The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

“What the hell just happened?” KKKickinIt of Controversial News asked her expression one of shock, awe, and disbelief. And it wasn’t just her—everyone who watched Klaus’s one-sided dominance was left in a similar state. What happened was just too shocking.

She stayed silent for a few seconds, and once she calmed down, she spoke.

“There you have it, folks. Klaus Hanson—yes, our very own Klaus Hanson—not only slapped the legacies, but he also showed that, without even lifting a hand, he could take down hundreds of Saints, Sages, and Great Sages.

“I don’t know about you folks, but this scares me. How could a mere Master-stage expert bring bona fide Great Sages to their knees? Makes me wonder what else he’s hiding. But hey, they asked for it, and he delivered. The only question left is, ‘What will the legacies do next?’

“Will they let this slide, or will they hit back hard again? Personally, I think they don’t have anything left in their arsenal, but if they do, I’d like to know fast.

“Many of you might be wondering how a mere master stage expert could show such overwhelming power. The answer is, I don’t know, and nobody else does either. He’s a mystery at this point.

“So, the only question is, ‘Who is Klaus Hanson?’

“Once again, it’s KKKickinIt with Controversial News. Later, y’all!”

The aftermath of Klaus’s one-sided dominance left the entire world in shock. Such awe was usually reserved for when a Tier 8 or higher monster was defeated—a feat typically achieved by a War God or Goddess.

However, ever since Klaus has awakened, things have changed. From the moment he ascended, his name has never stopped making waves, from braving hordes of zombies to exterminating an entire race of them.

His legend never ceases to grow. And now, he has done it again, though this time, with astonishing ease. The legacies—Ella, Max, and Ethan—stared at their screens in a daze, unsure of what to do.

They sent about 90% of their guards to stop Klaus, but now, those guards have all been turned into traumatized warriors. They can no longer wield weapons after the horrors Klaus has put them through.

But while that loss was something they could manage, the real blow came with the realization that they hadn’t just lost their guards but also their power. Though they are still legacies, their influence has diminished considerably.

With less than a couple of dozen guards left, they’re facing a major setback. And if that wasn’t enough, their sister had lent them her men, who have also been left as shattered shells, unable to ever return to their posts.

They got the entire Triple Zero Mercenary Group killed, a devastating blow to their status as legacies. Klaus made sure they felt the pain. Now, every Merceneray group would think a million times before taking up an offer from them

While he could justify killing all 730 who came to stop him, part of the reason he held back was that he didn’t want his mother to witness such brutality. However, he couldn’t stop himself from killing the mercenaries.

Although he could have turned them into dummies as he did with the other 590, he didn’t want more innocent blood spilled because of his leniency. Some might recover, perhaps after a few years, but the chances are slim.

Even so, Klaus wasn’t known for his leniency. He knew Fruity wasn’t, and Number Three had already told him he was being too cautious—a point Klaus acknowledged. He has been very careful, until now.

This time, he wouldn’t hold back his punches, especially, against hateful people like the legacies and the dark order.

Though the Great Sages he killed today weren’t the best or the brightest, Klaus knew he had succeeded by using the soul strength of the Saints and Sages to fuel his attack.

He believed he could handle a Great Sage with his own soul strength. there was no need to rely on external sources. But he knew this display would send a message, and it did.

Now, everyone began to reevaluate Klaus’s nature. The question that kept floating in everyone’s mind was, “Who is Klaus Hanson?”

***

“You know, I expected a battle where Klaus would have to use all his tricks to wiggle his way out, but this… this is just too much,” Dharma, the Pink-Eyed Overlord, said, watching replays of Klaus’s dominance.

“This Klaus Hanson is scarier than we thought,” another overlord added, sounding more impressed than he let on.

Around the room, the seven legacies all wore expressions that showed they were both shocked and impressed by Klaus’s overwhelming power.

“A few more years, and even we wouldn’t be able to handle him,” Sorrine, the Ice Union Overlord, remarked.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Sori. We all know that once someone becomes Transcendent and starts forming their law, their power increases several-fold with each level-up,” Dharma said with a sarcastic smile.

“Although this kid is powerful, unless he somehow manages to start forming a law, taking on Transcendents isn’t something he can even dream of, let alone challenging us Ascendants.”

“But still, the kid is just too abnormal. I really need to meet him and find out more about his secrets,” Sorrine said.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Nari interjected, narrowing her gaze at Sorrine.

“Oh? And why shouldn’t I?” Sorrine challenged.

“Because that’s big sister’s boyfriend, and she wouldn’t want him to be probed by an ice viper,” Nari said, not bothering to hide her discomfort.

“Oh, please, we both know you’re just making that up. The Leader would never date someone like him,” Sorrine replied.

The other four overlords, along with the unusually quiet fourth lady Overlord, glanced at the Fire Queen and the Ice Queen but chose not to get involved.

This was typical. One might expect the four lady overlords to team up against the four male overlords, but Nari, the fire-type overlord, and Sorrine, the ice-type overlord, never seemed to see eye to eye.

Though it wasn’t the kind of tension that would break their cooperation, they just didn’t agree on much of anything. As they say, fire and ice don’t mix.

“Do whatever you want. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Nari replied, ending the conversation. As much as she’d like to keep sparring with the annoying Ice Queen, she knew Sorrine was only teasing her.

“Don’t worry, my Fire Queen. I won’t steal the Leader’s boyfriend,” Sorrine said, noticing that, for the first time in a while, Nari was genuinely serious about something.

“Tsk, as if you could do anything. Big sister has already made her move, so although I’d love to see the disappointed look on your face when Klaus rejects you, it’s best not to tempt him,” Nari replied with a tone suggesting she was hiding something.

“Nari, what are you hiding?” the other lady overlord asked, drawing the attention of the others, who turned their gaze to Nari. She only smiled and disappeared.

“Damn, that fire lady…” Sorrine cursed, while the others gritted their teeth.

One by one, they left the hall. Klaus had surprised them, but instead of leaving in a cheerful mood, Nari had spoiled it by baiting them with something she had no intention of sharing.