The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

“Pardon my rudeness, seniors, but as you can see, I came here for a reason — and that reason concerns you all,” Klaus said after taking his fourth sip of tea.

The four new arrivals were all powerful beasts, each at the first level of the Ascension stage.

Klaus didn’t know how, but these four existed, yet none of the sea beasts he had killed or captured had ever mentioned them.

This could only mean one thing…

…the sea beasts were more than they appeared. And now, looking at these five beings, who could topple the surface world and lay waste to much of it, Klaus understood why.

“I suppose it is only befitting of the leader of the humans to be simple. However, being able to sense us while just at the Ascendent stage is quite impressive.

That said, I am Kaumo, the Overlord of the Pacific Ocean,” said the Abyssal Leviathan. Klaus nodded with a smile.

He had to admit — if this conversation ended well, then the heavens wouldn’t know what hit them.

He could already see and sense it.

The five overlords before him had all awakened their bloodlines, soul bodies, and innate domains. All three basic attributes of a warrior were awakened within them, making them five of the strongest existences on Earth.

If he were to give them his blood, the chances of them evolving even further would be high.

“I am Thalyra, the Overlord of the Atlantic Ocean.”

Klaus nodded.

The third overlord had a unique appearance.

She has golden-bronze skin, long, wavy, deep-blue hair streaked with green, eyes like emeralds, and a statuesque figure.

Klaus could already picture her drawing all the attention whenever she appeared in public.

“I am Orvyn, Overlord of the Southern Ocean.”

“And I am Neryssa, Overlord of the Arctic Ocean.”

Klaus smiled. “I am Klaus Hanson, Overlord of Earth.”

The five overlords raised their brows at his words. They could tell he meant every word, and that alone made them view him differently.

“Then I suppose you’ve come here to ask us to become your subordinates, considering you’ve already taken all the capable fighters away and even killed quite a few,” Kaumo, the Abyssal Leviathan, asked.

Klaus nodded.

“I would love nothing more than to let you all be, but that isn’t possible. I know it may be hard to believe, but soon enough, something major will happen to Earth — and if you aren’t on my side, the outcome will be disastrous.

So while becoming my subordinate may seem like a headache, know that in a way, it’s good for you.”

The five overlords didn’t respond immediately; instead, they contemplated his words.

A few moments later, Neryssa, the Overlord of the Arctic Ocean — and the second siren Klaus had ever met on Earth — asked a question that made him raise a brow.

“Are you concerned about the Awakening?”

“You know about the Awakening?” Instead of answering, Klaus asked.

All five nodded.

“How?”

“We just knew the moment we reached the Ascension stage,” Kaumo replied. “We don’t know how, but it came to us — and as the days pass, we can feel it drawing closer.

Now, the seal is breaking, and while we’re not sure if that’s what keeps making us uneasy, we know soon enough the whole world will be in danger.”

Klaus nodded. “The seal is merely a lock placed on a long-lost kingdom. I’m not sure of the specifics, but it turns out the seal is breaking — and in a week, a great battle will happen.

That is not the Awakening. The main event will come soon enough.”

“In that case,” Thalyra spoke, “we are ready to become your subordinates. But you must promise us: after the Awakening, if we still live, you will free us to return to the sea, where no human will disturb us.”

“I can do that. Of course, if you wish, I will even take you to any world out there you fancy.” Klaus smiled and produced a couple of fruits.

Now that his soul sea had upgraded to a level he himself didn’t yet fully understand, the plants growing on the island within it were surrounded by incredible energy — and they were maturing far faster than ordinary plants.

So he now has more powerful fruits inside his soul sea.

“Eat up,” he said. “These contain some of the energy your bodies need.”

They began eating while Klaus explained the arrangements to them, and after ironing out a few details, they all accepted.

“Since you’re already at the Ascension stage, there’s no need to hide anymore. However, since there’s no time for you to take my blood, you will stay here for now. When the battle is about to begin, I will summon you.”

“How is that possible?” Orvyn asked. “We haven’t formed any contract yet — so how can you summon us?”

Klaus smiled. “You’ve eaten my fruit, so summoning you won’t be a problem.”

They could only stare at Klaus, who smiled knowingly. After a while, he turned and left.

The seal would break in a few days, and he planned to work on a few more things and also meet with the King and Queen of the Bast race, along with their elders, to discuss how the battle would proceed.

Naturally, Klaus was ready to fight at any time, but since the Bast Race had their own elite warriors, he wanted to understand them better before the main event.

After he left, the five overlords of the sea remained behind, each silently absorbing the weight of the conversation.

“Looks like this Klaus Hanson is much more interesting than he appears,” a new voice suddenly said, filling the room.

The five overlords immediately stood and bowed.

“Empress of the Sea,” they greeted as an ethereal beauty entered.

She wore a veil over her face, revealing only her piercing golden eyes — eyes just like Klaus’s — and her white hair, also like his.

The five overlords looked obedient; those still chewing quickly swallowed.

They seemed to respect her more than their own pride and dignity.

The lady stopped at the head of the table and sat on a throne that seemed to rise from the earth itself. She glanced at the five overlords and smiled softly.

“No need to be so polite, you five. I already told you — we’re a family here. Just sit down and pass me one of those fruits.”

One of them handed her a fruit, but she didn’t eat it. Instead, she took it and stored it in her space ring.

“How can we help you, Empress?” Malma, the sea dragon, asked.

“Very simple,” she replied. “I want you five to do everything in your power to protect him. The battle to come is not one he can win alone, and you five are a key part of securing victory. Play your roles well, and the reward will be greater than you could ever hope for.”

They all nodded solemnly.

“How about his blood? Should we take it?” Kaumo asked.

The lady’s lips curved into a knowing smile. “You will regret it for the rest of your life if you don’t accept his blood.”

With that, she rose and left, her presence fading like mist on the sea.

The five finally let out a collective sigh.

“Is that how powerful we’ll become once we reach the next stage?” Malma asked quietly.

The others could only smile faintly and shake their heads, unable to find the words to express their feelings.