Apocalypse Baby

There were others too—Most of them new realm players.

Every single one of them was still standing like nothing was happening.

Some of them even had their arms crossed, heads tilted, like they were bored.

Not a drop of sweat.

Not a flinch.

It was like the pressure didn't even exist for them.

Too comfortable…

Alex didn't like that.

Then, without warning, the Proctor raised his hand again.

And the pressure increased.

BOOM!

The aura slammed down again.

Harder. Heavier.

Like a second wave in a tsunami, crashing right on top of the first.

WHUMP!

Three more players dropped.

One let out a sharp scream, clutching his head as he curled into a fetal position. His body twitched once… then vanished in a flash of light.

The second toppled over like a statue—stiff, silent, and frozen mid-breath before hitting the ground with a thud. Gone.

The third fought it, his knees buckling.

Gritted his teeth.

Yelled.

Really hit that super saiyan note.

But he was not that guy.

He collapsed, eyes rolling back, and vanished like the others.

Three gone. Just like that.

Alex exhaled slowly.

He was starting to feel the pressure now.

The proctor raised his hand again.

BOOM.

Another spike in pressure.

But this time… no one fell.

Alex grit his teeth slightly.

Damn… it's getting real.

His gaze flicked toward Adam and Mikel.

And he noticed their posture hadn't change. Not even a little.

Adam stood like a statue—arms folded, eyes half-lidded like he could fall asleep.

Mikel looked almost bored, like this was beneath him.

They're not even flinching... Alex thought, eyebrows twitching.

The laid-back attitude from the new realm players was getting under his skin.

The proctor raised his hand again.

BOOM.

Another spike in pressure.

A few players staggered—one guy grunted, sweat dripping from his brow—but they stayed up.

Alex shifted his footing, rolling his shoulders as if brushing off the invisible weight pressing on him.

This pressure… it's no joke.

Then, without warning—another increase.

WHUMP.

It felt like the air had turned to concrete, weighing down on every inch of his body.

Alex let out a sharp breath through his nose, jaw clenching as the pressure sank deeper into his bones.

Still standing. Still good.

But his eyes weren't just on himself.

He scanned the new realm players again, narrowing his gaze.

That strange energy…

It was flowing off them in visible waves now—like steam rising from hot metal. It crackled around them, pulsing with power.

It's the same energy I saw before...

Back when Adam got possessed by his deity.

That same eerie aura was leaking off almost all of them now.

And suddenly, it clicked.

That's it. That's why they're not breaking a sweat.

That energy or whatever it is... was protecting them. Empowering them.

Alex's hands clenched at his sides.

He didn't have whatever that was. Not yet.

That was exactly why the strain hit tutorial players more than the new realm.

Another increase.

Alex pressed his lips together in a tight line.

His breath hitched. Inhale, exhale—it took more effort now, like each breath was being dragged through mud.

His body was starting to protest. The weight of the pressure wrapped around him like chains, making each muscle scream. His legs felt like lead, each second dragging him closer to his breaking point.

But he was still standing.

He locked his knees and pushed himself taller, refusing to buckle.

His vision blurred a bit at the edges, but he fought it back.

It was too damn early to fall, too embarrassing to lose at the first selection.

That wasn't how this was going to end.

The proctor's head tilted slightly, as if he were amused by the struggle of the players.

Then, without warning, the pressure surged again.

A shockwave of invisible force slammed into the players, and two of them dropped instantly.

One guy staggered, struggling to keep his footing.

His legs shook like jelly, and he tried to push himself up, but his body betrayed him.

He wobbled once... twice... before he collapsed face-first onto the ground with a low grunt.

The second player, a girl, let out a sharp scream, desperately clawing at the floor, her fingers digging into the stone like she could stop the force. But it was no use.

Her body shimmered once, then vanished, as if she'd never been there.

Now fifteen players were gone.

More than half had fallen.

Only fifteen remained.

Alex felt his muscles strain harder now, his body starting to protest against the weight pressing down on him.

But he gritted his teeth, fighting it off.

His grip on the ground tightened as he held his stance, refusing to give in.

He needed to steel is resolve.

Things were only going to get worse from here.

He steadied himself, drawing in a deep breath.

His eyes flickered over to check the state of other players—some were in a visibly worse state than him.

Alex nodded inwardly.

He only needed to outlast them.

But he wasn't about to get complacent.

If it came down to it, he'd pull out everything he had.

[Aegis Arcane] would shield him from this crushing pressure, a barrier of mystical defense he could rely on when things got tight. And if that wasn't enough, [Titan God's Wrath] would skyrocket his strength—making him an unstoppable force.

His options were ready.

He just needed to stay steady and wait for the right moment.

The proctor, clearly seeing the number of players had been cut in half, narrowed his eyes.

The air around him crackled, a surge of energy building with ominous force.

Then his voice cut through the heavy silence.

"I will now… switch things up."

Everyone tensed.

Alex's heart skipped as he readied himself.

Even the seasoned new realm players dropped turned serious.

They knew what was coming. It was about to get real.

Without another word, the proctor's hand shot up.

BOOM!

The ground seemed to tremble as a wave of pressure slammed into everyone like a collapsing mountain.

Alex's eyes widened as his knee almost it the ground.

"Seriously!"

The proctors' aura's pressure didn't just increase—it tripled.

The pressure earlier that felt like a steady 5 now felt like a brutal, suffocating 15, crushing down with the force of a hundred suns.