The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

Chapter 9: First Life and Death Battle (2)

The Shadowmane charged at Klaus, its powerful legs propelling it forward with terrifying speed. Klaus barely had time to react, raising his sword to block the attack. The impact sent a shockwave through his body, but he managed to hold his ground.

Before he could counter, the python struck from the other side, its tail whipping around with deadly force. Klaus was forced to jump back, narrowly avoiding the attack. However, before he could land on the ground, a menacing claw came swinging at his face.

”Crap!” Klaus instinctively raised his hand to shield his face. The Shadowmaneʼs claw slammed into his arm, sending him flying backward. He crashed into a tree with enough force to knock it down, the impact rattling his bones.

”Fuck me,” Klaus groaned, coughing up a mouthful of blood. He forced himself to stand, every muscle in his body screaming in protest. But he was too slow, or maybe he just hoped the monsters would give him a moment to recover. That hope was quickly dashed as the pythonʼs scaly tail came swinging at him with deadly speed.

Using his hand as leverage, Klaus propelled himself up just in time, narrowly avoiding the tailʼs crushing blow. As he dodged, something clicked in his mind. ”So thatʼs how it works,” he muttered to himself. He hadnʼt seen the tail coming, but his body had reacted anyway, his Sense skill kicking in, almost like a sixth sense guiding him.

The realization gave him a glimmer of hope. If he could rely on this instinct, maybe he could find a way to turn the tide. But there wasnʼt much time to think. The Shadowmane lunged at him again, its blood-stained claws slicing through the air. Klaus dodged to the side, the claws barely missing him by inches.

”I have to disrupt their attack patterns,” Klaus said through gritted teeth. He was on the defensive, barely managing to stay one step ahead of the monstersʼ relentless assaults. But he couldnʼt keep this up forever. He needed a plan.

The python hissed, its jaws snapping at him from one side, while the Shadowmane circled around, looking for an opening. Klaus felt the pressure mounting, the weight of both monsters bearing down on him. But now, with his Sense skill, he could feel their movements, sense the rhythm of their attacks. It was chaotic, but there was a pattern—one he could use to his advantage.

”Moon Slash!” Klaus shouted, swinging his sword in a wide arc. The crescent-shaped energy flew toward the python, forcing the creature to recoil. It wasnʼt a decisive blow, but it bought him a few precious seconds.

He dodged another claw swipe from the Shadowmane, rolling to the side as the beastʼs claws gouged deep furrows into the ground. Klaus could feel his stamina dwindling, the warmth that had bolstered him earlier now fading. But he couldnʼt stop. If he slowed down, even for a second, heʼd be done for.

As the monsters pressed their attacks, Klaus began to notice more about their patterns. The Shadowmane always aimed for his left side, where he was weaker, while the python tried to corner him with wide sweeps of its tail. They were trying to trap him, to pin him down so they could finish him off together.

Klaus dodged another tail swipe, the Sense skill guiding his movements. He saw an opening, a brief moment where the monstersʼ attacks would overlap. If he could time it right, he might be able to use their own momentum against them.

He feigned a stumble, letting the python think it had him cornered. The creature lunged, and at the last second, Klaus threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding the jaws snapping shut where he had just been standing. The Shadowmane, seeing an opportunity, charged in from the other side, its claws aimed at Klausʼs back.

But Klaus was ready. He twisted his body, bringing his sword up in a desperate slash. The Moon Slash cut through the air, not as powerful as before but still sharp enough to force the Shadowmane to pull back. The beastʼs claws scraped against his side, drawing blood, but Klaus didnʼt falter. He had disrupted their timing, thrown them off balance.

Breathing heavily, Klaus pushed himself harder. He couldnʼt let them regain control. He had to keep them off balance, had to keep disrupting their attacks until he found a way to break free completely. The python lashed out with its tail, but this time Klaus saw it coming, using his Sense to dodge to the right and counter with a quick slash to the creatureʼs flank.

The Shadowmane snarled, leaping at him from behind, but Klaus ducked low, feeling the rush of air as the beast sailed over him. He was starting to get the hang of it, the rhythm of the fight becoming clearer with each passing moment.

”Now!” Klaus shouted, slashing his sword in a strange arc. A dense crescent of ice shot out, heading straight for the Shadowmane. But Klaus didnʼt stop there. He dashed forward, each step carefully calculated.

The python reacted instantly, whipping its tail toward him with a powerful strike. The force behind it was enough to crush bones, but Klaus was ready. Just before the tail could connect, he ducked low, leaving an opening.

The tail, now with nothing to stop it, continued its path and slammed into the Shadowmaneʼs side with the force of a battering ram. The beast let out a deafening roar as it was sent flying through the air, crashing into the ground with a heavy thud.

