THE LAST PARAGON IN THE APOCALYPSEC354 Getting Ready For The Long Awaited Tribulation
Klaus teased his mother; however, deep down, he didn't know how to solve her problem. This was the first time she had complained about being lonely. She had never said that before.
"Mother, you can stay with my mom. I know she would love having you around." Just when Klaus was thinking about how to resolve his mother's situation, Lily spoke.
"Good idea, Lily. I will reward you later," Klaus said before turning to his mother. "Mom, what do you think? Want to spend a few weeks with your new best friend?"
"Fine, you guys can go. I will be fine," his mother said with a small smile. Looking at her smile, Klaus knew Grace Felin was in for a ride. Only God could help Lily's mother after she was done with her. Just like Klaus, his mother was also contagious.
They spent two more days in Felin City exploring the area before, on the third day, they left and returned to Ross City. Klaus's male friends had also been busy.
Their newfound fame from topping the rankings in the Union Trial had skyrocketed their popularity, and of course, this fame came with the added bonus—the ladies.
Kilian met up with Scarlet, who had come all the way from Union City just to spend time with him. They were supposed to stay there, but when Klaus received a text about Ohema's return, he dragged them away.
Who knew what might happen if his enemies found out he wasn't there with them? However, to their surprise, the ladies followed them to Ross City.
Mark spent time with the Zhou twins, who seemed obsessed with him. Danny was fortunate to get another brawler—a young lady with a strong physique. As for Daniel, he surprisingly paired up with a rather slim lady, lean enough to raise some eyebrows when seen alongside the sturdy-looking Daniel.
Kay, too, found someone who captured his heart: a fire mage, making the two of them quite the fiery duo. It was a heated few days. Overall, his friends seemed to be doing well, all thanks to Klaus.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the ladies wanted to be close to Klaus, but since they couldn't have him, the next best choice was his friends...Lol
When they returned, Klaus spent the night with Miriam. The next day, she left with Anna, Lily, and his male friends. They went to a Tier 4 forbidden zone called the Hunting Fields, a zone filled with all types of monsters.
Hanna didn't join them because what she needed right now were lightning cores, so under the cover of night, the twins left with her and headed to a Tier 4 forbidden zone called Lightning Forest.
Klaus, on the other hand, entered seclusion with Ohema, who insisted on watching him cultivate. Perhaps she shouldn't have, as what she saw was baffling.
At first, Klaus simply crushed the cores and absorbed the energy. Now, however, he was both crushing and eating them. It was too shocking, but she had asked for it. Klaus was already halfway to level 10, so it took him only a day to level up.
Two days later, he had reached level 11, but with more cores still available, Klaus didn't stop. Being a good wife, Ohema gave him a towel bath every day. After another four days, he reached the bottleneck to step into level 12.
But he stopped just before he could level up. With only two more Tier 6 cores, he would reach the next level, and then the lightning would descend.
"Are you done already?" Ohema asked, looking at him as if she were watching a monster.
"Yup," Klaus nodded with a smile. Seeing the shocked expression on her face, he couldn't help but chuckle.
'Wait until the Devouring Ice awakens. All of this would have been achieved within seconds.'
"Then are we going now? Where will we be going?" she asked after calming down.
"I've reserved a Tier 2 forbidden zone. It'll be quiet there since the strongest monster is just Tier 5." Klaus stood and walked out of the training room with Ohema.
With Ohema unable to go the extra mile with him, they slept peacefully like a couple. The next day, they left for the forbidden zone. Klaus had now awakened the lightning element, but he needed the tribulation to temper it.
His current lightning was just a bud; he needed to borrow energy from the heavens to make it bloom. Upon arrival, Klaus unleashed his ice flower, freezing a 10km radius solid. Unfortunately for the monsters in the area, they didn't survive, which was an error on Klaus's part.
Killing the monsters earned him the remaining experience points to level up.
[You have leveled up. Current Level: Level 12 Master.]
[Get Ready for your Tribulation. The Lightning descends in 5 Minutes.]
**
"Ohema dear, give me some sugar, and then retreat to a very safe distance—20km should be fine," Klaus said, leaning in for a kiss. "And don't try to enter the tribulation, even if I'm dying."
"Be safe," Ohema replied before running off.
Klaus immediately sat in a lotus posture as dark, looming clouds began to form overhead.
"Brat, are you ready?" the senior asked as Klaus settled down.
"I am, Senior. Please expand the Tribulation Prison. You can use 50% of my soul," Klaus instructed.
"Are you sure?" the senior asked.
"Of course." The senior didn't say much. He went ahead and expanded the Tribulation Prison, giving Klaus all the space he needed to catch as much lightning as he could.
'I just hope this mysterious Lightning Source Diagram lives up to its reputation,' Klaus sighed. He had already gained all he could from Number Three; now, it was up to him to make a move toward claiming something grand.
'After today, Tier 6 and 7 will be small fries. Tier 8 is the next target, Imma dominates that Realm. As for Tier 9, I'll save that for later. I can't let what happened in the Tormented World happen again.
Klaus smiled, remembering the incident when Fruity got his ass kicked by a Tier 9 Rhino Demon.
'Yuying isn't here to save me,' he thought with a sigh. 'I wish you were here, Yuying; this would have been easy.'
As he reminisced, the heavens roared, as if declaring that today would be his last.
Klaus had stolen three things from them: a divine body, something cultivators would kill for; a heavenly constitution, cherished by the heavens; and, if that weren't enough, he had taken something every lightning user would die for, especially those who sought to comprehend the Laws of Lightning and Thunder, the Lightning Source Diagram.
It was safe to say Klaus had taken what even the heavens dared not play with—and now, they were coming for their revenge.
But Klaus, who had only recently begun to understand what it meant to be a paragon thanks to Number Three, knew opportunities wouldn't come to him. He would have to seize—no, steal—every one of them.
Now, he sat there, watching the clouds churn ominously.
***
Far from where Klaus was, Ohema stood, gazing at the clouds with a calm expression.
"What kind of existence are you, Klaus? Even my sister doesn't call down this much wrath from the heavens, despite her special situation."
She sighed, and like a caring wife, her heart began to pound anxiously for the small figure sitting calmly beneath the storming skies.
"Be safe, Klaus. I can't afford to lose you to the heavens."
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THE LAST PARAGON IN THE APOCALYPSEC355 Colossal Lightning Pythons
Rumble
Five minutes after Klaus leveled up, the heavens made their presence known. In an instant, he felt a powerful force bearing down on him, as though a will was being exerted over him.
However, Klaus just smirked, and just like how any defiant person would, he gave the heavens the middle finger, as if to say he wasn't a pushover and they should get things over with.
As expected, the heavens responded immediately.
The clouds churned, and from the dark, lightning-infested sky, a colossal python's head appeared.
"Hmm, looks like the heavens upped their game this time," Klaus muttered.
"You're growing stronger, Klaus, so it's only natural for the heavens to get desperate," the senior spoke from within his soul sea.
"Oh, so there's more to come, huh?" Klaus asked.
"If I'm not mistaken, there will be between four to six stages in this tribulation. If the first one is already this intense, imagine the ones yet to come," the senior said. "Plus, you've really offended them this time, brat—this might just be your make-or-break moment."
"Relax, senior. Just be on standby and follow my lead," Klaus replied. "My soul sea is yours to command this time around."
"May the Paragon stars have mercy on you, brat." The senior couldn't understand where Klaus's arrogance was coming from. The tribulation was starting off intensely after all.
From within the clouds, more colossal heads began to appear. Soon, large python bodies charged toward Klaus, who sat calmly on the ground, gazing back at them.
"And we're off," Klaus said, as a thick, pointed 64-inch needle appeared. But that wasn't all—a crescent moon-shaped, razor-sharp disc about 2 feet in diameter appeared and began spinning immediately.
The two spirit weapons shot forward, and before long, lightning runes filled the air. Klaus sat there, controlling the spirit weapons to slay the 70-meter-long pythons charging from the dark clouds.
The runes moved and began entering his body. He sat there, controlling the Void Piercing Needle as it traveled and killed one python after another. It was both shocking and mesmerizing.
As for the second spirit weapon, it was something Dharma, the Overlord had given him—one of the rewards he received after completing the quest set by the overlords.
It had a razor-sharp edge, much like the Razor Disc that Lucil integrated into the Mecha Zombie's weapon arsenal during his time at Stone Valley.
It's called Crescent Disc/Arc and just like its name, its shape is like a half-moon and incredibly sharp, very sharp in fact. Just a single slice was enough to kill a monster.
And thanks to Klaus's superior...
Now up in the air, it started slicing through the not-so-strong lightning pythons. Although they appeared somewhat real when killed, no blood flowed out; instead, they transformed into sparks of runes which get sucked into Klaus's body.
