The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

Chapter 61: Leaving the Forbidden Zone

Boom!

A loud explosion echoed through the forest, followed by a heavy thud that shook the ground. A massive, 5-meter-tall Black Wolf lay lifeless on the earth. A clean, bloodless wound on its neck suggested it had been taken down with a single, swift attack—so quick that the monster never even had time to react.

Moments later, Klaus stepped over to the fallen beast. Calmly, he extracted the core and stored it in his space ring. Around the dead wolf lay the bodies of seven others, all Tier 5 Dark monsters. The massive one at his feet was a Tier 5 Terror Mutant—one of the strongest in the Ruin City Forbidden Zone.

”Thatʼs the last of them,” Klaus muttered to himself as he stored the bodies away.

After wiping out the Eastern and Central regions of Ruin City, Klaus had spent some time trying to create a Fire Lotus for his fire element just like he did with the ice element. But no matter how hard he tried, success eluded him. Growing frustrated, he turned to hunting monsters, determined to earn the 7 million experience points he needed to level up.

However, Ohema had warned him not to break through just yet. So taking her advice, Klaus refrained from mass genocide, choosing instead to pick his targets carefully. He only went after Tier 4 Dark monsters and above, ensuring his hunts were strategic rather than reckless.

Three days ago, a thought struck Klaus. Why not kill the strongest monsters in the remaining three regions before leaving? He didnʼt need a second opinion—he was alone, after all—so he made up his mind. Without hesitation, he carved a path into the Western Zone.

The battle was brutal. After slaughtering over fifty Tier 4 monsters, his actions finally provoked the Tier 5 generals of the regionʼs Overlord. Once angered, they came at him in full force. But now that Klaus had access to sword aura, his attacks were sharper and deadlier, slicing through his enemies with ease.

He faced seven Tier 5 Dark Monsters and killed each one. When the last one fell, the Overlord of the region emerged. Klaus took it down with just five swift attacks, sending the massive creature to its death. With the Overlord defeated, Klaus ventured deeper into the forest. To his surprise, he stumbled upon the creatureʼs hidden lair.

Inside, Klaus found something unexpected—High Tier monster cores. Delighted, he quickly pocketed them. Not one to waste time, he then moved on to the next region and repeated his assault. Three days later, he had managed to eliminate the major threats in Ruin City. Finally, he could sigh in relief.

However, while he was sighing in relief, others were fuming. After killing hundreds of Tier 4 monsters and dozens of Tier 5 monsters, his status on the City, Region, and Union Ranking Charts had risen.

This made many powerful people very angry, but Klaus didnʼt care about their feelings at this point. Suddenly, his phone started ringing.

”Hello, sweetheart. Missing me already?” Klaus said with a mocking smile. The screen showed Ohema.

”Tsk, who are you calling sweetheart?” she said, slightly blushing. ”By the way, today is the last day, right? You will be coming back to Ross City today, right?” Ohema asked hurriedly.

”Of course,” Klaus said with a smile. ”I miss my mom dearly. Even though I know sheʼll scold me, I canʼt wait to see her.”

”Of course, you can come too. My mom wants to meet you,” Klaus added, still smiling.

”Sorry, Iʼm busy right now,” Ohema replied. ”But once Iʼm free, Iʼd like to meet her.”

”Mm,” Klaus nodded. ”By the way, will you be joining the Selection for the Celestial Mountain Academy?”

Ohema paused for a moment before answering. ”Yes, Iʼm planning to. Why do you ask?”

Klaus shrugged. ”Just curious. It would be nice to see you in the academy.”

”Definitely,” Ohema said with a small smile. ”Just make sure you get in first before making promises you can keep.”

Klaus smiled back. ”Although I donʼt like to brag, I will. Just so you know, this big brother of yours doesnʼt say things he canʼt do. If I can kill Tier 5 Terror monsters with a single swing, Iʼm sure I can get into that academy without even trying.”

Ohema chuckled. ”I like your confidence. Itʼs refreshing. But remember, the Selection wonʼt be easy. There will be a lot of strong candidates.”

Klaus nodded. ”I know. But facing challenges is what makes it interesting. Iʼm ready for whatever comes my way.”

”Good attitude,” Ohema said. ”Just donʼt get overconfident. Even the best have their limits.”

Klaus laughed. ”Donʼt worry. Iʼll keep my feet on the ground. But itʼs nice to have someone rooting for me.”

”Of course,” Ohema replied. ”And Iʼll be cheering for you from the sidelines. Itʼs going to be exciting to see how far you can go.”

Klausʼs smile widened. ”Thanks. That means a lot. I hope you do well in the Selection too.”

