Apocalypse Baby

Awkward.

That was the only word Alex could use to describe the mood in the room.

Malik looked like he'd left the planet—seated cross-legged, eyes closed, deep in meditation, his breathing slow and even.

Grugrim, on the other hand, was hunched in the corner, muttering to himself like a mad professor. Tools clinked softly as he worked, scrawling notes on parchment, adjusting tiny runes with obsessive focus.

Every few seconds, he gasped like he'd just uncovered some ancient secret.

At this point, he looked like a man who had discovered the cure to cancer—and was trying to recreate it from memory.

That left only two people still grounded in the present:

Alex and Vess.

Vess, who was staring at Alex, then turned away, saying nothing as she walked toward one of the viewing screens—hands behind her back, eyes locked on the arena feed.

Alex followed her lead, shifting his gaze to the arena as well.

On the stage, Sylen rose into view, lifted from beneath the arena floor. A platform carried him up with a mechanical grind, and the crowd erupted—cheers, applause, roars of excitement.

Alex watched for a second, then let his eyes drift sideways.

Vess stood motionless.

There was no excitement on her face. No interest. Just stillness.

From the outside, she looked like someone completely composed—a living statue carved from something ancient and powerful.

But Alex wasn't fooled.

Not for a second.

His eyes lit up, glowing faintly as he activated [GodEyes]. Power surged behind his gaze, the world shifting as his vision peeled back layers of illusion. And in that moment, he saw her—not the composed, silent observer she pretended to be, but the thing beneath the surface. What she truly was.

Then, without warning, Vess turned—sharp, sudden.

Her eyes locked onto his like twin blades snapping to attention.

"Why are you staring at me... human?" she asked.

Her voice was deep—not rough, but smooth, powerful. It carried a strange grace, like a voice meant for a goddess in some old myth. A voice you'd expect from the lead in a high-budget anime, playing the role of a divine queen.

Alex blinked and quickly turned his head away.

He cleared his throat and let out a small cough, trying to play it off.

"I was just wondering," he said, his voice steady now, "how someone with such a gentle demeanor… can be so cruel."

"Cruel?"

The tree-like woman tilted her head slightly, her brow furrowing in visible confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"The way you killed your enemy," Alex said, his tone lower. "It was... disturbing."

Something shifted in Vess.

Her posture didn't change, but vines along her arms moved—slithering slightly, curling like they were reacting to his words.

Her expression tightened.

Then she asked, voice calm but firm:

"Am I supposed to be bothered by how I kill my opponent?"

Alex shook his head slowly.

"…No. Not really."

Vess didn't blink.

Her eyes stayed locked on him like she was analyzing every word, every breath.

"Does it matter how I kill my opponent," she said, voice still and firm, "if the condition to win… is the death of your foe?"

Her tone was calm, but heavy—like a blade hidden under silk.

Alex gave the same answer.

"No. Not really."

"Then stop wasting time on the futile," she said, her voice suddenly rising, "and just prepare for your own matchup… human."

Alex blinked.

That came out rather aggressively.

And maybe she had a point.

He didn't know the Anima she killed—Kira. Hadn't spoken to her. Didn't know her story.

So really, her death wasn't his business.

But...

That didn't stop the chill still lingering in his bones—a bone-deep shiver that had first crept in the moment Vess sealed Kira in that strange, swirling bubble of death.

It wasn't just brutal—it was unnatural. Something about it made his skin crawl.

And that reaction, that creeping dread, wasn't ordinary.

Alex had seen death. Brutal death. Blood, screams, bodies torn apart. He'd survived worse than most.

But this?

This felt different.

His instincts—the same ones honed in battle, trained by survival—were telling him one thing:

Something about Vess was seriously wrong.

Alex didn't know what it was exactly—that strange, cold feeling Vess gave off—but he saw no point in digging any deeper.

Not now.

If he pushed her, it could easily turn into a fight. And that was the last thing he wanted. Not here. Not off-stage.

So, he did what made the most sense.

He let it go. At least for now.

As long as whatever was wrong with her didn't directly threaten him, there was no need to provoke anything.

With a quiet breath, Alex shifted his gaze back to the arena floor.

Another presence had joined Sylen on the stage.

Brakka.

The massive Kruckle stood tall, already putting on a show.

He threw his arms into the air, roaring at the audience like a wild beast showing off its fangs. The crowd roared back, feeding his energy. Brakka loved it—thrived on it.

Then he turned, jabbing a thick, clawed finger toward Sylen, throwing out threats with wild gestures like a predator taunting prey.

But Sylen didn't even blink.

The elf stood perfectly still—eerily calm, like the eye of a storm.Not even Brakka's wild energy shook him.

Out of everyone here, Sylen was the biggest mystery.

Alex didn't know much about him.

Brakka? Obvious. A hotheaded beast who probably got high off his own violence.

Malik—the arrogant demon who actually had the power to back it up.Easily the biggest threat in the room. The kind of presence that made everyone else feel smaller just by standing nearby.

Grugrim, the short but solid dwarf. Grounded. Practical. Curious to a fault. His intentions were probably the clearest out of everyone here: gather whatever resources he could to help his people win their war. Simple. Focused. No nonsense.

Then there was Vess. Calm and collected on the surface—yet clearly hiding something dangerous underneath. She had started sneaking glances at Alex now and then, and he was sure it was because she knew... he saw through her.

Then there was the last one…

Sylen, the elf.

Alex realized with a blink that they hadn't once interacted.

Not a word exchanged. Not even eye contact.

Heck, Alex wasn't even sure what the guy's voice sounded like.

Sylen had been so quiet, so still, that Alex hadn't gotten a single read on him. Nothing.

But that was about to change.

Because right now, Sylen was walking into a fight against a towering juggernaut fueled by rage and destruction.

Alex narrowed his eyes.

This fight would reveal everything.

Alex leaned forward, anticipation coiling in his chest, until...

Ding!

A soft chime cut through his thoughts.

[You have leveled up]

Alex blinked in surprise.

Now that… was unexpected.