This, of course, had begun tempering his body. Klaus wasn't in a hurry, so instead of using the Tribulation's Prison to easily deal with them, he wanted to wait for the bigger threats. One might even say his appetite was rather large.
"The first stage is not having much effect compared to last time," Klaus said calmly, sitting as the monsters were slain by the Void Piercing Needle and the Crescent Disc.
Sometime later, the heavens churned, and more lightning pythons poured out, startling Klaus slightly, though he looked on with amusement.
"Oh, they seem pissed," Klaus smirked. "What do you expect, you weaklings? This young master is not easily bullied."
The monsters kept pouring in, but even without much effort, the spirit weapons continued the killing. At one point, Klaus rubbed his arm.
"Don't worry, little fellow, you'll get your chance to dominate the skies." The dragon tattoo on his right arm glowed as if responding to his words. It had become several times stronger now.
After using the golden energy to upgrade it, Klaus could feel the Chaotic Nirvana Flame growing stronger. At first, it was powerful, but now it had become even stronger. When it transformed, it seemed to have a much denser appearance.
"Brat, why aren't you capturing the lightning?" the senior asked.
"Relax, old man. There's better prey on the way—the appetizers just aren't worth fighting for." Klaus didn't even want to bother with them. He wanted the good stuff, which, if his calculations were right, would arrive in the third stage.
Rumble!
The heavens shook again, and the dark clouds stirred ominously. The pressure they exerted was potent now, bringing with it an even more terrifying will. The second stage was about to descend, meaning the heavens had upped their game.
Suddenly, 5-meter-long spears appeared, shooting toward Klaus.
"Looks like their aim isn't that bad," Klaus smirked, muttering under his breath. Suddenly, a bell appeared, and within a second, it grew to a height of 4 meters with a diameter of about 2 meters.
It moved and then dropped down on Klaus, enclosing him. At the same time, the spears collided with the bell, causing it to ring and send out sonic waves.
This time, only sonic waves, no soul attacks.
Thanks to Fruity's efforts, Klaus had learned how to fine-tune the bell to focus on only one of its attacks. The bell could deliver both soul and sonic attacks. Initially, when he activated it, both types of attacks were sent—both soul and sonic.
However, he had now learned how to concentrate on just one at a time, and he could also adjust it to maximize the output of either. Despite this, Klaus wasn't attacking the souls now; he simply wanted to shatter the spears.
The spears, like the pythons, had no hearts, so using soul attacks against them would be a foolish move.
Sonic attacks were doing the killing now, and from the looks of it, the Spears stood no chance. The bell showed no signs of cracking.
Every time a spear struck it, the sonic wave would shoot out, shattering the spear into runes. The runes then traveled and merged with his body inside the bell. It was just as Klaus had observed in Fruity's memory.
Back then, he had been very jealous of how Fruity was clearing the tribulations, and now that he was experiencing the same thing, he couldn't believe how comfortable it felt.
'That bastard sure had it good, hadn't he?' Klaus sighed.
***
Ohema continued to watch the tribulation with a mesmerized look.
"He is making it look simple, but this stage is already enough to overwhelm a Sage. Just what kind of monster have I entangled myself with?" she smiled faintly.
The last time, her heart was a step away from being crushed when Klaus struggled to face the final lightning. So now, seeing him just sitting there, doing nothing yet still handling the tribulation, she couldn't be any happier.
"If not for my special situation, I would have rewarded him with a pleasurable night after this tribulation," she sighed.
Just like Hanna, she also had a heaven-defying constitution, but she couldn't use it just yet. It was dormant for now. Once she reached a certain stage but wasn't able to awaken it, it would cause problems for her.
But that wasn't her main worry. Her pain lay in the fact that she couldn't fully serve her man like her other sisters could. She could only sigh and look forward to good news when Klaus asked his Overlord friend.
Rumble.
The heavens roared again, signaling that the third stage of the tribulation would be coming in the next second.
"Finally, they are here," Klaus muttered, looking up at the ominous clouds ahead.
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THE LAST PARAGON IN THE APOCALYPSEC356 Killing Past Kills
The heavens roared, and Klaus, seated in a lotus posture, smiled. The first stage was the Lightning Pythons, which he dealt with using the Void Piercing Needles and the Crescent Disc.
The second stage brought the spears, which Klaus handled easily with the Bell of Harrows. It wasn't particularly challenging, especially considering that the last time, the spears had been the second-to-last stage of his tribulation.
However, the moment the spears stopped, Klaus knew the real fun was about to begin.
"After this stage, I'm sure my body will be strong enough to start the awakening of the Lightning Source Diagram," he muttered, still seated calmly.
His spirit weapons hovered before him just outside the Bell of Harrows. Thunder rumbled through the clouds, and from the ominous dark dimension, the first monster appeared. It was a Tier 5 Earth Lizard, one of the many creatures Klaus had slain before.
'Looks like they didn't want to gift me more lightning energy, so they started with Tier 5 monsters,' Klaus thought, eyeing the hundreds of creatures emerging from the dark clouds.
"Ah, what a headache," Klaus muttered as he directed his spirit weapons forward.
Soon enough, the monsters began exploding. He wasn't exerting much effort; while the heavens had indeed amplified the monsters' strength, he had also grown even stronger, compared to his last tribulation.
Under normal circumstances, any cultivator would have panicked in the face of such overwhelming odds. But Klaus was different.
Not only did he possess memories from his past, but he also held techniques from that time—techniques so grand and powerful that powerhouses would literally go to war over.
The more he killed, the more the heavens sent in. However, Klaus noticed a pattern; the heavens weren't sending in all the monsters he had killed. Although he didn't recognize all the monsters, Klaus still had some way of referencing them.
So he wasn't exactly concerned with how many they sent—his only concern was what they were planning to do with the ones they were omitting.
A while later, Tier 5 monsters ceased coming, and Tier 6 monsters poured in. Klaus wasted no time overwhelming them as well. Some managed to get past the spirit weapons, but they didn't survive the sonic attacks from the Bell Of Harrows.
'Senior, does it mean that every time I face my tribulations, the heavens will send down the beings I've killed in the past?' Klaus suddenly asked while controlling the Void Piercing Needle and the Crescent Disc.
"Indeed," the senior replied. "It's a type of tribulation called the Trial of the Past. However, under normal circumstances, it would have been less harsh. Your situation is quite different, which is why they're making it harder for you."
"So what's the purpose for those who go through this type of tribulation?" Klaus asked again. He was absorbing enough lightning energy to strengthen his body, but that was all—no other benefits.
In his case, it felt more like a trap the heavens were using to kill him. The tribulation was meant to temper a person's will, but in Klaus's case, they wanted him dead, so they were making it especially difficult for him.
"The Trial of the Past is usually meant to test one's strength and resolve. For most, it helps them grow stronger. But for you, the heavens want something else." The senior said.
Klaus could only sigh.
He didn't really quarrel with the heavens. If they wanted him dead, they could at least send down a challenger in human form. Using a tribulation felt like a low blow.
"Stupid heavens."
"Oh, they've supercharged that brat and sent him again," Klaus muttered, watching Matin Guan approach. Matin was the first human he'd killed.
It was when he had just awakened and it was to save Anna.
At this point, the zombies started pouring in. From the white zombies, he'd killed back in the Zombie Forest to the Voltox zombies from the Arcadian Mine Invasion. Then came those from Ruin City, and finally, his latest kills from the Demon's Abode.
"At this rate, I'll soon be fighting an army of Tier 8 zombies and monsters in my next tribulation," Klaus thought to himself.
"How exciting."
Despite the overwhelming numbers, he was having fun. His mind processed hundreds of decisions every second, and with each one, hundreds of monsters and zombies fell.
"You're lucky I'm in the middle of something extremely important; otherwise, I'd take my time with you," Klaus said, casting a glance at Matin speeding toward him. "But for now, you can die. Next time, I'll do it fist-to-fist."
The Crescent Disc flashed, and before Matin could react, his head hit the ground. Last time, Klaus had suffered at the hands of Matin and the Mutated Zombie. Now, he'd managed to kill the brat, but since they hadn't sent the zombie, he'd save that fight for a real battle later.
Rumble
The heavens quaked as more monsters and zombies continued to pour in. Suddenly, humans started flooding out as well.
"The Dark Order assassins, the mercenaries I killed in Union City, and oh, the other Dark Order assassins I took down with Anna's mom," Klaus thought.
"About her, I never checked up on how she was faring after our intimate moment. I guess I'll visit her after I break through," he said with a smile.
Would he make a move after her? Probably not. But would he tease her? Definitely. Their time together had been rather intimate for a mere distraction. Even to this day, Klaus found himself having flashbacks of their moments together.
