Chapter 106: On the Brink of Death

Words : 1144 Updated : Sep 19th, 2025

Klaus gritted his teeth, feeling the energy drain from his body as the Earth Domain locked into place. The six towering pillars loomed around him, crackling with an unfamiliar power. His strength had been cut in half, and he could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "The Earth Domain... Seriously? Why does this Zombie have this kind of ability?" Klaus muttered in disbelief. He had expected a tough battle, but this felt like the heavens were stacking the odds even further against him. He was trapped. "Brat, do you finally understand what I told you? The heavens are unpredictable. They'll throw everything at you to kill you. And this? This is nothing compared to what they're truly capable of," the voice of Klaus's senior echoed in his mind from deep within his soul sea. Klaus gritted his teeth. "I get it now. So that's how it is... They picked an opponent with an earth affinity and gave it this sinister ability." He could feel the dark plot working against him. His mind flashed back to the days before the City Selection Exams when Lucy helped him prepare. He had studied countless monsters and their abilities, including the Ground Mountain Koala Bear. That creature is the only one capable of using the Earth Domain. But the Mutated Zombie? It shouldn't have this power. The realization stung. He had been caught off guard, thrown into a trap set by the heavens themselves. Now, he truly understood what his senior had warned him about. The heavens were using karma as an excuse, twisting the rules just to kill him. And it was working—his strength had been drained to a mere 50 percent. "Fuck, this is too sinister!" Klaus growled, his anger boiling over. "That it is," his senior's voice returned. "But you have to push through. This is just another obstacle. And what do you do when you face an obstacle? You cleave through it. This is no different. You're a Paragon. Man up and kill these suckers... er, monsters," he finished awkwardly. Klaus couldn't help but chuckle at his senior's slip, but the words fired him up. "You're right, senior. I can kill these suckers." His grip tightened on his weapon, determination flooding back into his veins. Klaus charged at the Zombie and Matin, his determination blazing brighter than ever. The odds were stacked against him, and the trap set by the heavens had snared him deep. But that didn't matter now. His will refused to waver. He knew that this was it—the moment that would define him. This was his make-or-break moment. Either he would fall, crushed by the weight of his enemies, or he would walk out alive, his head held high. There was no in-between. With a surge of energy, Klaus gripped his sword tighter and locked his eyes on his opponents. Klaus gritted his teeth as he clashed with the Zombie, evading Matin's spear as best as he could. The Earth Domain had severely reduced his speed, yet he still held his ground. The heavy exhaustion weighed on him with every movement, the air feeling thick and oppressive. Most would have buckled under the strain, but this wasn't an issue at all thanks to his experience fighting those realms about him. The Zombie lunged at him brutally, but Klaus held his ground, parrying the attack and dodging Matin's spear. Every movement was slower than it should have been, and every slash brought more pain as the strikes tore apart his clothes. Blood dripped from the new wounds gracing his pale skin, staining the already shredded fabric. "Mom's going to need to give me a serious massage after this," Klaus muttered with a grim smile. His body ached, but the thought of returning home fueled him. Still, the frustration was mounting. Matin's spear continuously ripped his clothes, cutting through his shirt and trousers like a blade through paper. With renewed focus, he sidestepped a devastating blow from the Zombie and redirected his attention back to Matin. The clash resumed, Klaus channeling the momentum from his dodge into a relentless assault. Klaus was using the shockwaves from the Zombie to boost his own speed. It was a dangerous tactic, but effective. BOOM Suddenly, the pillars around him shrank, closing in on Klaus. He felt an intense pressure on his shoulder as if a heavy weight was crushing him. Just then, a powerful kick landed on him, sending him flying through the air until he crashed into one of the pillars. "Ahhh!" Klaus screamed in pain. When he hit the ground, the side of his body that struck the pillar was burned. His left arm was dripping with blood, and his left leg was slightly burned, with blood seeping out. Unfortunately, he remained trapped within the domain. He knew he couldn't escape unless he defeated the Zombie. His vision was blurring, and his grip on his sword was slipping away by the second. "Fuck, I won't fall here," Klaus gritted out, charging at the Zombie and Matin, pain radiating through his body. BOOM He was hurled through the air again. This time, he managed to land on the ground, but his wounds widened, causing him to groan in agony. "If this keeps up, I'll die. I need to come up with something." He attempted to behead the Zombie and Matin repeatedly, but every time he got close, one of them blocked his attack while the other struck him down. His body was battered, bruised, and aching, but Klaus's resolve remained unbroken. He tried to think of a solution, but his mind was clouded with pain. His senior had warned him that his Lotus wouldn't be able to defeat them, and now he understood why. "Fuck the heavens," Klaus roared, his voice echoing through the forest. "I won't go down without a fight. Today, we'll see whose life is tougher—the slum kid who lives with his mother or the useless heavens that only plot against a kid." "Today, we'll find out if I'm destined to become a Paragon or die like a chicken." He distanced himself from the Zombie and Matin, then flicked his wrist. A red, burning orb appeared in his palm, growing rapidly. It soon reached the size of ten basketballs, glowing with intense heat. "I hope this works." He charged toward the Zombie and Matin, and when he was within 300 meters of them, he hurled the glowing orb in their direction. Struggling with his aching body, he dashed back, glancing over his shoulder. As the fireball neared within 50 meters of its targets, the Zombie leaped into the air, swinging its club. "Not today," Klaus muttered coldly, sprinting further away. "Explode!"

Chapter 106: On the Brink of Death

Comments (0)