Apocalypse Baby

As Alex hovered between consciousness and oblivion, he felt a cold rush of air hit his face, sharp and biting against his bloodied skin.

His whole body throbbed with pain, every nerve screaming.

He forced his eyes open, but his vision was hazy, blurred by exhaustion and injuries.

His gaze fell on something that made his heart jolt: he was high above the ground, soaring through the air.

He blinked, struggling to focus, and that's when he noticed the massive, scaled claws wrapped around him. They were gripping his body tightly, each talon digging painfully into his sides.

He realized at that moment that the Cockatrice King was carrying him, its powerful wings flapping as they cut through the air, each stroke of the creature's wings sending a gust of wind rushing past him.

The world beneath him was a dizzying blur of trees, rivers, and distant mountains.

He felt utterly helpless, dangling in the air like a broken doll.

Even if he wanted to fight back, he was too injured to even lift his arms.

His head lolled forward as exhaustion overtook him.

His strength was gone, his vision darkening again.

The next time Alex woke up, he found himself lying on solid ground.

His head was pounding, and every inch of his body ached as if he'd been hit by a truck.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, blinking against the faint light coming from above. Sunlight filtered down through a high, grated skylight, casting thin rays across the floor.

With a groan, he forced himself to sit up, his joints cracking as he moved.

The pain was intense, sharp, and unforgiving, and a high-pitched ringing echoed in his ears like he'd just stood too close to a blast.

He remembered those last chaotic moments: setting off the explosive he'd rigged.

The explosion swallowed both him and the cockatrice.

But it seemed like he hadn't taken the monster down.

Leaning back, he felt the rough stone wall behind him and took a slow, shaky breath.

The space around him was strange; when he looked out, he saw the vast, open sky stretching beyond the edge of what seemed like a narrow cliff ledge.

He tried to figure out how much time had passed, but he had no idea.

Only his [Minor Regen] skill was keeping him from passing out again.

Once the healing had done enough to make the pain dull, he pushed himself up, wobbling as he found his footing.

A rail ran along the edge of the cliff.

He reached out to grip it for balance, but the second his hand touched it, a jolt of electricity surged through his fingers, forcing him to yank his hand back.

Looking around warily he muttered:

"What is this place?"

It was like he'd ended up in some strange prison on the edge of nowhere.

Alex drew his weapon, [Eclipse Edge], and slashed at the iron gate in front of him. The blade struck with a loud *clang*, but to his frustration, the gate just pushed back, repelling his sword as if it were coated in some kind of invisible shield.

"What kind of barrier is this?" he said eyeing the gate suspiciously.

As he glanced around the area, he noticed the ground was littered with stones of all shapes and sizes.

A slow grin crept across his face.

This place has all he needed to make as many [Blastshards] as possible.

He picked up a rock and made a [Blastshard], thinking about using one to blow the gate open.

But in this narrow space, he'd probably catch himself in an explosion—again. The last blast had nearly finished him off, and he wasn't eager for a repeat while he was still aching from head to toe.

So he began gathering the stones, preparing a fresh round of makeshift explosives.

One by one, he set up small bombs around the prison wall using [Exploding Touch]

He didn't intend to use them just yet, but they'd be there in case he needed a quick exit.

As he worked, a familiar sound reached his ears—a flapping, like wings slicing through the air. He looked up and squinted into the distance, spotting a shadowy figure against the sky.

It grew larger as it drew closer, its outline becoming more distinct.

"Another cockatrice,' he frowned with a mix of irritation and relief.

"Perfect timing," he muttered.

At least now he might get some answers as to why was he thrown in here instead of being killed on the spot.

Not that he was complaining. He was grateful to be alive.

A massive shadow loomed as the cockatrice landed before Alex, its claws clicking against the stone floor.

Instantly, Alex recognized it wasn't the Cockatrice King who had overwhelmed him with terrifying strength and nearly broken him within minutes.

A part of him still shuddered at the memory, but he steeled himself, focusing on the creature before him.

This one wasn't nearly as powerful; it had to be a general, a subordinate.

The cockatrice eyed him, its sharp gaze filled with a mix of curiosity and judgment.

Alex locked eyes with it, refusing to back down.

Whatever intimidation it attempted was nothing compared to the suffocating aura of the king.