"I hope she is alright."
With that resolve, the humans—regardless of their strength—started dying for the second time. Klaus was also gaining the runes he needed before the big guns appeared.
"Just a few more, then I can unleash the Diagram for the awakening," Klaus said, watching the lightning dance around his arm. He had unlocked the lightning element and was now strengthening it.
He would need it for when he was out of the Bell of Harrows.
Twenty minutes passed, but the monsters never stopped pouring in.
One could say Klaus had indeed killed his fair share of monsters. They were now pouring in like a tide. Suddenly, five fiery monsters emerged from the clouds, lighting up the area.
"What the hell? Senior, why are there fire-type monsters in a lightning tribulation?" Klaus asked.
"It's normal if the tribulation contains 100% destructive will. In other words, a day will come when all types of monsters, regardless of element, will show up. However, just like you were able to use lightning to enhance the Ice Lotus Bloom, you will still receive the same runes."
"And these runes are called…?"
"Tribulation Runes," the senior replied, causing Klaus to nod.
"Oh, they're finally here!" Klaus almost shouted as he watched seven powerful zombies appear. The moment they emerged, he looked beyond them and saw her—the Zombie that had come close to killing him.
Ding.
The bell rang loudly, so much so that Ohema, who was many kilometers away, felt it. This, of course, meant the weaker monsters under the tribulation cloud felt it too.
The Needle shot forward, and before anyone could blink a couple of times, thousands of monsters burst into Tribulation Runes.
The bell vanished, and Klaus stood up. Lightning flashed in his eyes.
"What a nice feeling," Klaus said, turning his hand to watch the lightning dance around his arm. He smiled and then gazed at the seven figures making their way toward him.
"Looks like my past came calling just when I needed it."
His sword appeared in his hand for the first time since becoming a soul weapon, lightning dancing around it.
"That's more like it." With that, Klaus lunged at the six Blood Princes and the Blood Queen. The same abominations he had killed in the Demon's Abode forbidden Zone.
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THE LAST PARAGON IN THE APOCALYPSEC357 Fighting The Blood Queen Again
The last time they fought, Klaus had been under the enhancement of the Blood Moon Transformation. This transformation gave him a sixfold power upgrade, which gave him an edge temporarily in that battle.
Klaus had wanted nothing more than to use his own strength alone to defeat them. But alas, you can't always get what you want—or, more accurately, you can't always fight what's already dead.
Yet, if you're someone the heavens despise so much that they dig into your past and summon the enemies you've already slain, then there's no telling what might come your way.
Klaus, in a twisted sense, was fortunate. What had nearly been his ultimate defeat had now reappeared in his tribulation like some kind of heart demon—seven of them. They charged at him and before long…
The fight was underway.
***
Ohema kept watching the tribulation, her expressions shifting from shock to awe. She just couldn't wrap her mind around it. In her perspective, Klaus was simply too abnormal.
He had gone from killing a swarm of lightning pythons to defending against and destroying countless spears. And just when it seemed things might settle down, monsters and zombies began popping up.
But when humans started appearing, she was taken aback.
"Are these the people who've tried to kill him at some point?" she wondered. Then her heartbeat slowed, a new anger simmering within.
"How dare they? Why can't they just leave him alone?"
Her rage began to build as she watched the humans come back a second time, determined to finish what they'd started. Yet, as she continued watching, she could see that Klaus didn't even acknowledge them.
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Instead, he sat calmly, as if he owned the place, controlling his spirit weapons with his mind to do the killing.
"What are those?" Her eyes narrowed as she saw the seven dangerous-looking zombies appear. She quickly looked toward Klaus, who had finally stepped up and retrieved his sword. Soon, the battle was underway.
Klaus clashed with the zombies, relying solely on his strength this time. He had been amplified before, but not anymore. However, he showed no signs of fear.
A blood prince attacked from behind, but Klaus moved, leaving a lightning trail as he weaved between the attacks. The lightning awakening made his speed much faster. However, that wasn't what Klaus was focusing on; he was after the offensive power of the element.
He slashed his lightning-infused sword, releasing an arc of lightning that immediately struck the target. Before the blood prince could defend itself, the arc burst apart, sending bolts of lightning through its body.
"How sinister," Klaus muttered, watching as the holed blood prince dissipated into lightning runes that flowed into his body.
"Senior, am I close to awakening the true form of lightning?" Klaus asked, deflecting a club attack from one of the blood princes.
[No, brat. However, if you manage to awaken that thing you borrowed from the heavens, your chances would be very high,] the senior replied.
"That is reassuring. But I didn't borrow it; I just took back what belonged to me in the first place." Although Number Three never told him how he created it or why it was with the heavens, Klaus knew for a fact that it belonged to him.
[Just be careful, brat. Whether it was yours in the first place or not, some things are meant to belong to the heavens. You cannot just use it as easily as you took it,]" the senior warned.
"I know that, but with what I have in mind, the heavens will have to brace themselves for a heartbreak," Klaus replied with a smile.
[Brat, what are you planning?] The senior sensed a bad premonition.
"You'll have to wait and see, senior; it'll be spectacular," Klaus said, just as he landed a kick on the Blood Queen, sending her flying.
Klaus wasn't using any active skills yet since the zombies weren't posing much of a threat.
"Looks like my sword has become quite lethal," he murmured, slashing at the claw of one of the Blood Princes.
"Phantom Steps," Klaus invoked one of the many movement techniques Yuying had acquired for him. The fox lady had showered Fruity with so many gifts that even Klaus didn't fully understand why.
After joining the Witch Temple in the Tormented World, Yuying often disappeared for days, weeks, or even months at a time. However, whenever she returned, Fruity always received exceptional treatment.
The [Phantom Steps] is just the first form of a movement technique called [Ghostly Nine Ultimate Steps]. It has nine levels, and Phantom Steps is the first form, the only one he could master at his current level.
Perhaps he could move on to the second step, [Vanishing Steps], after breaking through to the Grandmaster stage.
His steps appeared ghostly as he closed the gap between himself and the zombie. Before it could react, sparks of runes flew into the air, entering Klaus's body.
"Killed two in under four minutes. That's too slow. Let's pick up the pace," Klaus murmured, his movement becoming ghostly as he instantly appeared in front of another zombie, which quickly dispersed into runes.
Soon, all six Blood Princes were killed, leaving only the Blood Queen, who charged at Klaus with all the energy she could muster.
Klaus simply dodged her attack, then moved to evade a vine attack from the ground. The heavens sure knew how to contradict themselves; sending a wood cultivator into a fight with a lightning user was just too low.
But Klaus wasn't complaining. Instead, he was more than happy to greet the heavens with all his might.
"You nearly killed me the last time, lady. This time, let me take your head."
"Phantom Steps." Klaus moved, and before the Blood Queen could react, her head fell. Tribulation runes floated up and began entering his body.
"The sword has become several times stronger. I can even feel it's enhanced my strength and speed slightly," Klaus said, looking at the lightning-infused sword with a smile.
"If I had known lightning would be this powerful, I would have forced myself to awaken it much earlier," Klaus sighed.
Although Ice and Fire were still devastating—especially Fire—he could tell that within the tribulation, the lightning element had a greater effect.
His speed was boosted slightly by the sword, and now the lightning was also making him even faster. The more runes entered his body, the stronger he became.
"Looks like I am nearing the Grandmaster stage," Klaus said, watching the clouds churn for the fourth stage of the tribulation.
His strength continued to rise, and even his Star Qi grew stronger. Klaus knew he was approaching the Grandmaster stage. However, even from a distance, he could feel a powerful energy building up within.
[Brat, the fourth stage is coming; you better be prepared,] the senior warned. Klaus didn't need reminding—his eyes were already fixed on the churning clouds. The lightning within them illuminated the entire area.
Ohema, who was 20 kilometers away, sensed a strange but powerful energy emanating from the clouds. She moved back an additional 2 kilometers to stay safe. Although she wanted to help Klaus, getting hurt was the last thing he wanted.
Klaus would be furious if that happened.
"I know, senior. I've been waiting for this moment. When I give the signal, extend the Tribulation Prison to cover 70% of my soul sea."
[Are you sure?]
"We'll know soon enough," Klaus replied, just as the heavens rumbled. From within the ominous dark clouds, the base of an enormous tower began to emerge.
"It's finally here," Klaus smiled, then began forming a hand seal.
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THE LAST PARAGON IN THE APOCALYPSEC358 Lightning Tower First level
Back in the Tormented World, when Fruity was breaking through to the Sage stage, the final phase of the tribulation was something Yuying called the Tribulation Tower.
