Apocalypse Baby

Together, Nancy and the rest of the group faced the tiger boss.

It was unlike the regular ones they had just fought before.

The tiger's movements were fast—too fast—and its strength seemed endless.

Even though the creature had been pierced by arrows, slashed by swords, and pummeled with magical attacks, it still kept fighting.

It wasn't showing any signs of slowing down.

"We can't keep this up much longer!" Jonah thought to himself, his sword slick with blood. They needed a game changer someone with power like Alex's.

But Alex wasn't moving.

He was standing there, an unmoving figure in the chaos.

"Alex! We need you to use [Petrify]!"

Jonah called, his voice desperate.

But Alex didn't respond.

Jonah's frustration boiled over, and he clicked his teeth.

There was something off about Alex, something that wasn't right, but Jonah couldn't afford to figure it out now.

Not when the group was in danger.

With renewed determination, the group pressed on.

Every attack they threw at the tiger seemed to only anger it more.

But their combined efforts were finally taking a toll.

The tiger, once so ferocious, was slowing down.

Nancy, with her metal manipulation powers, saw an opening.

She focused all her energy and summoned a collar of sharp metal blades that floated around the tiger's neck.

She twisted her wrist, and the blades transformed into a saw-like circle, spinning faster and faster, grinding away at the beast's flesh.

The tiger howled in pain, its claws flailing as it tried to break free.

In one final, brutal moment, the collar of blades sliced through the tiger's neck with a sickening snap.

Its head fell to the ground with a dull thud, the lifeless body crumpling beside it.

The battle was over.

The group stood panting, covered in sweat and blood.

They had won, but the cost was heavy.

As the rewards appeared there was no joy.

Jonah glanced at the fallen bodies of his comrades, the faces of the lost still haunting him.

They had all leveled up, sure, but it didn't feel like a victory.

Jonah exhaled sharply, his frustration bubbling over.

He walked toward Alex, his footsteps heavy with anger.

"Why didn't you join the battle? We could've really used your help," Jonah said, his voice rough, not even trying to hide the irritation.

Alex didn't even look at him, his frown deepening.

He had heard this before—people demanding help, expecting him to be there when they needed him.

But what he realized now that he didn't realize then was that:

He wasn't obligated to save anyone.

"I was out of mana," Alex replied, his voice cold, a clear indication that he had no intention of explaining himself further.

"Are you serious? I find that hard to believe."

Jonah shot back, incredulous.

"Believe what you want Jonah, I won't try to convince you."

Jonah froze. He had really looked at Alex but now that he was seeing him.

Alex looked completely different,

He was emanating an overwhelming aura, one that made Jonah hesitate for a moment.

Jonah cleared his throat, trying to shake off the sudden discomfort.

He forced himself to speak again, but his voice was quieter this time, more careful.

"Did you really run out?"

Alex didn't reply.

Jonah brow creased in frustration.

He was sure Alex had more in him, and could do so much more than what he showed.

But why hadn't he?

Jonah glanced back at the fallen bodies of his comrades—the people he had fought alongside, people he had grown close to.

The dead faces stared back at him, reminders of the cost of their failure. Find adventures on My Virtual Library Empire

Did Alex not feel anything? Was he really that detached?

Jonah's mind flashed back to the days at work, to the Alex he remembered—the meek, quiet guy who always kept to himself.

He could almost hear the laughter of his coworkers, whispering behind his back.

Maybe he hadn't been seeing the full picture all along.

But still...

Jonah glanced at Alex, noticing the barely contained fury in his eyes.

It was the first time he'd seen him like this since they had met in this new world.

His anger was palpable, the tension radiating off him like a storm about to break.

Jonah sighed and placed his hand gently on Alex's shoulder, trying to offer some comfort, his voice softer this time.

"Alex, you shouldn't lose your humanity just because you're resentful," he said, his tone calm.

And for a moment, there was silence.

But Alex's eyes snapped up to meet Jonah's, and Jonah felt the weight of his gaze—a mix of rage and something darker.

