Apocalypse Baby

Authors Note: Big shoutout to IcyShadow2323 for making this chapter possible! Thanks for the pizza, you're the MVP at the moment!

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As Alex walked through the dense forest, the sound of low grunts and the crunching of bones reached his ears.

He stopped in his tracks, his sharp eyes scanning ahead.

There they were.

A pack of giant boars, their massive bodies the size of bulls.

[Bloodtusk Rank E (G)]

Their thick, bristled hides gleamed under the moonlight, and their razor-sharp tusks glinted like deadly weapons.

But what caught Alex's attention was their behavior. They weren't foraging or digging through the soil as normal boars would. Instead, they were tearing into the bloody remains of another boar—a corpse mangled beyond recognition.

Alex frowned, his brow furrowing in disbelief.

"Boars are supposed to be vegetarians," he thought.

But these creatures?

They were something else entirely—twisted and feral, now nothing more than flesh-hungry monsters.

He didn't bother with stealth.

Stepping out from the shadows, Alex walked calmly into the open.

The boars lifted their heads, blood dripping from their tusks and snouts.

Their beady eyes locked onto him, their nostrils flaring as they sniffed the air.

They snorted loudly, their breaths visible in the cold.

Aggressive. Territorial.

One of them stomped the ground, letting out a guttural roar.

Then, as if on cue, it charged at Alex with incredible speed, its massive hooves thundering against the earth.

The rest of the pack followed, a stampede of death racing toward him.

Alex stood still, unflinching.

His expression was blank, calm, and almost bored.

The first boar was nearly upon him, tusks aimed directly at his chest.

Its savage roar filled the air, but Alex didn't move an inch.

When the beast was mere feet away, Alex's lips parted, and in a cold, detached voice, he muttered:

"[Petrify.]"

The pack froze in their tracks.

The charging boars, once brimming with ferocity, were now motionless.

Their massive forms were locked in place, their eyes wide with panic and confusion. It was as if an invisible force had gripped their very souls.

Alex's skill, [Petrify], had worked perfectly.

The boar at the front, the largest and most aggressive of the group, was inches away from him.

Alex leaned in slightly, staring into its ugly, twisted face.

Its features were grotesque—jagged tusks stained with blood and bits of flesh, and wild eyes that betrayed its fury.

"What an ugly bastard," Alex thought, his expression unchanging.

He straightened and let out a small sigh.

He could feel the timer on his skill ticking down. [Petrify] wouldn't hold them forever.

The beasts' trembling bodies were a warning—they'd break free any second now.

No time to waste.

With a burst of speed, Alex dashed forward, his sword materializing in his hand in a flash of light.

The moment the timer ended, the boars began to move again, their muscles twitching and their growls returning.

But they were too slow.

Alex was already in motion.

He blitzed past the first boar in an instant. Its body shuddered as a clean slash appeared across its torso.

The second and third didn't even have time to react. Alex spun on his heel, his blade slicing through the air with deadly precision.

A single swing cleaved through both of them, their massive forms collapsing to the ground in pieces.

The fight was over before it even began.

The forest grew silent, save for the faint rustle of leaves. Blood pooled beneath the remains of the beasts, soaking into the earth.

A series of notifications popped up in Alex's vision, glowing faintly in the dim light:

[You have killed three boar beasts.]

[You have received 50 tutorial points.]

[You have received a piece of Boar Meat.]

[Apocalypse Baby kicking in.]

[You have received an additional 50 tutorial points.]

[You have received another piece of Boar Meat.]

Alex gave his sword a sharp flick, sending the blood splattering off the blade.

The fight had been too easy. The monsters here were weak—barely a challenge for someone like him. Sure, the tutorial points were useful, especially since his title doubled the rewards he earned, but it wasn't enough.

Not for him.

Alex swiped open his system interface, scrolling through the points he'd collected. The numbers were growing steadily, but it still felt... underwhelming.

"These points are a joke. If I fought something stronger, I'd get way more."

The D-rank zone was far ahead of him, and he'd wandered into this weaker area by accident.

If he wanted real progress, he needed to get back there—or better yet, head straight to a C-rank zone where the monsters were tougher, stronger, and deadlier.

That's where he'd find the real challenges. That's where he could grow.

Alex tightened the straps on his gear and adjusted the sheath on his back. The path ahead was long and rough. Reaching the stronger zones would take at least a day of travel.