According to her, this tower was one of the heavenly treasures, said to contain the purest form of lightning. The Tower is part of seven heavenly treasures used during tribulations and has nine levels.
Fruity experienced the first level when he was becoming a Sage. Klaus was currently just a Master stage expert entering the Grandmaster stage. He was still two stages away from becoming a Sage, yet the Tower appeared.
One might expect Klaus to panic; instead, he was happy to see the Tower.
"If Yuying was right—which I know she is—then this level would contain very pure lightning energy, something akin to a Tier 8 core belonging to a lightning-based monster." He smiled.
"Why don't I take this as a gift from the heavens and use this chance to grow stronger, since they decided to bless me so kindly."
[Brat, the Lightning Tower has nine levels, but from the look of things, only the first two levels will be used this time since you're not a Saint yet. The third level isn't something even a Grandmaster can handle.]
"Don't worry, Senior. I've got this," Klaus said.
[Tsk, who's worried? Just don't die.] The senior's voice faded away, making Klaus smile. Inwardly, he wondered if the senior was one of his Paragon Guards or another remnant of his past deeds.
After witnessing Yuying and meeting two of his past incarnations, Klaus began to question what he was truly capable of. Perhaps, one of his incarnations has made this possible.
Rumble!
The heavens churned even harder, and before Klaus could complete his first seal, the tower descended enough for the first level to appear through the clouds.
Just the base of the tower alone was about 3 kilometers in diameter and the pressure it exuded pressed heavily on the tribulation ground.
Klaus smiled and then completed the last hand seal. In that instant, his shirt burst apart, and the first star tattoo on his back began to glow. Then, from behind him, a golden metallic circular diagram with complex patterns appeared about 3 feet in diameter.
"Go," Klaus commanded, pointing upward. The diagram moved about 230 meters off the ground, where it stopped and turned horizontally flat. Klaus formed another seal and muttered,
"Grand Lightning Source Diagram, open."
The diagram began to change shape, its intricate patterns expanding outward. In seconds, it grew to a diameter of 50 meters before halting.
From within this circle, another diagram emerged, then another within that, creating a three-layered formation. The second layer rotated clockwise, while the third rotated counterclockwise.
Klaus nodded approvingly, and then he activated the black hole for the Tribulation Prison which appeared beside the diagram, expanding to a diameter of 140 meters.
"That's more like it," Klaus praised himself.
In the sky, a dark hole capable of swallowing lightning had formed, with a slight gap beside it. Positioned strategically, the Grand Lightning Source Diagram was also ready, signifying that the awakening ceremony for the Lightning Source Diagram was underway.
As expected from the arrogant heavens, windows, and doors swung open, and from these openings, monsters of various sizes and shapes began pouring out—lions, tigers, elephants, hawks—all advancing toward Klaus.
However, before reaching Klaus, they first had to pass through the black hole, which showed no intention of allowing them to pass.
Within Klaus's soul sea, lightning monsters began pouring into a space the senior had created for him—the Tribulation Prison. The moment they appeared there, they became docile, as if they had no will to struggle anymore.
On the other side of the dark hole, the Grand Lightning Source Diagram had also begun its work. Klaus didn't know how, but as soon as the Diagram started absorbing the lightning monsters within its range, he felt a stream of lightning energy pouring into the first star on his back.
His strength began to rise. The more the runes poured in, the stronger he became, something Klaus had the heavens to thank for.
However, not all the monsters were caught, meaning those who escaped were now headed toward Klaus, who was ready to face them.
The Nine Star Ice Lotus Bloom appeared. Since he hadn't awakened the ice element yet, he couldn't use the golden energy to strengthen it.
This meant he had to use the lightning to strengthen it, hoping that would be enough. The Tribulation Prison and the Diagram were absorbing about 70% of the lightning.
The Void Piercing Needle flashed forward, beginning its deadly work, while the Crescent Disc also started its unholy task. Two streams of energy were created—one transferring the runes into Klaus's body, the other channeling them into the Ice Lotus.
Klaus stood within the Absolute Ice domain, looking like a formidable Overlord overseeing the tribulation rather than enduring it. He wasn't affected—not in the slightest.
"However, when the Lightning Source Diagram awakens, the Grand Diagram will deactivate, which means I'll have to get more involved.
For now, let me enjoy it as it was meant to be," he smiled, and an apple appeared in his hand.
He turned to look in a certain direction and smiled.
***
"Unbelievable," Ohema said, shaking her head. "To think I was worried for his safety."
Ohema just couldn't believe her eyes. Klaus stood there, casually munching on an apple, looking at the heavens as if they were some kind of joke.
"He's daring," she muttered. "I mean, if he weren't, he wouldn't have made a move on an entire war goddess. How exciting." A tingle ran through her just watching this overbearing, arrogant side of Klaus.
"He is so hot" She muttered looking in Klaus's direction.
Nobody would have expected someone to be this audacious. The mere fact that a Master-stage expert was undertaking a tribulation of this magnitude was beyond belief. Even Sages wouldn't invoke such a tribulation.
Great Sages only withstand the pressure from the base of the tower. Only Sovereigns get to witness the first level of the tower.
But even then, only a few hundred monsters would emerge. However, for Klaus, hundreds of monsters—each stronger and faster—were pouring in.
And instead of feeling pressured, he just stood there, eating an apple. Only someone who defies the heavens could do that, and Klaus, being a paragon, knew the heavens would take offense to his arrogance and disrespect.
As expected, the heavens were really angry at the moment, so they kept sending out hundreds if not thousands of monsters every passing minute.
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"At this rate, the Tribulation Prison will be filled up before the second level even opens," Klaus pondered. After a quick decision, he shrank the dark hole slightly, allowing more monsters to come at him.
This meant he was set for a battle. But Klaus didn't even reach for his sword; he went with the Void Piercing Needle and the Crescent Disc instead.
What followed was complete and total annihilation, fueling him and the Ice Lotus Bloom. Moments later, the Ice Lotus shuddered, releasing a chilling energy that blasted the monsters within six kilometers into runes.
On the first petal of the flower, a third star glowed golden.
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THE LAST PARAGON IN THE APOCALYPSEC359 Nirvana Flame Dragon Unleashed
The moment the third star glowed, Klaus felt an immediate connection to it—a connection that made his smile widen. He quickly tapped into it, and without delay, two-meter-long, pointy spears of ice began shooting up from the ground.
More precisely, the spears shot up from within the Absolute Ice domain. In this domain, the ground was coated in ice, making it even easier and less energy-consuming for the spears to launch.
"Interesting, so this skill is somehow linked to the Absolute Ice domain," Klaus muttered. With a quick decision, he willed the domain to expand to its maximum range.
This, of course, made it slightly weaker, allowing more of the monsters to enter. But the moment they crossed into it, spears shot up, killing them as they advanced.
"What a useful skill," Klaus muttered, watching the devastation the spears caused around him.
[Congratulations, brat, you have awakened yet another skill in your Nine Star Ice Lotus Bloom Technique], the senior said from within his soul sea.
"Thank you, senior; it was a team effort," Klaus replied, looking at the heavens.
[Now you can name it.]
"I will call it Domain Spears."
Immediately after Klaus named the skill, the heavens rumbled, and it felt as if they were angry—which they were, by the way. The tower immediately descended, revealing the second level.
Without wasting any time, the gates and windows swung open, and monsters began pouring out like a tide. Klaus remained standing there for a few seconds, allowing the monsters to close in.
He smiled, and then the tattoo on his arm glowed. Suddenly, up in the air, a 70-meter-long dragon appeared, large enough to fully cover two long buses. The moment it materialized, a certain authority filled the place, making Klaus's smile widen.
Twelve kilometers away, Ohema stared at the fire dragon with widened eyes. It was a common reaction, considering the dragon was made of crimson-orange fire, radiating intense heat.
But what made it even more striking were the patterns appearing on it now. They seemed to be more than just fire; they were something rather unique. Golden patterns, the kind that made the dragon appear both elegant and dangerous.
Then there were the horns, which had now taken on a slightly golden hue and become longer than before. The Nirvana Dragon, as Klaus decided to call it, appeared, and the entire place was filled with a palpable authority.
This aura immediately caused the monsters to slow down in their advance.
Klaus kept smiling, noticing that the dragon was using one of the two abilities it had unlocked after the upgrade with the golden energy: [Dragon's Authority].
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[Chaotic Nirvana Flame: Dragon's Authority - Your Chaotic Nirvana Flame Dragon can exert its authority on others. This authority affects all those with weaker minds and souls.
Note: The stronger your flame grows, the more powerful the authority exerted by the Flame Dragon. Also, as your soul and mental strength grow, the power of this authority increases.]
***
That was the description of the skill the dragon had unlocked after the upgrade. Now, this authority was bearing down on the monsters. The authority exerted was just too powerful, as expected from such a powerful flame.
