The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

Chapter 102: Master Stage Heavenly Tribulation

Klaus left home in high spirits. His next challenge was a daunting one, but he felt more prepared than ever. If the heavens wanted his head, he was ready to show them he was no pushover.

After breezing through the checkpoint—one he didnʼt even need to pass at this point—Klaus boarded the shuttle and set off for the forest. This was his third battle against the heavens, and he was determined to make it count.

Upon arriving at the forestʼs edge, Klaus quickly vanished into the depths. He avoided the border area to stay cautious. The strongest monsters here were Tier 5, and they had no special classes. He was confident he could handle them if they crossed his path.

After thirty minutes of trekking deeper into the forest, Klaus stopped beneath a large tree. He scanned the surroundings, ensuring no one was nearby and that the monsters present posed no threat. Satisfied, he sat down and pulled out some monster cores.

He had already consumed enough cores that the experience points needed for his next breakthrough were just over ten thousand. As he settled in, he began to consume the cores one by one. It wasnʼt long before a message appeared:

[You have levelled up. Current Level: Level 12 Ascended. You have received 300 Stat Points.]

[Get Ready for your Tribulation. The Lightning descends in 5 Minutes.]

As Klaus prepared himself for the lightning storm, the senior inside his soul sea voice echoed in his head.

”Brat, are you ready?” the voice asked.

”I am, senior. At the very least, Iʼll die and reincarnate,” Klaus replied with a hint of humour.

”Brat, are you joking with your life? This is the Master stage of tribulation. Considering your previous encounters, you should be concerned,” the senior warned.

”Whatʼs there to be scared of? Theyʼre just lightning monsters. Killing them will be a breeze,” Klaus said confidently.

”Donʼt underestimate this tribulation,” the seniorʼs voice warned. ”The Master stage is a significant leap, and these lightning monsters wonʼt be like ordinary foes Theyʼll be more powerful and unpredictable.”

Klaus smirked. ”I appreciate the advice, but Iʼve faced many challenges. Iʼm not going to let a few lightning monsters intimidate me.”

”Fine,” the senior replied with a hint of exasperation. ”Just remember, keep your wits about you and donʼt let your guard down. Lightning can be both swift and deadly.”

As the seniorʼs voice faded, Klaus returned to the storm. The first wave of lightning monsters began to manifest from the lightning bolts. They crackled with electricity and floated menacingly in the air.

Klaus acknowledged the seniorʼs warning with a nod. ”I appreciate the heads-up, senior. Iʼll do my best to pass this trial.”

He had learned that some things were better left unsaid directly, so he knew the system was just warning him about something other than his will in passing the coming tribulation.

Looking up at the dark clouds still crackling with electricity, Klausʼs eyes gleamed with determination. ”Bring your worst,” he declared to the heavens.

The storm intensified as if responding to his challenge. Bolts of lightning arced through the sky, and the air buzzed with electric tension. Klaus braced himself, ready to face whatever the heavens had in store.

Suddenly, the dark clouds churned, and a massive void filled with lightning bolts appeared in the sky. Klaus stared into it, feeling his hair stand on end. ”Damn, thatʼs one enormous hole of lightning,” he muttered, though he didnʼt let it faze him.

In an instant, a colossal bolt of lightning shot down at Klaus with terrifying speed. He fixed his gaze on the incoming bolt and swung his sword, releasing a sharp ice arc slicing through the lightning easily.

The bolt dissipated into sparkling runes that swirled and entered Klausʼs body. As they did, he felt a surge of strength. ”No pain, no gain, hehe,” he said, grinning at the sensation of power flowing through him.

Klaus felt the runes merging with his essence, amplifying his strength and vitality. He steadied himself, ready for the next wave of the storm. The sky crackled with growing intensity as the storm became fiercer.

”Here comes the rain,” Klaus muttered, bracing for the challenge.

The giant hole in the clouds churned and released smaller bolts of lightning, which shot out in rapid succession. Klaus moved quickly, weaving through the lightning as it struck the ground.

”Huh, itʼs not painful at all,” Klaus said, noticing that a bolt that landed on him felt like nothing more than a splash of water. He was surprised to feel no pain at all.

”Now, this is interesting. I can feel my strength rising with each bolt that hits me, but I donʼt feel anything. This is great!” Klaus said with a grin as he stopped and let the lightning bolts rain down on him like a torrential downpour.

As Klaus stood amidst the storm, the lightning bolts bombarded him. With each strike, he felt a surge of energy, his body growing stronger and more resilient. The power from the runes and the lightning seemed to blend seamlessly, enhancing his abilities.

