The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

”Hi, my name is Akutaq. You are the Renegade Hunter, right?” Along the way to the so-called inheritance ground, one of the youngsters approached Klaus and struck up a conversation.

He was once the Vampire Lord of the Magnus Clan.

”Yes, and you can just call me Klaus,” Klaus responded. He had no beef with Magnus or the other two, whom he planned to take with him.

The only people he had issues with were the Eight Doom Monarchs and the Celestial Supreme. They were his enemies since, in the past, they had cost him so much.

Of course, if he could get his blood into the systems of the Eight Doom Guards, he would most certainly be pleased.

Akutaq smiled and nodded. ”I have been following you for a while now. You are incredible,” he said with a gentle tone, sounding like someone who genuinely meant what he was saying.

Klaus simply smiled and replied, ”Glad to see someone who isn’t envious of my little achievements.”

”Little achievements? You, aside from the Paragon, are the only one who dares challenge a Celestial. That shows guts, so you should be proud.”

”I will probably regret some of my actions later, but I suppose, for now, I should be proud of myself.” Klaus laughed a little, recalling the good old days when he and his friends would wake up every day and go hunting powerful beasts.

For a moment, the Primordial Era had been blissful. That was until the Void Beasts came, and they were forced to battle them. Many universes fell at the hands of the Void Beasts, but the Primus Universe survived and, most importantly, produced powerful warriors.

”You should be proud, Klaus.”

Magnus said before turning to the side and pointing at the Immortal Lord, whom Klaus had already recognised as the incarnation of the legendary Blood Dagger Prince, one of the deadliest vampire warriors during the Primordial Era.

”That is my little brother, Yaxche. We are from a small clan in the Vampire Empire.”

Klaus nodded at Yaxche, who also nodded back.

’I suppose he is still the quiet type.’

Knowing the kind of person Yaxche had been in the past, Klaus didn’t bother trying to make conversation. In fact, during the entire time he had known Yaxche, the number of times he had spoken wouldn’t amount to a hundred.

His speech was conveyed through his daggers.

”So, what do you think the inheritances will be like?” Akutaq, however, was the complete opposite. He liked to talk, and Klaus, who had time on his hands, would certainly make time for him in this life too.

”Probably something out of this universe. Maybe we will even become the next legendary weapons the universe can depend on against the invaders.”

”I hope you are right.” Akutaq paused for a moment, perhaps wondering whether he should say anything. A few seconds later, he spoke, choosing to trust Klaus enough to reveal his feelings. ”I have this feeling at the back of my mind that our lives are in danger.”

Klaus put on a calm expression, fully aware that the Celestial Supreme was overhearing their conversation. Of course, he knew this was also his chance to make his move.

”My life has always been in danger, and so I learned to embrace it to the point that nothing in existence can threaten me. So rest assured, with me here, nothing will happen to you.”

Akutaq blinked a few times and nodded. ”For some reason, I feel like I can trust you.”

Klaus just laughed and turned to his right, meeting the gaze of the third person he planned on saving. He gave him a slight nod, and the man responded with one of his own.

Like old comrades, merely meeting each other’s gaze was all it took to convey their intentions. Klaus knew outside forces were at work here, but he trusted and believed they would pull through...

As for how he would manage that, the answer soon came when they reached a clearing where a large statue of a faceless man stood, looking imposing.

”Sit in the lotus position and open your souls. The inheritance will be transferred directly into your souls, so accept it when it comes. Do not resist, or the process will fail, and your lives will be in danger.”

’Icon, the time has come,’ Klaus said to Icon before sitting down and doing as he was instructed. For a moment, a grin formed on his face as he allowed the gate of his soul to open.

Far away on Planet Caelmir, Orion also grinned while seated inside the royal garden. Inside the second floor of the Inheritance Tower, Kaden also grinned.

In front of the fourth Void Vortex, Efad also grinned, happy both that he had cleared the vortex and that he was finally about to meet the bane of his painful reincarnations.

Asura, who was now seated on a barren planet somewhere far from Earth, also wore a grin on his face. And finally, Knox merely smirked and started channelling his energy.

His incarnations were ready, and so he, too, was ready.

[I am initiating the link now, Master.]

Icon said, and at once, Klaus sensed a link form between him and the three youngsters he intended to save. Using the link, he sent a drop of the purest version of his Star Monarch Blood Essence into each of them and held it in place.

[All set, Master.]

Klaus and everyone else gathered there suddenly felt a wave of power wash over them. Seated somewhere in the void, Axarax, the Parasite, laughed as he accessed the capacity of everyone’s soul.

The Celestial Supreme heard Axarax’s voice enter his head.

”Elorm, the Renegade Hunter, sure possesses a vast soul. He alone can take ten percent of my power. This means I will be descending with thirty percent of my power this time around.”

The Celestial Supreme grinned and replied, ”Congratulations, Master.”

”I am starting the process.”

He formed a hand seal before pointing it toward his forehead. A few seconds later, fragments of his soul essence appeared and vanished into the void.

Three hours later, a terrifying pressure descended upon everyone, causing them all to cough up blood...

”Hahahaha! Finally, I can take your bodies and descend into this universe as its true ruler. You should be grateful, for your pitiful lives will contribute to the rise of the legendary Axarax, the deadliest general of Lord Calamity, one of the Doomsday Lords.”

Just then, everyone felt a powerful blood essence enter their bodies, taking hold of their consciousness. They all passed out, except Klaus.

The Celestial Supreme smiled and turned to walk away. However, just as he took three steps, a voice entered his ears, causing him to freeze.

”I have always wondered what is rotten in this universe, little Elorm. It turns out you and that Parasite have been in cahoots all this time. It makes me wonder if he was the one who killed your parents and your entire family.”

The Celestial Supreme’s body trembled, and for the first time in a very long time, he became afraid. He slowly turned around, and lo and behold, Klaus met his gaze with a grin.

”I tried very hard to convince the universe that the heavens are corrupted. However, by inviting me here today, you have given me all the proof I need. Very soon, I will expose everything to the universe and make sure your days of ruling as the Celestial Supreme are over.”

Klaus stood up and met the hollow gazes of the Eight Doom Monarchs, whose bodies were now being possessed by Axarax.

”Your clone died when he fought my brother, Wukong, during the Primordial Era. This time, I will hunt down every last body you possess and make sure your dreams end inside the void.

”But for now, I will use the energy you have gifted me to become a god.”

”KILL HIM!”

Axarax screamed through all eight bodies.

However, before the Celestial Supreme could move, Klaus clenched his fist, and the item his Uncle Monk had given him shattered.

A vacuum space instantly formed around him and his three former friends.

”Uncle, until next time. Elorm... Axarax...”

Klaus vanished, and the three inside the vacuum vanished along with him.

”AAAAAHHHHHHGGGGHHHH!”

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[A/N: Thank you for staying with me from Volume I all the way to Volume X. Next, we begin the campaign that will determine how this novel ends.

Volume XI: Rise of the Paragon — Klaus Hanson]