Roar!
The dragon let out a powerful roar, and then, like a disaster, it began spraying its fiery breath on the monsters, instantly turning them into runes that flew off and merged with it.
"What a greedy bastard," Klaus muttered, feeling no influence over the runes at all. Unlike the Lotus Flower, which divided the Tribulation's runes between them even after killing monsters, the dragon monopolized the entire Tribulation Runes.
"If only I could make my way back to the Tormented World, I would let you devour the entire race of the Dark Flame Chaos Dragons. Those bastards nearly killed me," Klaus smiled.
Back in the Tormented World, after becoming something of a celebrity for stealing a horn that used to belong to a Tier 10 dragon, the Chaos Dragons found him, and it resulted in a very chaotic battle.
If not for Yuying, who had managed to absorb the bloodline of the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon, Fruity would have died.
That day, Fruity discovered just how dangerous it was to fight more than one Tier 9 monster at a time.
So for Klaus, who was already making plans to go after Tier 8 monsters next and even contemplating facing a Tier 9 monster, only God could have mercy on his soul.
The dragon continued to rampage across the tribulation ground, making everything easy for Klaus. The monsters pouring out from the second level of the tower were endless, but he felt no danger. What could threaten him hadn't emerged...yet.
[Brat, I hope you're seeing how powerful your flame is. This is only a small portion of its true potential.] The senior said, and Klaus could swear he sensed a trace of happiness in his tone.
"I can see that now, Senior. I just have to look for ways to make it even more powerful," Klaus replied.
[You can simply find a lava pool and submerge yourself in it. The more flame energy you absorb, the stronger the dragon becomes.]
"Are you trying to kill me? How on earth would the current me jump into lava?" Klaus exclaimed, beyond shocked.
While the idea of taking a bath in a volcano seemed logical, Klaus knew he was nowhere near that level. Nari might have a chance, but for him, that would be a suicidal move.
[Relax. We don't know what will happen after you finally break through to the Grandmaster stage, so for now, you should relax.]
But even without any changes, the golden energy still seems effective. So, as I said, relax for now until you break through before jumping to any sudden conclusions.]
"You think something good will happen?" Klaus asked, half-expecting something like that. The senior did say he would get a surprise when he broke through, so he could only wait and hope for that.
[Just pray things don't go sideways. The heavens seem adamant about killing you this time. But I guess it was just a futile attempt considering you came prepared this time.]
"That I did, and it seems my efforts weren't in vain," Klaus said with a smile.
Suddenly, the dragon up in the sky roared, and from the ground, chains made of fire shot out and began wrapping around the monsters on the ground.
The moment they were immobilized, the dragon flew close to the ground, bathing them in scorching flames. If those monsters were real, painful cries would have already filled the air. The heat from the flames was even enough to take out Tier 6 monsters without the fire touching them.
Within seconds, the dragon used the other skill it had unlocked, and the result was devastating. The ground, which was littered with monsters rushing toward the ice domain, was taken care of, and the result spoke volumes.
***
[Chaotic Nirvana Flame: Blazing Chains – The dragon summons chains of fire that wrap around enemies, immobilizing those with stronger resistance and instantly reducing those with less resistance to ash.]
****
"Just a few more, and the Source Diagram will awaken, meaning the Grand Lightning Source Diagram will deactivate," Klaus sighed, feeling the weight coming. He looked toward the dragon.
"I would leave my back to you for when the time comes."
With that, the tribulation continued, showing no sign of ending anytime soon.
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THE LAST PARAGON IN THE APOCALYPSEC360 Lightning Shackles
"I wonder just how much danger he had to go through to prepare for this tribulation," Ohema felt a pang in her chest when she thought about that.
She had been watching the tribulation for almost an hour now, and at every turn, Klaus seemed to have something up his sleeve. From the start of the tribulation until now, all she saw was someone who had worked incredibly hard just for this moment.
And she was indeed very much correct. Klaus had been preparing for this moment. The main reason he was studying the Pentaface bead was for this very occasion. He had seen from Fruity's memories the kind of danger that would be coming for him.
Unlike Fruity, who had only experienced the first level of the tower when he was becoming a Sage, Klaus was already at the second level, and he was just heading to the Grandmaster stage.
If what Number Three had said was true, then he would be carrying the karma of many things. Although he didn't know where that karma came from, he knew that at every crossroad, the heavens would come at him.
So while he had initially played it safe, that idea had long washed out of his mind. Now, Klaus wanted nothing more than to stick it to the heavens. This, of course, meant taking on immense danger—something he had already started doing.
If killing Tier 9 monsters would give him the strength he needed, then those were the monsters he would be going after.
"Don't worry, Klaus. As long as we are with you, joy and happiness will never escape you," Ohema said with slightly misty eyes.
The first time she witnessed Klaus's tribulation, it was by accident—or that was how she wanted to think of it. She was so captivated by Klaus's powers that she followed him around the forest.
She never planned to fall in love with the newly awakened; she just wanted to satisfy her curiosity.
But after witnessing his second tribulation, she immediately fell in love with him, and now, watching him fight for his life, she felt a mix of admiration and concern.
Even though he made it look easy, she knew Klaus was in danger, and she was right—the danger was indeed on the horizon.
However, what pained her the most was the fact that she couldn't help him now, not even in bed. Her heart ached, and for that, she hated it.
At the end of the day, it was Klaus who promised to help her. Just like that, the rich lady began to shed tears while the one in danger stared at the sky as if it were the most normal thing to do.
"At this rate, I would be bored to death," Klaus muttered.
As if the heavens heard his provocation, the tower moved down, revealing the third level. Klaus just stood there watching it descend to another level.
Immediately, as the third level appeared, Klaus felt a sense of danger emanating from it.
"I feel the danger now," Klaus muttered with a smile. Talk about who the maniac was between him and his past incarnations.
At the same time, the third level opened, and from within the doors, more monsters started pouring out. However, unlike the monsters from the first two levels, these ones gave Klaus a stronger sense of danger.
"Tier 7, but where is this feeling of danger coming from?" Klaus wondered.
[Brat, although these are just Tier 7 monsters, they have the strength of Tier 8 monsters. You have to be careful,] the senior suddenly said.
Klaus nodded inwardly and then, with a flick, his sword appeared alongside his two spirit weapons. He knew the next phase was going to be as harrowing as it could be; however, he came prepared.
"The Lightning Source Diagram is almost awakened, so I can't use the lightning element too much," Klaus said. "Fire it is."
With that, fire arcs began to fly out. The dragon up in the air was also doing more damage than one could ask for. As for the dark hole, the tribulation Prison was almost full.
If Klaus wanted to continue stealing the lightning, he would have to expand it a bit, which would suppress his soul strength and Star Qi a little. But since it wasn't full yet, Klaus wasn't rushing it.
Rumble!
Suddenly, the heavens shuddered, shaking the tower. From the third level, thick chains made of lightning started shooting out. Klaus stood there watching as the chains came within reach.
"Senior, what are those? I feel like they are very powerful," Klaus asked, looking at the chains entering the dark hole and getting absorbed by the Grand Lightning Source Diagram.
[Those are lightning shackles. Whatever happens, don't let them bind you. You wouldn't want your soul getting injured, trust me.]
"I never planned on that. However, how dangerous are we talking?" Klaus asked.
[Very dangerous.]
"Very dangerous, you say? Senior, you can extend the size of the prison. I would need these dangerous chains after the tribulation," Klaus said with a smile.
[Are you sure? The dragon and the lotus are still active. Using 20% more of your Star Qi would weaken you.]
"Do it, senior. I don't plan on using the lotus flower for long," Klaus said. Soon, he felt his Star Qi consumed by another 20%, leaving him with only 30%.
From the start of the tribulation, he hadn't really been using his Star Qi much. Now that he had leveled up from level 9 to 12, his Star Qi had also increased significantly. He could afford to lose 90% of it and still have enough to power his attacks. Continue reading at empire
"Maybe I should use that technique; it doesn't require my ice elements to awaken first." Watching the chains getting sucked into the dark hole and the diagram, Klaus decided to eliminate the small fries first.
He saw them as small fries, but to someone like Ohema watching, the sea of monsters looked as terrifying as a monster tide of thousands of Tier 7 monsters.
"Ice Pillar: Dawn of a Thousand Arrows"
Klaus muttered, and as he expected, a tall pillar appeared behind him, and from its towering form, hundreds, if not thousands, of arrows began raining down on the monsters.
It was a go-to technique Fruity used to love. It has seven forms, but for now, with his Star Qi restricted to only 30%, he could only use the first form.
The results were immediate.
