The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

Immediately, everyone was ejected from Oracle because they couldn’t hold on anymore. They quickly made their way to the large hall where a big screen was supposed to show the rankings.

To their surprise, when they arrived, the screen was displaying Klaus taking down the last of seventy Tier 7 Spiked Wolves. They looked at the level, and when they saw Level 65, everyone’s jaws dropped.

“This Klaus—what is he made of?” a young lady asked, watching Klaus take out the monsters as if he were some kind of god.

“What? Are you shocked?” another lady replied. “Even my dad said they should have just offered him an inner disciple position and be done with it.”

“That would have been better. He is just too domineering. Just look at how he fights—like the monsters pose no threat to him.”

“I’m more excited about what’s on the 66th floor,” someone beside the two girls chimed in.

“Well, I envy him, though I know I will never reach his level of talent in this lifetime,” another person added.

Soon, everyone started commenting on their feelings. Some were in awe, while others were just frustrated. Klaus was simply too domineering. Those who hated him were struggling as they watched him accomplish things they couldn’t.

“Just wait. When we get to the academy, Big Brother and Big Sister will make your life a living hell,” Ella said under her breath, gritting her teeth.

Ethan and Max Duncan both wore the same look in their eyes, the kind that showed just how much they hated the white-haired bastard.

But contrary to their feelings, Klaus finally managed to bring down the last of the monsters, and without rest, he opted to continue.

He appeared on the 66th level, expecting another ominous-looking space. However, to his shock, he found himself in a rather familiar setting. He was in the same arena where he had battled the Mecha Zombie many times while working with the Nerds and Lucil to make Oracle better.

Klaus smiled, but then his eyes fell on the 2.5-meter-tall metallic figure standing 50 meters away from him and his eyes narrowed. The figure had jagged metal skin that seemed to consist of some kind of alloy that absorbed the darkness around it.

It wore a metallic helmet that revealed only its deep red eyes. In its hand was a long spear, and hovering behind it was a metallic ring—the same razor-sharp ring it had used during their training and testing.

“Are you ready?” Before Klaus could meticulously appraise the tall figure, it spoke in a robotic voice.

“Born ready,” Klaus replied with a smile.

His sword transformed into a spear, and the entire 64-inch length of the Void Piercing Needle appeared.

His eyes also changed from gold to red, something that caught many off guard.

Even from the screens, everyone who saw it broke into a cold sweat, instructors included. The announcement lady seemed unfazed, but she raised an eyebrow—perhaps surprised by Klaus’s red eyes or maybe because she hadn’t expected the final boss to be something this powerful.

‘Can he kill this thing? Even I don’t think I could,’ she sighed.

She was a Sage, but staring at the Tier 8 Mecha Zombie, she resigned herself to the fact that she wouldn’t be able to defeat it. In contrast, Klaus seemed eager to fight. He was thrilled to finally lay his eyes on something that could give him a real challenge.

BOOM

The Mecha moved, cracking the ground as it appeared before Klaus instantly.

“Fast,” Klaus thought, swinging his spear to meet the attack aimed at him. Boom! The two spears collided, sending shockwaves through the air. Klaus was pushed back a few meters, but he didn’t falter.

He lunged forward again, this time using a movement technique he had learned from Yuying called Phantom Steps.

When used, it made each step appear ghostly, making him hard to track. Klaus appeared before the Mecha, but instead of attacking directly, he turned around and slashed his spear backward. His spear met the razor-sharp ring as the Mecha launched a sneak attack with its spirit weapon.

Klaus’s back was exposed, but instead of taking advantage, the Mecha also turned and slashed its spear backward, intercepting the advance of the Void Piercing Needle. Klaus had launched his own sneak attack.

“Not bad, not bad at all,” Klaus laughed wholeheartedly as he jumped into another exchange with the Mecha. He could feel it—this Mecha was different from before. It was more powerful than the one he trained with and, more importantly, stronger than Klaus himself.

He was fighting a losing battle, or at least that was how it should have been. But Klaus didn’t see it that way. No, he saw it as a chance to test just how much he had developed.

Right now, it was purely a battle of strength. No skills—just a good old-fashioned spear fight.

Klaus lunged forward, his spear slicing through the air with fierce precision. The Mecha met him head-on, its spear flashing like silver lightning.

Their weapons clashed, sending sparks flying. The ground beneath them trembled with every impact.

The Mecha was far stronger than Klaus, so whenever they clashed, Klaus felt the force coursing through his body. But all of it only added to the thrill, the rush, the adrenaline. Klaus was having fun, and without even realizing it, twenty minutes had passed.

Klaus twisted his body, dodging a fierce jab from the Mecha. He retaliated, thrusting his spear toward its core, but the Mecha blocked, twisting its own spear in a brutal counter. Metal scraped against metal, the sound echoing through the arena.

Sweat ran down Klaus’s face, but his eyes stayed sharp and focused.

He shifted his stance, charging low, then springing up to aim a strike at the Mecha’s neck. The Mecha leaned back, its movements smooth, almost human.

It swung its spear in a swift arc, nearly catching Klaus off guard. He barely managed to parry, staggering under the force.

The Void Piercing Needle was also intercepting the Razor Disc. Right now, the focus was more on hand-to-hand combat, with only a strand of Klaus’s consciousness controlling the disc.

However, thanks to Klaus’s enhanced mental strength, it was mere child’s play for him. His senses covered the arena, ensuring nothing escaped his gaze.

It was a rather difficult feat, yet Klaus was pulling it off with a surprisingly calm expression. But the battle—more like a duel between old friends—was far from over.

They circled each other, both unyielding, eyes locked. Klaus grinned, tightening his grip. He spun his spear in a rapid flourish, launching into a series of relentless attacks. Each strike was faster, sharper, and heavier than the last. The Mecha deflected them all, each block precise, unshaken.

Klaus saw an opening. He lunged, his spear striking toward the Mecha’s core—but the Mecha anticipated it, twisting aside and bringing its spear down in a deadly arc. Klaus dodged, feeling the rush of air as the strike missed him by inches.

They clashed again, both refusing to relent. Each impact thundered through the arena. Neither side showed weakness. It was strength against strength, raw power in every move.

Klaus’s adrenaline was pumping so much that even after 40 minutes of pure, strength-based clashes with an opponent five realms above him, he wanted more.

He craved more.

Suddenly, the Mecha swung its spear, and a flame circle with a diameter of 400 meters appeared around them. The moment it appeared, Klaus felt his strength drop by 20 percent.

“We can’t have that now, can we?” Klaus muttered before switching to his sword.

“Demon Killing Circle,” he muttered as he swung his sword. In an instant, the effect of the fire ring was canceled, making Klaus’s grin widen.

“To the trial of skills and techniques, then.” His smile broadened as he activated his first skill—or rather, one of the skills he’d been holding back.

“Chaotic Nirvana Flame: Dragon Arm Guard.”