”Eat that, bastard!” Klaus cursed with a grin, his voice full of triumph. He turned his focus back to the snake, an evil smile spreading across his face. The python, still recovering from its strike, was vulnerable.

Klaus didnʼt waste any time. He gathered his remaining strength, channeling every bit of his spiritual qi and elemental essence into his next attack. The blade of his sword shimmered with an icy glow, more intense than before.

With a powerful leap, Klaus closed the distance between him and the python. The creature hissed, trying to coil away, but Klaus was faster. He swung his sword in a wide, deliberate arc, the ice-infused blade slicing through the air.

The Moon Slash connected, cutting deep into the pythonʼs thick scales. The creature let out a final, agonized hiss as Klausʼs blade tore through it, splitting it in two. The massive body convulsed for a moment before going still, the life drained from its eyes.

As soon as the python collapsed, Klaus felt a powerful stirring in his spiritual sea. A wave of warmth washed over him, flooding his nearly drained spiritual sea with fresh energy. But it didnʼt stop there. His connection to the elements, especially the ice element, intensified, becoming several times stronger than before.

His senses sharpened even more, and the fatigue that had weighed him down vanished. His body felt loose, almost weightless, and his energy surged back to life, filling him with renewed vigor.

”You can die now,” Klaus said, turning his gaze back to the Shadowmane. He raised his sword with a confident smirk, then swung it in a casual arc. This time, the crescent-shaped ice arc he sent flying had a bluish glow, thicker and more potent than before.

The arc sliced through the air with deadly precision, slamming into the Shadowmaneʼs forehead. The impact caved in the monsterʼs skull, and blood gushed out in torrents. The ice that usually sealed wounds couldnʼt contain this one. The beast staggered backward, then collapsed with a heavy thud, lifeless.

Klaus stood over the fallen creatures, a wide grin spreading across his face. He couldnʼt help but feel a surge of pride. Two Tier 2 monsters, both dead by his hand. It was a feat he would have never thought possible before, but here he was, standing victorious.

”Ha! Who needs years of training when youʼve got natural talent like mine?” he said aloud, shamelessly bragging to himself. He looked down at the monsters, his chest puffed up with pride. ”They didnʼt stand a chance. Not against Klaus, the future Overlord.”

He walked around the fallen beasts, inspecting his handiwork. ”Look at this,” he said, poking the Shadowmaneʼs corpse with his sword. ”I nearly died, but all this is worth it. More money for me”

Klaus chuckled to himself, feeling a bit giddy from the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. ”If I keep this up, Iʼll be a Saint in no time,” he mused, imagining all the power and respect that would come with such a title.

Klaus stored away his sword, feeling the rush of victory still pumping through his veins. With a flick of his wrist, he opened the screen to check his progress.

[You have killed a Tier 2 Monster called Alasbaser Ice Jade Python. You have received 500 Exp.]

[You have leveled up. Current Level: Level 1 Awakened. You have received 100 Stat points.]

[You have killed a Tier 2 Monster called Shadowmane. You have received 500 Exp.]

[Next Level up: 900/1200]

”Wait, so this means the Exp is some kind of soul energy I get after every kill,” Klaus muttered, piecing it together. ”If thatʼs the case, doesnʼt that mean my spiritual qi pool will be bigger than others?” He started doing the math in his head. Normally, others only required 100 Exp to level up to Level 2, and that amount would double for each subsequent level.

But in his case, he needed 600 Exp for the first level-up, and then it doubled again.

Not to mention, others only needed nine levels to advance to the next stage, while Klaus required twelve. If this Exp really was fueling his spiritual qi, then heʼd have a massive qi pool soon. Intrigued, Klaus quickly checked his status screen.

Name: Klaus Hanson

Age: 16

Talent: Celestial Elemental Overlord

Class: Weapons Overlord

Bloodline: Dormant

Physique: Nine Reincarnation Divine Body

Realm: Awakened - Lvl: 1/12

Strength: 20 | Agility: 30 | Stamina: 50 | Intelligence: 100 | Health: 1000

Spiritual Qi: 2600

Stat Points: 100

”Damn, what did I do in my past life to become this lucky?” Klaus whispered, his eyes widening at the screen. He couldnʼt believe his luck. All thoughts about the massive amount of Exp he needed to level up vanished from his mind. The sheer power and potential he saw in his stats made him overly excited.

”With this much spiritual qi, Iʼll be able to unleash attacks way stronger than anyone else at my level,” he mused, his mind racing with possibilities. ”And if I keep leveling up like this, who knows how powerful Iʼll become?”

”Although I canʼt ascend today, I will sure raise my level a little higher before leaving” Klaus stored the bodies of the monster and dashed away. Time to level up