The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

Chapter 963: Earth vs The Sea (4)

While Klaus was seated, drinking his fruit juice, the battle outside grew even more chaotic.

With Jane disrupting the enemy’s formation, they were not having as good a time as they had hoped.

Meanwhile, somewhere on Earth, a mountain exploded, and eight coffins emerged.

These were the coffins in which Hunter Duncan and his cohort had undergone their transformation over the past months.

They wanted to surpass Klaus so badly that, over the past few months, they had been undergoing an unnatural transformation—one aimed at giving them what they desired.

Of course they wanted one thing and that is to end Klaus’s existence.

As the coffins emerged, they opened, and from within, eight people rose to their feet, each surrounded by a rather potent energy.

”We are back,” Hunter said, looking around to see where they were. Upon seeing his sisters and brothers, he sighed and then examined himself.

He had reached the peak of the Void stage.

All of them were at the Void stage, but only he was at the peak.

”We are back,” they all said, smiling, knowing they had become much stronger.

”Klaus Hanson, soon you will feel what it is like to lose everything.” A skull tattoo that had appeared on Hunter’s forehead lit up as he spoke.

He clenched his fist feeling the energy wash through his body.

”Don’t worry, brother, we will make him bleed,” Kate Duncan said. She perhaps wanted Klaus dead more than anyone for tainted or not, the heavens still look favourable upon her.

However, before they could say anything further, the space around them changed.

They were supposed to be standing inside the coffin, plotting how they would kill Klaus’s mother just to get back at Klaus, however, now they were inside a large space filled with towering statues.

”Where are we?” Max Duncan asked, taking out his bow. The rest also drew their weapons, ready for battle.

”Ladies and gentlemen, glad to have you all here.” Suddenly, a voice filled the space, making them start to look around.

”Who is there?” Hunter asked, looking more intently to see if he could sense the presence.

”No need to look around. Klaus Hanson sent me,” the voice spoke again. ”He sends his greetings, and he said I should tell you that he is terribly sorry he couldn’t make it here in person. He asks me to tell you all to look into your hearts and forgive him for that.

However, he also gave me the authority to do with you eight as I see fit, and since I am someone who loves to play chess, I hereby invite you all into my chess game.”

The anger in the eyes of all eight intensified even further upon hearing Klaus’s name. However, they all became alert the next second when all 16 statues came to life.

There was one King, one Queen, two Rooks, two Knights, two Bishops, and eight Pawns. Upon closer examination, each was at a different power level.

The Pawns radiated an aura of Peak Tier 10 (Ascendant), and the Bishops and Rooks radiated the aura of level 6 and below Void stage (Tier 11).

However, the Knights were on the same level as Hunter. The King and Queen were already at the Chaos stage, so the moment they came to life, Hunter and his team felt the pressure.

”Welcome to my chess world. The rules are simple: kill my players, and you will live. However, if you die, you will become part of my chess game forever.

Of course, I recommend you die because, at least, you will get to stay in the same place with your brothers and sisters. As I grow older, I believe you will all become stronger in serving me better.

That said, I will make my move now.”

Outside, Nas, Anna, and Lucy’s scholar brother moved his pawns on his chessboard. Inside the chess world, the eight pawns moved, and a battle that Hunter and his cohort had never planned for had started.

”Show off.”

Cynthia Ross smirked, looking at her son, who, after absorbing Klaus’s blood, had become something akin to an ancient Chinese sage.

He wore a pair of robes, and the way he started talking after his transformation was sage-like. However, that wasn’t the best thing that had happened to him.

While his brothers, Max and Luke, had become powerful warriors, Nas, who nobody gave much attention to, awakened a class that made him a dangerous individual.

Even Klaus was taken aback when he heard the class Nas had awakened.

However, he was impressed and very happy to have yet another Chess Master on his side. With the ability to trap up to two realms above him inside his chessboard, he was the right man for the job.

It was Cynthia who learned about the mysterious man who wanted Klaus dead. So before going on the mission, Klaus deployed Nas and Cynthia to come handle Hunter’s team.

Of course, he knew that with Nas alone, trapping even a Chaos Stage being wouldn’t be a problem. However, for the sake of safety, the mother and son arrived and waited patiently for Hunter and his team to emerge.

Skroll had planned well, but he was still several steps behind.

Having 68 working brains isn’t for show. Klaus had already calculated many dangers that could emerge from anywhere.

Therefore, he established several layers of safety protocols to manage them all.

His mother was perfectly safe.

With Pickle Berry’s mother currently at the Ascension stage and Asha’s four Ant Queens all at the peak of the Chaos stage, not even a team of three Ascension stage warriors could get to her.

Now, all hopes of the Ancient Sea race reaching Klaus’s mother were lost for good.

After fifteen minutes of intense battle inside the chess world, all eight tainted humans. They simply weren’t prepared for the odd Nas presented, and so they succumbed and became part of his chess world.

”I suppose we are done here,” Nas said, looking at his mother.

”I guess so. It’s just too bad Klaus didn’t want us on the main battlefield,” Cynthia smiled weakly.

”Let’s go home, mother. Sometimes you just have to be content with what you are given and let nature run its course. Klaus saw our potential, which is why he assigned us these missions. We have to respect that.”

”Tch, no need to give me one of your teachings, Nas. I am the mother here.”

Nas just smiled and started walking away. The coffins had already been taken to Cynthia’s shadow domain, so whatever trick Skroll might have had up his sleeve was cut off.

Naturally, Skroll sensed what had happened the moment the last of his backup plan died.

”Hahahaha...” Klaus laughed. ”You should see your face at the moment. It looks like someone who just realized he is fucked.”

”Naturally, you are fucked. You see, one of the biggest mistakes a person can ever make in this life is locking both me and themselves inside and allowing me to relax for two minutes.”

Klaus snapped his fingers, and a formation opened, rising to the sky. ”Now, we are both perfectly sealed in this place, and the only way out for either of us is if you kill me, or I kill you.”

Klaus stood up and smiled. ”But let’s both be frank—killing me is not an option, and you all aren’t going to drop dead either, so there is only one fix, and that is to fight it out.

However, that will be very hard to accomplish because, well, I just realized I am much stronger than I expected. So I have an offer.”

Klaus flew up and stopped right below the formation...