The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

One of the 13 monarchs.

The Monarch of Despair was a leader back when the Mirror Universe was at its peak. They called it the Nightmare Universe because all the disruptors were nightmares.

The Primordial Era was meant to be the ascension event that would see the known universe clashing with the Nightmare Universe…the uprising.

This clash was meant to determine who would get to live and ascend to the ranks of a Primal Universe.

But that never happened. Paragon stopped that. He broke the natural rule that was set for that event to happen.

The Universe runs on rules.

These rules determine when and who gets to live. These rules cannot be opposed. These rules are meant to hinder or upgrade the universe.

It hinders because going against the Nightmare Universe was just suicide.

However, back then, in this known universe, one person doesn’t play by the rules. That person was Klaus’s first incarnation.

It was not recorded, but the day the Paragon of the First stepped inside the Nightmare Universe was the day the known universe was saved and set on a different path.

Then the next era came, and another Paragon prevented whatever was meant to come. The following era was also the same.

However, in doing so, the universe was being strengthened, but that was also what they called Karma. It kept growing, but it also kept accumulating Karma.

Universes are meant to rise and fall, but this one was escaping at every turn. Now, it has come full circle, and the next Paragon has appeared.

But this time, it was different, and the universe, alongside the Heavenly Dao, knew that. So, they knew what was about to happen, and Klaus also knew what had to be done.

He would also have to prevent a great calamity this time if he had prevented nine extinction events. But to do that, he must use the three chances each Monarch would give him.

He didn’t just go against these five Monarchs because he wanted to; no, he had a purpose, and this purpose was now projected before him in the form of seven skills that could make or break an entire universe.

Klaus kept staring at the seven skills for 10 minutes but didn’t know what to do.

“I know how dangerous the [Face of Despair] and [Falling into Despair] can be. However, I have no idea what any of those five left can do. This is not a decision I can make easily. Wasting it would be my loss.”

Klaus pondered on it for several more minutes until he suddenly seemed to gain clarity.

“That’s it. I need to first remember my past. I knew of the [Face of Despair] and [Falling into Despair] because of Fruity, who also had the bead back then. So, who is to say he hadn’t come into contact with the rest of the skills?

Clearly, these Monarchs hadn’t met any of my incarnations since the Primordial Era. It can only mean that my incarnations used some, if not all, of these skills throughout the nine reincarnations.

If this was so important that I had to appear here today, I can only be patient and get to know the weaker versions of the true deal. Then and only then can I make a decision.”

Klaus could tell it—the skills he already had, for some reason, weren’t the true thing.

In fact, the only thing he saw that was somehow the real deal was the [Bell of Harrows]. But even he wasn’t sure, so he had to wait.

Fruity once had the bead, and it was through him that he knew of the [Face of Harrows] and [Face of Despair]. So, if he wants to get the best out of this arrangement, he can only have patience.

“I met Paragon, and like the others describe him, he is very calculated. He doesn’t make a decision or set plans without having strong confidence in them.

I can’t rush this at all.”

Klaus kept staring at the tablet for another hour. He sighed and decided to leave the space. As expected, he was ejected out, leaving the stone tablet inside.

The bead was, for now, a space housing the five nightmares or, as Despair called themselves, five monarchs

When he left, five people appeared, each having the same features but different colors. Clearly, these five were the Monarchs Klaus had defeated and imprisoned aeons ago.

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“He never changes, does he?” one of them, with a red horn, asked, looking at the space where Klaus had stood. He was the Monarch of Harrows, Nevill.

“Indeed. I tried to threaten him, but he saw through it and even made me break into a sweat. For some reason, I think this time he will succeed. He is different in a way this time around,” the Monarch of Despair said.

“Then this can only mean what he bragged about that time was actually a success,” the Monarch of Anarchy, Vernon, said, expressing that he didn’t care whatsoever.

“Then what do you think he will do? I mean, while he doesn’t know yet, we five are the only remaining monarchs of the Nightmare Universe, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be a replacement from somewhere else,” the Monarch of Starvation, Heath, asked.

“That is his problem to worry about. Our deal with him was that we would give him three skills each, and in return, he would take us with him to the Primal Universe before the Ascension.

The only thing we should worry about now is when that will be and whether he will be able to live up to his end of the deal,” the Monarch of Discord, the most dangerous of them all, said.

He is known as Espen, but he prefers to be called Discord, for whenever he speaks, confusion arises, even among allies.

As expected, the four with him frowned, but they recovered quickly, considering they were also monarchs. However, they didn’t indulge in his question.

“Let’s give him all the time he needs. We waited for aeons; we can wait for a few more. In the end, it’s not like we can escape this place. But even if we do, this universe wouldn’t let us live for even a minute.

In a way, we are now trapped in a situation where we have no advantage whatsoever. We can only trust our enemy and hope that one day, he can live up to his end of the bargain,” Allister said, making his fellow monarchs nod.

They will wait for Klaus to make a decision…