The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

Chapter 498 Blood and Iron (2)

”Moon Slash.”

A fiery crescent moon arc flashed out from Klausʼs sword, streaking straight for the head of a Peak Tier 8 Diamond Body Brute Elephant. However, a block of earth materialized and shielded it from the attack.

”You donʼt have what it takes to kill us humans. Trapping us wonʼt change anything. Just look at your friends, and youʼll understand,” said Rory, the Tier 9 Diamond Body Brute Elephant.

Klaus turned to glance at his friends—and, well, they all looked like hell. The battle was clearly not going in their favor. Yet he wasnʼt worried.

Though they werenʼt doing great, they werenʼt losing either. Klaus just fervently hoped no more monsters or beasts would show up.

Any additions to the brutes would make things significantly harder.

”Think about yourself first. When Iʼm done, youʼll be the one lying dead.” Klaus surged forward and resumed his assault. Unfortunately for him, the Tier 9 elephant was an earth-type beast, while the Tier 8 half-beasts were Fire and Ice types.

This meant that both their offence and defence were superior to his. With the Tier 9 elephant reinforcing the defences of the Tier 8 half-beasts, the fight was becoming increasingly unfavourable for him.

”Damn it,” Klaus cursed as he dodged a flame attack—only to get struck by a massive boulder made of earth.

”Eat my axe, dummy!” Danny charged at a Tier 8 Fire-type Diamond Body Brute Elephant, his axe enlarged to three times its normal size.

Mark sent wind arcs from his spear at the same elephant, ensuring it couldnʼt defend against Dannyʼs attack.

Meanwhile, Lily ran interference around the other Tier 8 elephant, hoping her teammates, Danny and Kay, could take down their target.

Blood and cuts painted parts of her body from the earth spears the Tier 8 elephant fired at her as she blocked its advances. She was injured in more than one place.

She, Danny, and Kay were battling two Tier 8 half-beasts, hoping to kill them and assist the others. However, they werenʼt the only ones fighting beasts far above their level.

Anna, Daniel, and Kay faced a similar challenge.

Fortunately, Klaus gave Anna the ice Lotus Flower with all three abilities activated. This allowed Anna to hold back one Tier 8 beast while Daniel and Kay focused on killing the other.

Conversely, Kilian clashed with a Tier 7 Diamond Body Brute Elephant that wielded the wind element. Kilian has the fire element, a very powerful element, but that doesnʼt mean he was having it easy.

Luckily for him, it was only a Tier 7 monster. Despite its wind element, its colossal size limited its speed.

However, he couldnʼt get close to it. Three meters of the beastʼs body had turned into a vortex, creating razor-sharp air blades around it.

Fortunately, Kilian was a fire-element swordsman, enabling him to launch long-range attacks. Though only a few connected, he was pulling his weight to kill it as fast as he could.

Hanna and Kathy were also engaged in battle with three targets—two Tier 8 beasts and one Peak Tier 7. Hanna faced off against one of the Tier 8s, while Kathy, her beast companion, held back the other Tier 8 along with the Tier 7.

The two fought fiercely, knowing any delay could spell disaster.

”Fire Beam!” Kilian unleashed a beam of fire from his sword, carving a path through the wind vortex the monster had created.

In the next moment, two copies of Kilian closed in, stabbing their swords into the monsterʼs head and belly. The beast used its tusk to retaliate, impaling one of the clones.

But that was all it managed before the other clone drove its sword halfway into the creatureʼs body.

”Fire Beam!” Kilian shouted, jumping into the remaining clone. A powerful beam erupted from his sword, blasting through the monster and tearing a chunk from its body. The force sent the beast flying several meters.

”Gasp!”

Kilian, with his body riddled with dozens of cuts, struggled for breath but charged at the monster as it tried to rise. Enjoy exclusive content from

”Flame Cut!” Though his voice was strained with pain, he swung his sword, carving a deep wound into the elephantʼs head.

He followed up with five more strikes, each more forceful than the last, until the elephant fell for the final time. Kilian had killed the beast, but at a steep price—his arms and body were covered in cuts, blood pouring from his wounds.

”Kilian, go to Anna! The flower will speed up your healing!” Klaus shouted as he blocked an ice attack from another elephant.

Kilian nodded and moved into the domain created by the Ice Lotus. He had calculated the risk of his assault, knowing he would be injured, but the extent of his wounds had exceeded his expectations.

Fortunately, Klaus had given the Lotus to Anna before the battle, and she had already activated it. The rest depended on Klaus Star Qi, which, for the moment, he wasnʼt concerned about.

”One of your minions is dead; now watch how the others fall too,” Klaus sneered as he executed a series of attacks before using the vanishing steps to appear behind the Tier 9 beast.

However, he had to abandon his attack and block an earth boulder aimed directly at his head.

[Brat, you can try an air assault,] the senior suggested, knowing the current Klaus had no business going against a Peak Transcendent.

In fact, Klaus must be applauded for holding his ground against a Peak Transcendent and two Peak Sovereigns. A very commendable feat. But that was all he was doing—blocking them.

Had none of his opponents been Earth-type beasts, he might have had some chance to kill one of them at least.

But the Tier 9 beast, who had taken a demi-human form, was making things rather difficult for him.

ʼTaking to the air will do no good, senior. That bastard is very good at defence. My attacks arenʼt doing anything. Even if I use the [Asura Crazy Sword Strike] and [Dragon Slash], I still wouldnʼt gain the advantage.ʼ

ʼI know my limits, senior, but I also know that even if there were two Tier 9 and five Tier 8 beasts, I still wouldnʼt hesitate to trap them. I am that crazy.ʼ

[Indeed, you are much crazier than I thought. You had an 80% chance to escape with your friends, but you chose to stay. Why?] the senior asked.

Indeed, just when the elephants emerged from the ground, Klaus detected them and could have escaped with his pals, but he chose to stay and fight.

ʼA part of it is greed, senior. I canʼt leave that tree, but another part is to turn them into demon generals. Look at them; theyʼre tapping into their hidden potential to overcome the odds.ʼ

Klaus smiled, using his senses to watch the battle unfold.

Naturally, all his Spirit Weapons were hidden across the battlefield, which he planned to use to save them if it came to that.

In other words, while the elephants had the upper hand, Klaus wasnʼt worried. The elephants were stronger, but he also had his own strength—and that would soon form when his friends somehow managed to take down two Tier 8 elephants.

”Here I come again. Mountain Cleaving Slash...”