Alex spat, his voice sharp like a blade.

"Why the hell are you preaching to me, huh? What the hell do you know?"

Before Jonah could react, Alex swatted his hand away and turned, walking off with heavy steps, like he wanted to leave everything behind.

But as he tried to pass, he suddenly found himself face-to-face with Thompson.

"You son of a bitch!"

Without warning, Thompson threw a punch, fast and vicious.

But Alex was quicker.

Thompson growled in frustration, his fist still swinging through the air.

He turned to face Alex again, his eyes filled with anger.

"Even if you were out of mana, you could have at least joined the battle! It could've made a damn difference!"

Alex's voice was calm, but there was an edge to it, sharp as a blade.

"You overestimate me, Thompson. After all, in your words, I'm nothing but a piece of shit."

Thompson's face twisted with rage, his fists clenching.

"You bast—!"

Before he could finish, Thompson lunged at Alex.

But Alex was faster, with a swift kick, he struck Thompson in the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.

The crowd gasped, their eyes darting between Alex and Thompson.

"You hypocrite!" Alex's voice boomed as he stepped closer to the downed Thompson. "You're mad at me for not helping? You, who ran like a coward when Gustaff was fighting the tiger alone, screaming for help? You dare lecture me?"

Thompson froze, his face pale.

Around them, the others who had abandoned Gustaff suddenly looked away, their guilt written across their faces.

Thompson's shock turned to anger.

How had Alex seen that? He was sure everyone else had been too distracted during the chaos to notice.

"Why aren't you denying it?" Alex pressed, his tone cold and unyielding.

Thompson gritted his teeth, his anger bubbling over.

"You bastard!" he roared, summoning a fireball. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled it at Alex.

But Alex didn't flinch.

He raised his hand, swatting the fireball away with ease.

The fiery projectile veered off course, slamming harmlessly into a tree, leaving a charred mark on the bark.

The crowd stood stunned, unsure of what to do.

"Oi, Thompson! Alex! What the hell are you doing?!" Jonah shouted, his voice sharp as he hurried toward them.

Alex turned his gaze to Thompson, his expression dark and foreboding.

"You just tried to attack me," Alex said, his voice low and deadly.

"It's only fair if I strike back. Isn't it?"

Thompson stammered, his voice shaky with fear and confusion.

"What… what are you doing…?"

Alex loomed over him, his gaze icy and unrelenting. "This isn't the real world, Thompson. Here, you don't get away with being a bully."

Raising his sword, Alex's grip tightened.

He was ready to swing, his intent clear, when Nancy's voice cut through the tense air, sharp and filled with alarm.

"Alex! What's gotten into you?"

She stepped in front of Thompson, her arms outstretched as a barrier.

Alex froze his blade inches from completing its descent.

Her words jolted him like a splash of cold water. For the first time since the fight began, Alex blinked, and clarity began to seep back into his mind.

He looked at Nancy, then at the terrified faces of the others watching him. Jonah stood off to the side, hesitant, his eyes filled with unease.

The silence was deafening, the weight of their stares pressing down on him.

He inhaled deeply, his grip on the sword slackening.

'What was I thinking?'

All of this just made him realize his he didn't belong here.

The sword shimmered as it vanished into his inventory.

Alex lowered his gaze, frustration churning within him.

Without another word, he turned on his heel and began walking away.

The players parted as he passed, giving him a wide berth.

No one dared to speak or try to stop him.

Even Thompson, now on the ground, could only watch, his face a mix of relief and lingering fear.

Nancy's hand twitched as if she wanted to reach out, to stop him, but she stayed frozen.

The cold aura around Alex as he walked away told her he wasn't ready to listen.

Alex clenched his fists as he distanced himself from the group, his emotions boiling over.

Anger, resentment, isolation—it all threatened to consume him.

He didn't trust himself around others, not when he was like this.

'It's better this way,' he thought, his footsteps echoing in the stillness.

'Better if I'm alone.

With this much anger...with the strength he possessed… it was too easy to lose control.

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Authors Note:

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