools what real arrogance looks like,” Klaus muttered as he opened his social media accounts. In less than three minutes, he crafted a post filled with the most arrogant words ever to grace the internet.

Klaus’s post read:

“Max Duncan, you think you’re invincible because you have some little soul weapon? That’s just adorable. But I’ve faced tougher opponents in my sleep. Your little stunt is laughable; maybe find a speech coach to help you with better lines next time.

Honestly, even a school dropout like me can come up with better words than this nonsense. Maybe you should stick to hunting with your little bow; perhaps the monsters might understand you better.

Today’s kids are all talk and no bite.

But since you want to challenge me, be ready to face the real deal. Hiding behind your pathetic facade is so cute that I nearly died laughing just watching you speak.

If you’re afraid of death, don’t bother challenging me. I don’t waste time on cowards who hide behind their fancy titles.

I’ll accept your challenge but with a handicap. I’ll close my eyes and let you shoot three times. If you manage to kill me with those three shots, I’ll drop out of the next round of the academy selection.

Good enough? Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to drop out because that would hurt your future. So do your best to kill me with those three attacks. After your three shots, I’ll make my move, and it will be swift.

Oh, and if you manage to defend against my one attack, I’ll consider it your win. You can set the time, date, and location. Hear from you later, little brother. Big brother will be waiting for your reply.”

As soon as the post went live, the entire internet exploded. The audacity! Did Klaus really use his words to trash-talk someone before the battle even began? The audacity! Did Klaus just drag an entire legacy through the mud with mere words?

The audacity! Did Klaus really give a whole legacy a handicap in their fight? That’s pushing it, even for someone as capable as Klaus.

“Arrogant.”

“He’s so arrogant; this guy thinks he’s invincible.”

“He’s done for.” Fans of Max Duncan flooded Klaus’s page with hateful comments. But Klaus’s fans didn’t stay silent either.

“This is what you call handsome, strong, and arrogant. OMG, Klaus is the definition of Prince Charming. I’m dying from laughter!” @BigSisterTities commented.

“Damn, that’s a powerful shot… Did Big Brother Klaus just call a legacy his little brother? I mean, there are two ways to take that. Max Duncan, idiots, do you want to know what he meant?” @KlausIsMyPrince commented.

“Why don’t I tell them, @KlausIsMyPrince?” @KlausEternalFan, another fan joined the thread.

@KlausIsMyPrince? replied, “Go ahead, bro.”

The fan wrote, “Max Duncan, he meant you are a d*ck”

“Lol, that is wild; big brother Klaus never disappoints. I can see him bitch slapping that arrogant bastard for dinner,” Another fan said, joining the trolling. Klaus has fired his shot, and it’s a wild one.

—

—

In a large mansion, a young man with a bow tattoo on his forehead stared at his phone, his face contorted with anger.

“That bastard!” he roared, smashing his phone against the wall.

“I told you not to do it. He’s a wildcard. His fame has blinded him, and the worst has already happened. Just this post alone shows where he stands when it comes to the legacies, especially us,” another young man with short black hair and striking cheekbones said.

“I don’t know about that, but I think he’s a perfect stepping stone,” a feminine voice interjected. A beautiful dark-haired lady with eyes like the sea entered the room. She was both captivating and intimidating.

“So, are you going to accept his terms, or are you just going to continue to whine like a d*ck?” the young lady asked, barely containing her laughter.