Apocalypse Baby

Multiple attacks raced toward Alex—blazing fire, streaks of lightning, and razor-sharp wind blades.

But Alex just grinned.

Then, in a flash, he dashed forward.

Kato's eyes widened on seeing this.

Approaching head-on?... Was he insane?!

Just as it seemed Alex was about to collide with the attacks, he jumped!

A powerful lunge sent him soaring over the deadly magic.

Then, the moment he landed, he slammed his foot into the ground, activating [Earth Stomp].

BOOM!

The earthquake-like tremor sent Kato, Aikio, and Isla stumbling.

Even those watching from a distance felt the impact.

Kyiv, still trapped in the ground, gritted his teeth as pain surged through his already-buried leg.

Alex took advantage of the chaos.

He pulled out Shadow Fangs—the pair of deadly dual blades he had once looted from a goblin scout.

It had been a while since he used them.

No time to hesitate.

His eyes locked onto his first target, Isla.

Unlike the others, she struggled the most to regain her balance.

The decision was instant.

Alex activated [Fast and Furious], his body becoming a blur as he closed the distance in the blink of an eye.

As Alex closed in on Isla, his blade was already poised to strike.

But...

FLASH!

Her staff glowed, and in an instant, she blinked away, teleporting to another spot.

Oh?

Alex muttered after his blade stabbed nothing but air.

His momentary surprise cost him.

WHOOSH!

A sudden shadow loomed over him.

Akio's massive axe came crashing down from above in a brutal overhead swing.

And Alex barely had time to react, as he jumped back!

CRASH!

The axe slammed into the ground, cracking the stone beneath it.

But Alex had landed right into the path of Kato, who was already in motion.

SHING!

A quick-draw slash flew toward him, Kato's blade glowing with fiery energy.

WHOOSH!

Alex twisted his body at the last second, dodging by a hair's breadth—

But the searing heat of the blade as it whizzed past him still burned his skin.

Then...

BOOM!

A magic blast struck him from the side!

The impact sent him tumbling across the battlefield.

Alex exhaled sharply, his [Aegis Arcane] barrier flickering, now cracked from the force of the attack.

Alex let out a heavy exhale, his lips curling into a grin.

His pulse pounding.

This was getting fun.

[Danger Sense] was the only thing keeping him from getting torn apart—it was making him react just fast enough to avoid the attacks.

But that wasn't enough.

He needed an extra layer of caution.

As he rose to his feet, he activated [Foresight], his vision sharpening, his mind calculating every possible move his enemies could make.

But then...

CRACKLE!

A cage of energy suddenly erupted around him, sparking and hissing like a storm trapped in midair.

Alex's eyes snapped toward Isla.

Her staff was raised, both hands glowing with power.

Then she clenched her fist.

The lightning cage twisted, its bars unraveling into a writhing net of energy and it surged toward Alex, ready to bind him like a snake coiling around its prey.

But...

FWUMP!

Alex sank into the ground like it was liquid, his body vanishing into the earth just before the net closed in.

The lightning snapped shut around empty space.

Then...

SHOOP!

He reappeared several meters away from the trio.

Kato's eyes widened in shock for a moment—then he grinned.

Alex was struggling.

He was getting pushed back.

Knew it.

Alex wasn't as strong as everyone made him out to be.

And Kato was going to prove it.

If they kept this up, Alex wouldn't last much longer.

Kato tightened his grip on his sword's hilt, his eyes locked onto Alex.

He turned to Akio, voice sharp.

"Let's go."

Without hesitation, the two charged forward, their movements perfectly in sync.

Above them, Isla raised her staff, summoning a pulsing orb of energy.

The orb whirled and flickered, before unleashing a continuous stream of energy blasts, each one homing in on Alex's position as Akio and Kato closed in.

Alex gritted his teeth.

He had to break their momentum.

Now.

He rushed forward, taking two quick leaps, then screamed—

[Sonic Howl]!

A powerful shockwave erupted from his mouth, tearing through the air like a hurricane.

BOOM!

The force slammed into Akio, sending the barbarian stumbling back.

But Kato?

He was faster.

A blur of movement—then—

CLANG!

His flaming sword clashed against Alex's Shadow Fangs, sparks flying as the two locked blades.

Kato grinned, pushing against Alex's weapons.

"Hah... I thought you were hot shit... but turns out you're just trash."

Alex met his gaze, eyes flashing.

"Is that so?!"

With a swift motion, Alex threw a kick—

His heel slammed into Kato's chest, forcing him back.

But before Alex could regain his footing...

WHAM!

Multiple streaks of blazing energy slammed into his side.

Isla's attack finding its mark.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

The battlefield shook with each blast, fire, and smoke swallowing everything in sight.

For a moment, no one could see through the haze.

Alex's fate was unknown.

Had Alex been hit? Killed?

Was he injured?

Was he...

As the smoke cleared, there was nothing.

No body. No trace.

Kato's instincts flared, a cold sensation crawling up his spine.

From the side!

He swung his sword, reacting on pure instinct—

SWISH!

Nothing.

His blade cut through empty air.

Then...from below.

THWACK!

A solid kick struck upward, slamming into his jaw.

Alex had emerged from below, one hand braced against the ground as he drove his heel into Kato's chin with his flip-flop.

Kato's head snapped back as he was sent flying.

He crashed in the distance and Alex moved to follow up, his eyes gleaming savagely, but...

WHAM!

Akio dropped from above, his massive axe swinging down in a devastating arc.

CRACK!

The ground split apart, deep fissures tearing through the battlefield as the force of the attack ripped stone like paper.

Alex gritted his teeth, twisting his body mid-air before leaping back, just barely dodging the strike.

He landed smoothly, dust swirling around his feet.

His eyes flickered between Akio and the recovering Kato.

He was so close—he could see the perfect opportunity to finish off Kato but Akio had intervened.

He had to admit…

Their teamwork was good.

Akio, the barbarian, came charging forward, his massive axe gleaming under the light as he swung with raw power.

Alex stayed calm and used.

[Petrify]

Akio's movements slowed, his body stiffening as the spell took effect.

Alex didn't waste a second.

He extended a hand, and a faint gray glow pulsed from his palm,

Then it ignited, dark flames twisting around his fingertips.

[Black Flame]

But before he could release it...

ZING!

A sharp, needle-thin energy beam came flying at him—insanely fast.

From Isla.

She had sensed the danger of Alex's attack and countered immediately.

Her spell was special—a lethal assassination skill.

It had almost no mana signature, meaning it couldn't be easily detected until it was too late.

A perfect kill shot.

But—

To her utter shock, Alex reacted instantly.
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As if he had been expecting it.

Instead of dodging, he lifted the same hand he had raised for [Black Flame], the energy beam striking his wrist.

CLANG!