Klaus quickly deactivated the Ice Lotus. It had gotten much stronger than the day before. But even if it hadn't gotten stronger, with the number of monsters currently locked away in his prison, he would soon be able to amplify its effect further.
The arrows rained down on the monsters, obliterating them as they came. At the same time, the chains were getting sucked away.
After the senior expanded the tribulation prison to 70 percent, Klaus also enlarged the dark hole to cover a vast area. So the countless chains they were shooting out weren't able to get past its maw or the suction force.
Basically, the heavens made a mockery of themselves by sending something that couldn't even get past a mere defense.
"But then again, in the next few minutes, the Grand Lightning Source Diagram will vanish, and I'll need a minute to fully awaken it. Meaning I would be indisposed for a full minute" Klaus muttered with a frown.
"Now, that is going to be a huge problem."
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THE LAST PARAGON IN THE APOCALYPSEC361 Lightning Source Diagram Awakened
The tribulation continued to rage on. The dragon was doing its best, killing monsters as they poured in alongside the lightning chains.
But Klaus was pleased...at first.
He had been so focused on the monsters that he hadn't considered the chains for when the Grand Lightning Source Diagram would disappear once its job was done.
Essentially, the Grand Lightning Source Diagram could only be used once, during the awakening of the Lightning Source Diagram. And right now, that awakening was imminent.
Klaus was running out of time.
"Crap… it's about to start," he muttered, feeling the awakening draw near. He quickly formed a hand seal and took hold of the dark hole, aiming to place it directly in the main path of the chains. The dragon could handle the monsters.
"Just one minute," he muttered as the diagram shrank and flew back toward him. At the same time, he went all out.
The dark hole expanded further, covering more area. The dragon began channeling more energy, and the Ice Pillar continued to unleash a relentless rain of arrows. The dragon now targeted the monsters, shattering them with its Tail Slash Kill skill.
It had grown much stronger after the upgrade, but it wasn't strong enough to hold off the dozens of chains aimed at Klaus.
Thankfully, Klaus still had some skills that could utilize the 30% portion of his remaining Star Qi. The Ice Lotus appeared, followed by the Bell of Harrows.
Klaus expanded the bell, making it large enough to work inside. He sat in a lotus posture and began forming hand seals.
The spirit weapons lay beside him, as he couldn't use them while working on the awakening. However, the other skills only needed an energy source.
The Bell of Harrows was positioned within the Absolute Ice Domain, slowing down all incoming attacks. With each bell ring, they began to shatter, but they could only hold out for so long.
Klaus sat in a lotus posture and began the awakening of the Lightning Source Diagram. The chains and monsters were relentless, but the dragon was holding most of them back, and the dark hole was also doing its part.
However, there were many chains, and, worst of all, some monsters were still making their way toward the bell—Klaus's current source of ultimate protection, his last line of defense.
Five seconds passed, though it felt like thirty.
***
Ohema, watching from 12 kilometers away, began to panic as she saw hundreds of chains entering the small ice domain, with some even striking the bell.
Her fists clenched, and she tapped her foot on the ground like a worried housewife. The sight before her was terrifying.
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Klaus sat there with danger closing in on all sides.
Ten seconds passed, and he remained still, the miniature version of the Grand Lightning Source Diagram hovering before him.
"Come on, Klaus," she muttered.
Twenty seconds later, her worry only grew. He was surrounded by hundreds of monsters, something humans wouldn't be able to easily handle. The dragon was doing its best, but it wasn't enough.
The dark hole was also reaching its maximum capacity, leaving Klaus no choice but to finish as quickly as possible and get to work.
Thirty seconds. Klaus was now crackling with lightning as he sat quietly with his eyes closed, the only thing protecting him now being the bell, which had started to form cracks.
Forty seconds later, Klaus, who hadn't worn a shirt from the beginning due to the Source Diagram destroying it, was now covered in lightning like a second skin.
Up above, the heavens churned and swirled as if struggling to watch something that once belonged to them be taken for good.
The tower shuddered, and more chains and monsters poured out as if to make sure Klaus knew what was coming. But alas, the person they aimed to kill was now deeply immersed in the awakening of one of the Nine Forbidden Ancient Relics, the Lightning Source Diagram.
Back in the Tormented World, Klaus, with Yuying's company, managed to retrieve another of these forbidden relics, the Seven Star Forbidden Diagram, which was meant for the ice element.
Now, however, Klaus had taken back something that Number Three, his past incarnation said belonged to them, so all he could do was trust his past self and focus on claiming it.
To achieve this, he had to compel the heavens to send down their precious Lightning Diagram, said to contain advanced lightning control and manipulation techniques. It wasn't simple to steal something from the heavens.
But Klaus did. His past has come to help him and now, if he somehow manages to fully claim this diagram, his future with the lightning element would be limitless.
Legend has it that those fortunate enough to glimpse the Lightning Diagram are destined to gain stellar mastery over lightning and thunder.
Essentially, one with the diagram becomes akin to lightning itself, and Klaus, having severed the heavens' connection to it, stored it in his soul.
Now, he was awakening it, and once he succeeded, he would have the power to harness the storm as though he were the progenitor of lightning and thunder.
"Come on, Klaus," Ohema muttered, gritting her teeth as she watched him. The only thing stopping her from intervening in the tribulation was the fact that the bell was still holding—and Klaus had told her not to do anything reckless.
Rumble.
Suddenly, the heavens thundered, and instead of ascending to end the tribulation, the Lightning Tower descended another level.
Level four had now descended, piling immense pressure on Klaus, who began bleeding from his nose as his defenses crumbled.
The dragon shrunk in size, a sign that the pressure from the tower was overwhelming, reducing its attack power significantly.
The Nine Star Ice Lotus Bloom was also struggling, littered with cracks. The domain was crumbling, and once it fell, all the pressure would instantly shatter the bell.
"Come on, Klaus," Ohema whispered, tears welling as she watched Klaus's defenses break down one by one.
"Damn it," she muttered, barely holding herself back.
BOOM
Suddenly, the bell shattered, and the monsters poured in like a raging tide. Klaus remains seated with his eyes closed, oblivious to the impending onslaught just inches away. Monsters and chains closed in, aiming hungrily for blood.
However, just as the first monster was about to touch a hair on Klaus's head, a chuckle echoed through the space.
"Tsk, what a bunch of idiots, thinking they could harm me with just this strength," said a voice, eerily similar to Klaus's yet not entirely his.
Surprisingly, it wasn't Number Three or Fruity, either.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Lightning erupted from Klaus's body, blasting the hundreds—if not thousands—of lightning monsters and chains aimed at him into Tribulation Runes.
He slowly opened his eyes, now bathed in lightning. Boom! From his back, a golden metallic circular ring, about three feet in diameter, appeared.
Intricate patterns adorned the ring, and within it, five adult fist-sized orbs of different colors formed a pentagon shape, each crackling with lightning. From all around, Tribulation Runes poured in as if starved. Even the ambient lightning was being sucked in.
"It's been a while; let me stretch my legs for a minute," Klaus said, a slight smile playing on his lips. He slowly stood and, like a deity, began to rise gracefully from the ground.
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THE LAST PARAGON IN THE APOCALYPSEC362 GateKeeper
The moment Klaus opened his eyes, anyone could tell the aura around him looked different. Even his presence felt different.
It was as if he had been possessed by something or someone. But this wasn't the first time it had happened before.
As he ascended, bolts of lightning burst from his body, obliterating all the chains and monsters around him. By the time he reached the dark hole, now flickering as if about to deactivate, all the monsters had been vanquished.
"Tsk, why don't we open the fourth floor?" Klaus muttered. With a wave of his hand, a ball of lightning materialized. Before Ohema could scream for him to stop, the ball struck the base of the tower, shaking it violently.
Rumble.
The heavens responded, and as one might expect, a door opened. But instead of monsters or chains, a single figure appeared. The heavens thundered, almost as if cheering for him, but Klaus knew better; they were furious.
"Your turn now," Klaus murmured, hovering back to the ground, his gaze fixed on the new arrival. The instant his feet touched down, his eyes narrowed, and his demeanor shifted.
"Fuck," Klaus cursed, realizing he had been tricked by someone he never would have expected, he had tricked himself into infuriating the already furious heavens.
His past came back to haunt him.
[Brat, that is a Gatekeeper,] the senior suddenly spoke as Klaus continued to look at the winged figure hovering 200 meters above the ground.
The dark hole had also been deactivated. The dragon was gone, as were the Ice Lotus and the Bell of Harrows. The only thing left was Klaus, now standing bare-chested with a golden ring behind him crackling with electricity.
"Gatekeeper? Who is he, then?" Klaus asked.