He let out an annoyed sigh, his breath fogging slightly in the cool air.

"What a drag."

Alex let out a tired sigh as he trudged forward.

But then, distant sounds broke the quiet—a series of shouts, grunts, and the unmistakable clash of weapons.

The chaotic noise of an ongoing battle.

Curiosity piqued, Alex veered off the beaten path and headed toward the source of the commotion. Moving swiftly and silently, he crouched behind a cluster of bushes, peering through the foliage to get a better view.

In a clearing ahead, a group of players—nine in total—was locked in combat with an enormous boar.

The beast was a hulking mass of muscle, its tusks as long and sharp as spears. Its hide was thick and covered in scars, evidence of past battles. A system prompt flickered in Alex's vision:

[Bloodtusk Rank E (R)]

A boss monster. Just like that swift tiger boss from before.

The boar rampaged through the group with unrelenting ferocity.

Its massive hooves pounded the ground, shaking the earth with each step as it charged. T

he players scattered to avoid its deadly tusks, but the beast was quick, pivoting with surprising agility for its size.

Alex watched as the players moved in tandem, their attacks coordinated and precise.

They danced around the boar, striking at its legs, flanks, and eyes whenever an opening appeared. Their movements were fluid, almost like they'd been doing this for years.

Unlike Jonah's group, who fumbled their way through fights, this team was sharp, experienced, and organized.

The Tank bellowed, his voice cutting through the chaos:

"Luther, now! Finish it!"

A tall figure with a sturdy stance stepped forward—Luther, the spearman.

His weapon gleamed under the sunlight as he thrust it forward, the tip glowing with a brilliant light.

With a sharp yell, Luther unleashed an energy beam from his spear.

The beam tore through the air with a crackling sound, striking the boar squarely in the chest.

BOOM!

The force of the attack blew a gaping hole through the beast's torso.

Blood sprayed across the ground as the enormous boar staggered backward, its massive body swaying. It let out a final, guttural snarl, its legs giving out beneath it.

THUD!

The ground trembled as the beast collapsed, lifeless.

For a moment, the clearing was silent except for the panting of the exhausted players. Then, a cheer erupted.

"Yes! We did it!" one player yelled, punching the air.

"I leveled up twice!" another said, grinning from ear to ear, the excitement evident in their voice.

From his hiding spot, Alex continued to observe.

As the group celebrated, he noticed something interesting—they weren't just one unified team.

Instead, it was two separate groups working together.

The first group, led by Luther the Spearman, consisted of five players.

They were the ones who landed the killing blow.

The second group, led by the Tank who had coordinated the final strike, consisted of four players.

The spearman, Luther, turned to the tank, extending his hand with a friendly smile.

"It was great working with you... Kiev," Luther said smoothly, his voice calm and composed.

But Alex, watching from the shadows, felt a chill crawl down his spine. Something about Luther's smile seemed wrong—forced, deceptive.

Alex's sharp eyes darted upward.

That's when he saw it.

An archer perched in the trees, hidden among the branches, had his bow drawn, the string taut, and an arrow aimed directly at the tank.

The tank face twisted in confusion, something was off.

His name wasn't Kiev

SWISH!

The archer let the arrow loose and it zipped through the air and struck the tank's neck with deadly precision.

THUNK!

The tank's eyes widened in shock, his hands instinctively flying to the shaft lodged in his throat.

Blood spurted from the wound, staining his armor and the ground beneath him.

His legs buckled as he stumbled back, choking, trying to process what had just happened.

He turned his gaze toward Luther, and that's when he saw it—the cruel, twisted grin spreading across the Luther's face.

"You... damn... trai—"

SLASH!

The tank croaked, his voice gurgling as blood filled his throat.

Luther cut him off, literally.

With a swift motion, he drew a blade and slit the tank's throat, silencing him forever.

The tank crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Luther turned to face the remaining three players from the tank's group, their expressions a mixture of horror and disbelief as they witnessed their leader's brutal betrayal.

Luther's men, standing behind him, were already prepared, their expression savage.

Luther then pointed his bloodied blade at the stunned survivors and commanded:

"Attack!"

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Authors Note:

Let's keep the support rolling, guys! It's a huge factor in whether two chapters a day will become a reality starting next year. Every bit of love helps, so I appreciate it all whether it's a review, power stone, golden tickets, or gifts. Let's make it happen together!