”Iʼll do my best,” Ohema said. ”And who knows? Maybe weʼll both make it in. It would be fun to be classmates.”

Klausʼs eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. ”That would be amazing. We could help each other out. Even take baths together”

”Absolutely,” Ohema agreed. Then she paused, replaying Klausʼs last sentences in her mind. Suddenly, her cheeks turned rosy, and she glared at Klaus, who was smiling like an idiot.

”You scoundrel! Iʼll tell your mom about this when I meet her,” Ohema said, blushing slightly. Klaus just shrugged off her threat and continued their discussion.

A few seconds later, Ohema asked a question that slightly shifted Klausʼs mood.

”So, how are you going to deal with the people coming after you?” she asked.

”Iʼll tolerate them for now, as long as they donʼt threaten my momʼs safety,” Klaus said in a slightly cold tone. ”But that wonʼt last forever. Once I find my footing, Iʼll make sure to deal with every last one of them.”

Ohema looked at him for a few moments before speaking. ”Although my family isnʼt that big or strong, if you need anything, just let me know. We are friends, after all.”

Klaus nodded, grateful. ”Thank you. I appreciate it.”

After a few more casual conversations, Klaus hung up and began to leave. The past few days hadnʼt just been about killing monsters. Some people had tried to attack him over his spoils or because he had ranked above influential figures on the charts.

Of course, Klaus had dealt with them before they could gain the upper hand. He had also made sure to gather any clues from them before disposing of their bodies.

After taking all he could from the battlefield, Klaus started making his way back to the checkpoint where transportation would arrive for those who survived the last 7 days in the forest. Along the way, he encountered a few people also heading out.

Everyone recognized him and greeted him warmly. Suddenly, a sweet voice called out from behind. Turning around, Klaus saw a young lady who appeared to be about 17.

”Hanna, youʼve become stronger,” Klaus said, walking slowly so she could catch up. She was the same young lady who had approached him after he used the fireball to destroy the Eastern Region. Through her, he had learned more about the tracking devices they wore and the ranking system.

”Brother Klaus, youʼve become famous these past few days,” Hanna said, catching up to him. ”Youʼre now a top celebrity and warrior in the Northern Union.”

”Who cares about that?” Klaus shrugged, though deep down, he was more than happy to finally gain some recognition. Hanna smiled at his nonchalant expression.

”By the way, are you also from Ross City?” Klaus asked.

”No, Iʼm from Felin City,” Hanna replied.

”Well, you have my number, so whenever youʼre in Ross City, you can call me. Even though I donʼt know much about the city, Iʼll be sure to show you around,” Klaus said with an awkward smile. Truth be told, he really didnʼt know much about Ross City. He only knew the way to his home.

”Iʼll hold you to that,” Hanna said with a small smile.

They continued to walk side by side, chatting. Along the way, peopleʼs gazes often landed on them, and some even took secret photos. However, Klaus didnʼt mind. He was happy to have someone to talk to.

An hour later, they arrived at the checkpoint where they would be transported to the Border. From there, everyone would head to their respective cities.

”By the way, Hanna, will you be joining the Celestial Mountain Academy selection?” Klaus asked. Hanna just smiled faintly.

”I will, but I donʼt think Iʼll make the cut. Theyʼre only selecting 200 people from the thousands who registered. Iʼm just a Level 5 Ascended; my chances are very slim,” Hanna replied.

In response, Klaus reached into his space ring and pulled out four Tier 4 monster cores and four Tier 4 Zombie Cores. ”Take these. Use them to level up to at least level 8, and youʼll have a better chance. I look forward to seeing you among the 200 selected.”

Hanna was shocked beyond words as she looked at the cores in her hands. ”Thank you,” she said softly, tears falling from her eyes. Klaus smiled and gently wiped her tears.

”You can call me if you need anything. Although I canʼt promise I can solve all your problems, Iʼll be there for you.” Klaus saw himself in the girl. he can tell she is someone who has no one, the same situation he was in just a few weeks ago. So he didnʼt hesitate to make sure she had someone she could count on.

Just then, the shuttle arrived, and everyone eager to go home started boarding. Klaus pulled Hanna along, and soon they were in the shuttle. It began moving, heading back to the borders, which took just over an hour. Immediately after they arrived, Klaus was shocked to see a crowd of people each staring daggers at the shuttle. Clearly, they are there for him.

He was so overwhelmed that he didnʼt know what to do. Suddenly, a voice entered his head. Turning around, he saw some faces he recognized,

”Anna, what are you doing here” Klaus asked stepping down from the shuttle along with Hanna