[The Lightning Tower has nine levels. The first three are known as the Infinite Expanse. They just measure your capabilities and send lightning monsters to test you—in your case, to kill you. However, from the fourth level onward, things are a little different.
The fourth level is called Tempest Crucible. It has a dangerous kind of monster called Tempest Hounds. Killing them won't only award you more potent runes, but it will also affect your mind. If you manage to withstand them as you fight, your body and mind will become several times stronger.
There are others aside from the hounds. However, to unlock that space, you first have to defeat the Gatekeeper. They are like the wardens of the remaining levels.]
"Easy enough. I can feel it's just Tier 7, though very powerful. But I'm no pushover either. Let me just kick his ass," Klaus said, summoning his sword.
[You don't fight the Gatekeeper one-on-one, brat. The heavens won't allow it,] the senior said.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
[The Gatekeepers use only one sword technique called Heavenly Judgment. It has nine levels, just like the tower, and from the look of things, you'll have to defend against the first four levels before this tribulation ends.
In your case, you should prepare for the worst, since the karma around you is too much to wash away with just a few sword attacks. I look favorably on you, brat.]
"Fuck. What the hell is wrong with these heavens?" Klaus cursed, watching the Gatekeeper.
Suddenly, the 2-meter-tall winged man raised his long sword, and as one might expect, Klaus felt his movements restricted.
The clouds parted, making way for a divine light to descend from the heavens. Klaus immediately felt insignificant in front of it, like an ant before an elephant. Yet, despite that, he looked determined rather than fearful.
"One mistake, and I'm dead." Klaus wasn't panicking; no, he held a crazed smile as he watched the Gatekeeper closely. Suddenly, a giant sword appeared in the air, about 40 meters long with a pointed tip.
With just a gesture, the sword shot toward Klaus, aiming for a devastating stab.
"Absolute Ice Domain."
"Bell of Harrows: Divine Bell."
"Eye of Despair: Void Eyes."
Klaus instantly activated three of his best defenses.
Boom.
The sword struck the three defenses, instantly destroying the Ice Lotus and the Void Eyes before colliding with the bell, which resounded with a loud ring. Thankfully, the sonic attack from the bell shattered the sword.
"That was close," Klaus muttered.
[That was the first form, Divine Judgment Sword,] the senior said.
[Now, get ready for the second form.]
The Gatekeeper raised his sword again, but this time, instead of a sword, a white lightning lion, about 20 meters tall, bathed in lightning, appeared in the sky and immediately lunged at Klaus on the ground.
Klaus's arm glowed, and the Nirvana Dragon appeared. It roared and then moved to meet the lion. The dragon looked massive and powerful; however, the power difference was just too great.
Klaus could sense the danger radiating from the lion. The senior had warned him that although the Chaotic Nirvana Flame had awakened, it still wasn't at its peak.
He would need more than just a few fire cores to strengthen it. Fortunately for him, the dragon seemed to have found a liking for the golden energy inside his soul sea. However, it still wasn't enough.
Klaus knew that much, yet instead of underestimating the dragon, he wanted to see how it would first handle the lion. The bell was still standing strong.
BOOM
The dragon moved, and when it was just a few meters from the lion, it activated [Dragon's Authority], exerting its influence, though it was barely felt by the lion.
But that wasn't all; it also followed up with a [Tail Slash Kill]. A powerful 12-meter-wide crescent arc of flame slashed at the lion, landing squarely on its head.
Roar
The two clashed in the air creating an explosion that destroyed the 8km radius. Even Ohema 12km away felt the powerful shockwave. Both the dragon and the lion were destroyed making Klaus cough a mouthful of blood.
"Klaus..."Ohema shouted feeling her heart crash watching the blood tickling down Klaus's mouth. Her fist was clenched but she knew there was nothing she could do. Discover more content at empire
She was in even more pain than Klaus, who was taking on the attacks. Her pain ran deep. Although Klaus didn't care, as a lady, she felt envious of many things.
Out of curiosity, she had asked Miriam about her time with Klaus. After hearing all about it, she felt a pang in her heart for not having the body to experience something like that. Miriam hadn't held back, which was the sole reason Ohema was now feeling this way.
She wouldn't be able to enter the tribulation, nor could she help release his stress afterward. The pain was coming from multiple directions, and, for once, she couldn't take it anymore.
She broke down, watching Klaus fight for his life against odds that even Sovereigns would struggle against. The heavens are indeed cruel.
[That was the Divine Lion of Judgment,] the senior said. Klaus just remained quiet, doing his best not to lose focus.
[The third form superimposes the second form. This means the third form will be the second form times two, so be ready,] he warned, and Klaus nodded.
He deactivated the bell, and his sword appeared in his grip.
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THE LAST PARAGON IN THE APOCALYPSEC363 Asura Crazy Sword Strike
Klaus held the Celestial Requiem, his soul weapon.
Since its awakening, he hadn't really used it. He hadn't been on any recent hunts, so despite possessing a sword that came with many added buffs, Klaus hadn't had time to explore its full potential.
But that didn't mean he was unaware of the amazing perks that came with the soul weapon awakening. They were linked at the soul level, so of course he knew them. Now, facing a 30-meter-tall lion with powers multiplied by two, Klaus had to go all out.
"Chaotic Nirvana Flame: Dragon Arm Guard."
Klaus activated the first skill granted by the dragon. A scaly, flame-imbued guard appeared around his right arm, filling his sword with power.
"Celestial Requiem: Superimpose."
He also activated one of the sword's amplification skills. He hadn't needed to use it before, but now, the danger was overwhelming.
Suddenly, the orbs in the Lightning Source Diagram glowed, and lightning began channeling into his body giving him all the energy he needed for the next attack.
The Gatekeeper raised his sword, and, as before, a lion appeared. However, the moment it manifested, Klaus felt it.
The danger level had risen, and he could already feel the weight of the approaching threat. The lion moved, and like a tidal force, it began pressing forward, bearing down on Klaus.
Fire essence poured into the sword, draining a large portion of his Star Qi. Klaus began to turn pale, but he held on as the lion drew closer.
"One with the Sword: Moon Epic Slash."
Klaus unleashed one of the many skills he had learned from his past memories. His sword slashed forward, sending a 20-meter-wide crimson fire arc toward the lion.
The two attacks collided, and for a moment, time seemed to slow down. Then, with a blinding flash, the two forces exploded, sending a shockwave that blasted Klaus back several kilometers.
Ohema, many kilometers away, was forced to retreat another 4 kilometers.
Cough, cough.
Klaus, lying on the ground, coughed up two mouthfuls of blood, his body covered with cuts. Yet in his gaze, only determination could be seen.
"That was a close call," Klaus muttered, using the sword as support to stand up. The Gatekeeper was still in the air, holding the long sword in his hands.
Klaus looked back at the figure. He could tell it wasn't really a person—more like a divine manifestation of a person. The aura around it felt celestial, and Klaus wanted nothing more than to sever its head from its neck.
Cough.
Klaus coughed up another mouthful of blood, his body aching like hell. While his attack had neutralized the lion, the backlash was punishing. He had channeled too much fire energy, and the result was agonizing.
His body was torn in several places, leaving him barely able to raise his arm, let alone make any moves with his sword.
[Brat, just one more strike, and the tribulation will be over,] the senior said. Klaus merely smiled, feeling he barely had the energy to lift his sword.
"Bell of Harrows." He had to prepare, somehow. Even if he managed to withstand the attack and survive, the tribulation would be deemed a success. But if he failed, the heavens would reclaim what was theirs.
Shattered
Immediately, the Gatekeeper raised his sword, and the bell shattered. Klaus felt his body lock in place; he couldn't even move his fingers. The pressure coming from the sword was too much for him to bear.
Suddenly, the tower moved back, clearing the clouds. A blue sky appeared, replacing the previous stormy dark clouds.
However, in place of the tower, a huge sword appeared from the now-blue sky, piercing the clouds. Klaus felt his knees grow weak, but for some reason, he felt energized. Like he wasn't about to bend the knee to the heavens.
His spirit wouldn't allow it, yet the heavens were forcing him. Perhaps, if he bent the knee, it would be their win somehow. So Klaus wasn't about to relent...His will wouldn't allow it. His nature wasn't breaking despite the force he was under...
Boom!
Suddenly, a dense red energy burst out of Klaus's body, instantly turning his calm golden eyes red. Then, like a possession, intense hatred appeared in Klaus's eyes.
Inside his soul sea, the Seal of Slaughter started leaking intense blood energy, the kind that immediately filled Klaus's body with all the energy he could hope for.
On the outside, Klaus gazed at the sword coming for him with eyes full of hatred.
[That is the Retribution Judgment Sword], the senior said, making Klaus, now leaking bloodthirsty energy, nod.