A title shimmered briefly in his vision, confirming his suspicion:

[Cockatrice General Talvok]

The cockatrice narrowed its eyes, and to Alex's surprise, it spoke, its voice raspy and laced with disdain:

"So, you're the creature that took down three high-ranking cockatrices and a general? Impressive."

Alex didn't flinch, and he certainly wasn't interested in small talk. He straightened, his expression cool:

"Where's Murzok? I have business with him."

The cockatrice's eyes flashed, and it hissed:

"You dare speak of the king in such a manner?"

Yet, its tone lacked true anger, sounding more like an empty threat than genuine outrage.

Alex raised an eyebrow, noticing the strange detachment in its voice.

He tilted his head, narrowing his eyes as he studied the creature.

There was something strange in the way the cockatrice spoke.

It lacked the reverence that every other cockatrice seemed to have when they mentioned their king. Instead, the general's words were sharp and dismissive.

The cockatrice sneered:

"A weakling like you shouldn't even mention the one who left you in this pitiful state. It's distasteful."

Alex smirked, picking up on the subtle hint of contempt in the creature's voice. He raised an eyebrow, his eyes glinting with realization.

"You...you have ill intent for your king don't you?"

The cockatrice's face twitched, its pupils narrowing as it shot him a deadly glare. For a moment, its mask slipped, revealing a spark of something darker—resentment, perhaps?

Alex's grin widened, his suspicions now confirmed.

He had found something he could exploit.

Alex said coolly:

"Look, I don't care why you hate him and I don't need to know. But... I have a proposal."

The cockatrice tilted its head, curiosity evident as it remained silent, waiting for him to continue. It hadn't shut him down, which was a good sign.

"Let's make a deal," Alex offered, pulling a small, glowing object from his pocket. It was an [Evolution Orb] shimmering with a faint green light—the powerful item he'd acquired after defeating the goblin boss.

[Evolution Orb: Creature]

[Use to raise the rank of any lower creature to the next tier.]

The cockatrice's eyes widened, its pupils dilating as greed overtook its gaze.

It took an involuntary step forward, unable to hide its desire.

The creature's eyes never left the orb, its beak twitching with need.

"Interested?"

Alex taunted, fiddling with the orb as he waited for the general's response.

The cockatrice's eyes widened, pupils, flaring with greed as it took an uncontrollable step closer to Alex, its gaze fixed on the shimmering Orb.

Alex grinned as he said smoothly:

"Here's the deal. You open these gates, and this is yours. With it, you could evolve and become as powerful as your king. Imagine that—no more orders, no more bowing. So, what do you say?"

The cockatrice's expression shifted, its eyes narrowing as it mulled over the offer.

Then, in a flash, its beak twisted into a dark smile, and it let out a sudden, ear-splitting howl.

A wave of sonic energy blasted forward, intending to knock Alex off his feet.

But Alex remained rooted in place, unfazed.

A glowing barrier, [Aegis Arcane], flickered to life around him, absorbing the impact of the sonic blast with ease.

When the attack dissipated, Alex shook his head with a disappointed sigh.

He had expected the cockatrice to try something.

With a flick of his wrist, the orb disappeared, vanishing back into his inventory.

Alex shook his head, slipping the orb back into his inventory with a smirk. "Guess you don't want this after all."

The cockatrice hissed, its eyes narrowing dangerously:

"Hand it over, and I won't have to torture you to get it."

Alex raised an eyebrow, feigning interest:

"Oh, torture me, huh? Sounds thrilling. What's your plan, exactly?"

"Don't test me, human," the cockatrice growled, stepping closer.

Alex's gaze hardened, his voice dropping to a deadly calm:

"I wouldn't try me, either. The second you open that gate with any ill intent, you're as good as dead. And that's not a threat—it's a promise."

The cockatrice froze, visibly shaken by Alex's chilling words. It took a step back, studying Alex with newfound caution, sensing a danger it hadn't noticed before.

Somehow, it almost felt as if he was the one imprisoned and being watched.

The cockatrice shook its head, torn.

The allure of the orb was undeniable—with it, it could evolve, challenge the king, maybe even take the throne. It weighed its options, then slowly said:

"Alright, then... let's make a deal."