He closed his eyes for a moment, savouring the sensation. The stormʼs fury was no longer a threat but a source of energy for him. Klausʼs confidence grew with every passing second.

”Moments like this, it feels like the heavens are actually blessing me,” Klaus smiled, then settled into a lotus posture, closing his eyes. He focused on the lightning still crackling around him, using it as a conduit to connect with his own latent lightning abilities.

As an Elemental Overlord, Klaus had the potential to harness any element, but so far, he had only mastered Ice and Fire. He was determined to unlock the Lightning element as well. There was no better time to tap into this power than when a storm of lightning surrounded him.

He allowed the lightning to strike his skin, feeling its raw energy surge through him. He concentrated, channelling the electricity into himself and attempting to attune his essence with the element. Each bolt that hit him was a jolt of power, and Klaus focused on syncing his energy with it.

The process was intense. The raw energy of the lightning was both exhilarating and overwhelming, but Klaus remained centred. He visualized the lightning weaving into his own energy pathways, trying to blend his inherent power with the external force.

”Weird, why is my Ice element reacting?” Klaus muttered to himself. As he channelled the lightning through his body, he sensed an unusual response from his Ice element. It was as if something inside him was calling out, and he could feel his Lotus flower reacting to the call.

Suddenly, the lightning ceased, and Klaus felt the connection severed. But he understood something significant: his Lotus bloom was responding to the tribulation of lightning, and he needed to explore why.

The heavens rumbled again, and the clouds swirled with renewed intensity. Thicker bolts of lightning began to rain down. Klaus stood resolute, letting the lightning strike him. This time, he felt a strange sensation, but there was no pain—just a powerful force touching his body.

”Time to test this out,” Klaus decided, conjuring the Lotus flower. As soon as the flower appeared, it floated away from him and ascended toward the centre of the lightning storm. It bloomed, opening all nine petals, and began to spin.

The first petal, adorned with nine smaller stars started to glow brightly as more and more lightning struck it. Then, something extraordinary happened: two of the nine stars on the first petal turned golden. As this occurred, a massive wave of ice surged from the flower, obliterating the lightning in its path.

”Damn, that is OP,” Klaus exclaimed, awestruck by the power of the Lotus flower. The combination of lightning and ice created a formidable force, and Klaus could hardly believe the magnitude of its effect.

The storm around him began to dissipate, leaving a calm, eerie silence in its wake. Klaus stood there, marvelling at the newfound synergy between his elements. The Ice element had reacted unexpectedly and powerfully, and he was eager to explore this new dimension of his abilities.

Suddenly, the heavens rumbled, and the clouds stirred. Darker, more ominous clouds began to form, and from within them, a large serpent head emerged. As soon as it appeared, a heavy pressure descended upon the forest. Yet, Klaus felt nothing. Instead, he focused on his Lotus flower, which was spinning silently.

”Why canʼt I control it?” Klaus muttered in frustration.

”Brat, this is a rare occurrence,” the seniorʼs voice echoed from his soul sea. ”Your skill is activating on its own. Use this time to learn it well because, after today, you wonʼt have another chance to master these new moves.”

Shocked by the seniorʼs warning, Klaus quickly redirected his attention to the flower. As he did, he sensed the first golden star on the petal glowing brightly. A powerful ice beam shot from the centre of the flower, striking the lightning serpent head-on.

The serpent froze instantly and then shattered into countless sparkles of runes that scattered and merged with Klaus. He noticed that 70% of the runes entered the lotus bloom, causing it to spin even faster for a moment.

”So that was it,” Klaus murmured to himself, marvelling at the newfound power. ”It has a beam skill. Iʼll call it Ice Beam.”

The moment he named it, the Lotus flower shuddered, and a powerful burst of energy radiated outward.

”Good, Klaus. Now learn the second skill,” the seniorʼs voice echoed from his soul sea, making Klaus grin excitedly.

As Klaus basked in his success, the heavens rumbled once more. This time, a single lightning spear emerged from the dark clouds above instead of a serpent. The spear looked ominous, radiating danger. Klaus immediately felt a terrible sense of dread as it locked onto him, and at that moment, he knew he was in serious trouble.

The spear shot down at him with terrifying speed and precision. Klaus gripped his sword, preparing to strike back, but before he could act, the Lotus bloom descended and hovered over his head. The second of the nine stars on the first petal glowed golden, and in an instant, the area within a 400-meter radius froze over with a chilling cold.

Klaus watched in disbelief as the spear that had been racing toward him froze the moment it entered the frozen zone. It shattered into thousands of tiny sparkles of runes and entered his body, as did the lotus flower.

”What the… what the fuck?” Klaus shouted in shock.