At least he wasn't possessed again. This meant the seal inside his soul sea had started filling him with energy.
"Senior, what happens when I defend against this attack?" Klaus asked.
[The Gatekeeper would vanish, meaning you have passed the tribulation.]
"Oh really? How interesting," a smirk appeared on Klaus's lips as he looked at the Gatekeeper pointing his sword up toward the heavens.
"Time for revenge," Klaus muttered, and then, under the pressure coming from the sword, he began moving forward.
Your journey continues on empire
It was as if the force restricting him was never there. Although he knew he was on borrowed time, Klaus never let go of the chance for some payback.
After moving forward a few meters, he raised his sword, and like a mist, a huge red skull radiating intense bloodlust appeared in the sky.
The moment it appeared, Klaus's side of the battleground turned dark red, while the Gatekeeper's side was illuminated in a white glow.
"They said you can't be killed because of the restrictions you placed on me. Now, I will show you what I'm made of," Klaus muttered coldly.
The skull turned into a mist and entered the sword. At once, Klaus's eyes shone red, and an intense energy burst from his body.
"Asura Crazy Sword Strike!"
Klaus swung the sword at the Gatekeeper. Immediately, a dark red arc of unknown energy cut out from Klaus's sword, flashing toward the Gatekeeper.
It took just a moment to reach the Gatekeeper. But despite its attempt to defend with the sword in its hand, the blood arc sliced him in half before he had the chance.
Rumble
The heavens let out a powerful cry when the Gatekeeper was killed with a single strike. Just like that, what wasn't supposed to happen happened, and it was their miscalculation.
The Gatekeeper dissipated into runes that flew and merged into Klaus's body. The sword in his hand also dissipated and entered the sword in Klaus's hand.
Up ahead, the Retribution Judgment Sword also dissipated into runes and merged with Klaus's body.
Cough
Klaus coughed up blood, forcing him to drop to his knees. He quickly sat in a lotus posture, the sword vanishing into his soul sea.
On the outside, a mixture of red and golden mist began to envelop him as he sat. Soon, the mist covered him, creating a cocoon around him.
Ohema appeared beside him a few seconds later. She waved her hand, creating a shield around them. She gazed at the cocoon with complicated emotions, but alas, she could only sigh and stand watch.
A day quickly passed, but Klaus still remained in the cocoon with no sign of coming out. Ohema never left his side. She didn't even let her focus shift from the cocoon.
Just like that, a week passed with no changes. Two weeks… three weeks went by, but still no signs. Finally, exactly a month after the tribulation, the cocoon cracked and soon disintegrated.
Inside, Ohema's eyes landed on an even more handsome Klaus, whose face immediately made her little sister tingle in excitement… she wet her pants before she knew it.
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THE LAST PARAGON IN THE APOCALYPSEC364 Attending to a Damsel Right After The Tribulation
Klaus slowly opened his golden eyes, which now seemed to have an added layer of charm. He looked toward the lady sitting before him and smiled.
"Thanks for guarding me," Klaus said, his handsome smile lighting up his face.
Ohema looked at him with a charmed expression. Klaus didn't bother saying anything; he had already experienced something similar when he charmed Miriam after the Slaughter Aura awakened.
"You've grown more handsome," Ohema said.
"And stronger too," Klaus replied with a smile.
"Let's find a better place to relax. I still have things to do, but they can wait for now. I want to spend some time with you," Klaus said, reaching for Ohema's hand.
"By the way, how long has it been?" he asked calmly as he stood up.
"It's been about a month since the tribulation," Ohema said with a small smile. Klaus's hands were around her waist as they moved in a certain direction.
"That long?" Klaus was taken aback. "I wonder how the others are faring," he said.
"Actually, they came back two weeks ago. They've all become Grandmasters and are now in the process of stabilizing their foundations," Ohema replied.
"That's great, then. I guess it's up to me now to see how much I've grown after that hectic tribulation," Klaus muttered.
Ohema turned and looked at him curiously as they walked closer to a small clearing with a large tree creating a canopy above. She wanted to say something but couldn't bring herself to, so she pressed her body closer to Klaus.
"You don't have to worry, Ohema. The heavens and I are like siblings—we're always trying to kill each other over something small," Klaus said with a smile.
"Siblings don't try to kill each other, Klaus; only enemies do," Ohema said with a thoughtful look.
"Well, then I think the heavens and I need to have a sit-down. But something tells me they're just getting started," Klaus grinned. "I'd better prepare for the next heist... err... tribulation." His smile widened.
A short while later, they climbed the small mountain. Beneath the tree, the ground was soft and inviting, covered in countless yellow leaves that littered the forest floor. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting a warm glow and creating a romantic setting.
Klaus quickly grabbed Ohema by the waist, lifting her so she wrapped her legs around him. Their lips met in a fierce kiss that lasted several minutes. They moved around under the tree, locked in each other's embrace, their kisses stretching on as time seemed to stand still.
"You missed me, huh," Klaus said, now sitting under the tree with Ohema on his lap. She looked into his eyes for a whole minute before tears began to roll down her cheeks.
"Hey... hey, what's the problem?" Klaus asked, now realizing something was wrong.
Ohema seemed so absorbed in her tears that she couldn't say anything for a full ten minutes. Klaus, of course, was doing his best to get her to stop crying.
He failed spectacularly, by the way.
"Tell me the truth, Klaus. Am I useless? I mean, as your woman, don't you think I'm useless?" she asked in a shaky tone. "I just watched you nearly die, and all I can do is kiss you and hold you. As your woman, I should be doing more, but this stupid body is just... too stupid."
Her emotions were in turmoil. Klaus didn't really know how to comfort a woman. His usual approach was to flirt and charm, but when it came to truly comforting someone, he had zero experience. Still, he tried.
"Look at me, Ohema. In my eyes, you're amazing—the best. I don't care whether or not we can have sex; I'd just love to keep holding you and kissing you. That's enough for me," Klaus said, genuinely meaning every word.
But his words did little to ease her tears. Klaus sighed, feeling out of his depth, and decided to ask for assistance.
"Senior, you wouldn't happen to be a player, would you? Because right now, I need some smooth advice to calm this fairy down," Klaus asked.
[That is one exquisite body your lady has,] the senior responded, catching Klaus completely off guard.
"Hold it right there, old man! You're not having any weird fantasies, are you?" Klaus asked, clearly taken aback.
[What are you talking about, brat? I was just admiring her constitution. A Virgin Poison Body… you're one lucky brat,] the senior said, hinting at something significant.
"What are you hinting at, Senior?" Klaus asked.
[Nothing serious, actually, but if you want a chance at attaining poison immunity, then you've found the right source,] the senior replied, making Klaus frown. Ohema was lost in her sorrow, so she didn't notice the look on his face.
"Senior, the Paragon Mark only works if I… well, if I have sex with her. But since she has such a dangerous body, I can't, unless I want to die from pleasure," Klaus said.
From what he knew, if he were to be with Ohema, her constitution would awaken, transforming her Virgin Poison Body into a True Poison Body. This meant that the moment he crossed that line, he'd be poisoned.
Although the idea of intimacy was enticing, it wasn't worth the risk.
But from the senior's tone, Klaus could tell he might know a way to circumvent Ohema's situation.
"Senior, do you have a way to fix her situation?" Klaus asked, sounding hopeful.
[Of course, I have a way, but that would depend on whether you're willing to risk it.]
"What do you have, Senior?" Klaus wanted nothing more than to help the woman on his lap. After all, he had other things to take care of; a lot had happened within his own body that he needed to examine.
[I have a technique that will allow her to take control of her Poison Body before it fully awakens. This means that, to some extent, she could control her body enough for you to help her awaken the constitution. However, you'd be taking a risk.
In her heightened state of pleasure, she might lose control and accidentally poison you. But I will also give you a cultivation technique that will allow you to suppress the poison, though the pain will be… very agonizing.]
Experience more on empire
[And when I said I would give you a technique to suppress the poison, I meant it would allow you to absorb it. If you succeed, you'll gain a poison resistance attribute, and as time goes by, you can start developing it toward poison immunity.]
"So, something like poison cultivation?" Klaus asked, intrigued by the way the conversation was going.
If he risked it, he would gain some poison resistance, but if he waited until she fully awakened her body, that chance would be lost forever.
"Let's do it, Senior," Klaus decided to risk it.
[Good. I will transfer the techniques to you now. But make sure your lady is ready before you take any risky steps. You might die smiling.]
"Thanks for the vivid and graphic warning, Senior," Klaus said with a smile as the techniques appeared in his mind.
He looked at Ohema for a few seconds and said, "If you stop crying, I'll teach you a technique that, if you master it, we can have sex without me dying."
Ohema's mood shifted instantly.
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