The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

[Ross City – 10 Years Ago]

“Mom, do we really have to give him up for adoption? Can’t we take Mr. Pickles with us?” A ten-year-old kid asked his mom, holding a 1.5-meter-long white python.

The snake coiled its tail around his body as if telling him he didn’t want to part with him.

Unfortunately, the silver-haired beauty, who held a small smile on her face despite the pain of failure she felt, shook her head.

“We can’t keep him, Klaus. Mr. Pickles cannot handle the life that awaits us, so we must let him go to a family that can take care of him better than we could.”

Klaus looked at his mom’s expression and, despite the smile on her face, he could hear the worry in her tone. This made him sigh deeply.

He then turned to the white python, and as tears flowed down his face, he said his last goodbyes.

“Although you can’t speak, I know you can hear what I am saying, so know that once I become a warrior and I buy a big house for me and my mom, I will come back for you.

By then, you should become big and beautiful so that when we go out to hunt monsters, just your good looks will make them blush into submission.”

Klaus’ mom turned away and wiped a few tears from her eyes as she listened to Klaus say his goodbyes to his pet snake.

They had just lost their house, and since Klaus’s father had gone missing, they could only move to a more affordable house in the slums. If they were to bring a snake with them, things would become complicated really quickly, so they had to part with it.

A few minutes later, a pet adoption agency came to pick up Mr. Pickles, who had nearly bitten the head of one of them, had it not been for Klaus talking him down.

The next couple of weeks, Klaus always cried before going to sleep every night, for his sleeping partner wasn’t with him.

Ten years later, Klaus held a smile on his face as the 12-meter-long snake glided toward him and his mom. The blonde lady on his back didn’t know why her pet snake was moving toward the handsome redhead man and his mother.

However, she didn’t complain and merely rode the snake. When they were a meter from them, Mr. Pickles, who goes by Big White now, stopped.

He studied Klaus for a few minutes before a sound came from his mouth. He sounded uncertain, but nonetheless, he called out a name.

“Little Klaus…”

The smile on Klaus’s face widened. His mom also smiled and leaned forward, “Mr. Pickles, you can talk now?” she asked, but before the snake could answer, the lady on his back spoke…

“Excuse me, but who are you two?”

“This is Little Klaus… the one I told you about,” the snake, however, responded to her question, causing the lady to widen her eyes.

“No way… You-You are Klaus Hanson,” she stammered.

“The one and only. Nice meeting you,” Klaus said, looking at the lady.

“You really are him. You are Klaus Hanson.” The lady jumped down and stood beside Mr. Pickles, “Big White always talks about you from when he learned to speak. He kept saying you were his little brother, but nobody believed him.

Of course, I believed him.”

The girl’s eyes gleamed with interest and joy as she moved much closer to Klaus, “Are you really his little brother?”

Klaus laughed, “I am older than him, but yes, ten years ago he was my brother. However, due to some unforeseen circumstances, I gave him up for adoption, and looking at him now, I can say he had a good life.”

Big White moved close and, using his large head, brushed Klaus’ face. One could even swear tears were falling down his face as he got more familiar with Klaus.

“Big White, huh. Not a bad name, but I still prefer Mr. Pickles,” Klaus’ mom said, brushing her hands across the white snake’s body.

“What is your name?” Klaus’ mom asked the blonde lady, who seemed to be in her early 18s, yet from the way she looked, one would think she was merely 15 years old. She has one of those slim bodies.

“I am Annabelle, the lastborn of Lord Offin. My dad came to a program in Ross City ten years ago, and when he was coming back, he adopted Big White for me.

He has been my best friend for the past ten years.”

“I see. Looks like you had a good upbringing to hold animals in high esteem.” Klaus’ mom smiled, “Thank you for taking care of him all these years he had been apart from my son.”

“My pleasure.” Annabelle looked at Big White, who seemed to be cozying up to Klaus. She could tell that Big White snake wanted to go with Klaus. However, while she would miss him, she couldn’t help but want to allow him to go.

Klaus’ mom saw this expression on her face and smiled before taking her hand, “Don’t worry, Mr. Pickles won’t be leaving with us. He has a new family now, and since he was once my son’s brother, like he said, you are now part of our family.

So he will stay with you.”

Annabelle sighed inwardly, hearing Klaus’s mom’s words.

“Mr. Pickles, you have become so big and strong. How did you reach the Sovereign stage?”

“Little Annabelle gave me a lot of good food to eat. So I became bigger and stronger so I can protect her.”

“I have no doubt you will be able to protect her.” He was meant to protect Klaus after all.

“Are you here to take me away?” Mr. Pickles asked, but Klaus smiled and shook his head.

“Since you are protecting Annabelle, continue to protect her. However, I will help you become a human. That will allow you to travel and come see me with Annabelle whenever you want.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It is the main reason why I came here today.” Klaus flicked his hand and produced two drops of blood, and froze them in ice.

He waved his hand, and they moved toward Annabelle. “Once you get home, give one to Mr. Pickles and take one. You will fall asleep for nine days, but don’t panic. By the time you wake up, you will see the benefit.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t worry about it. You have taken care of Mr. Pickles all these years. This is just my way of repaying you for that.”

Klaus turned to Mr. Pickles, “When you become a human, come find me in Dream City. I will take you around to meet my friends and my many wives.” Follow current novᴇls on NoveI-Fire.ɴet

“Little Klaus has many wives?” Mr. Pickles asked, and Klaus nodded.

“Like we discussed, I have become a warrior and bought a big house with many wives staying in it. I am even planning a wedding for all of them.”

“What is a wedding?” Mr. Pickles asked, and Klaus just smiled.

“You will understand once you become human. For now, people are waiting to take pictures of you, so go with Annabelle. I will see you soon.”

“Okay, Little Klaus.”

Because Klaus’s father and mom always called him Little Klaus, Mr. Pickles had copied that name, and now that he can speak, he always refers to Klaus as such.

After a few temporary goodbyes, Annabelle jumped on Mr. Pickles’ back, and they left, where many people resumed taking pictures of them.

Klaus wiped a tear from his eyes while holding a smile on his face…