The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

"Mark, you can try that attack again when you recover enough," Klaus said. Mark nodded, breathing heavily.

He hadn't been at his strongest before using that attack, so Klaus wanted him to try again once he was fully rested. Of course, the strong vibration from the clash told Klaus that Mark was no pushover.

Klaus knew that if Mark had been at full strength, he would have managed to push him back, just like Danny and Daniel had done. The duel wasn't for fun.

He wanted to see not only how strong they were but also if there was something unique about them that couldn't be shown on their status pages.

So far, he wasn't disappointed. Their progress was clear. He could tell they were training harder than most, driven by their friendship with him and the desire to match his strength.

"Who will go next?" Klaus asked, turning to the rest of his friends.

Anna and the others exchanged glances, mentally preparing for what was to come. In the end, Kilian stepped into the arena, his sword glowing with a thin layer of Sword Qi that radiated intense heat.

"Not bad... You have awakened Sword Qi and even learned how to use it with your fire element. This should be an excellent fight," Klaus said, making Kilian smile slightly.

When he broke through to the Grandmaster stage, his understanding of the sword improved slightly, allowing him to unlock the Sword Qi every swordsman craves.

However, it was just in its common Sword Qi form. Klaus had already stepped into the Adept stage and would soon advance to the Enhanced Sword Qi stage.

"This kid is not bad at all. At such a young age, he has already awakened Sword Qi," Ohema said, looking at Kilian.

"Huh... What is Sword Qi?" Klaus's mom asked, clearly at a loss.

Experience more content on empire

"It's that energy covering his sword. Mine is golden-white due to my light energy, and Kilian's is golden-red due to his fire element. Its use is simple but profound... To any swordsman with Sword Qi, all attacks unleashed with the sword would have an amplified effect.

In other words, all attacks unleashed with the sword will become much stronger than they would have been without it," Miriam explained, making Klaus's mom nod.

"Does this mean he would be able to defeat Klaus?" she asked.

"Not even close," Miriam said, almost laughing at her innocent question. "Even though he has unlocked Sword Qi, his understanding of it is still weaker compared to Klaus. But even without Klaus using Sword Qi, Kilian stands no chance.

Klaus is just unusual," Miriam explained with a tone full of pride.

Klaus's mom said nothing more. She just focused on Klaus and Kilian, who were about to get started.

"Here I come too," Kilian said, and with a quick move, three of him appeared, each wielding the same sword, identical in all aspects.

"Right off the bat, huh?" Klaus's eyes narrowed as he watched the three Kilians coming at him from three different directions. One was approaching from the left, one from the right, and one straight ahead.

Klaus knew Kilian would use the [Cloning Sword Strike] he had given him to gain an advantage, so he prepared to entertain him and see how long he would last.

After all, the skill requires high endurance to use effectively, and Kilian had been training quite hard.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Klaus watched as the identical Kilians closed in. The skill allowed Kilian to create two identical clones, each capable of being the true version of himself.

It was a technique designed to confuse and disorient. But, unfortunately for Kilian, Klaus's perception was unmatched. Even as Kilian shifted between clones, Klaus followed his every move with sharp eyes.

Clang.

The Kilian on the left clashed with Klaus, their swords meeting in a shower of sparks. Klaus had chosen a common sword for this duel, yet he wielded it with unmatched precision.

As their blades locked, the clone on the right swiftly moved behind Klaus. In a split second, Kilian switched places, taking control of the clone and striking at Klaus from behind.

Klaus moved forward just in time, dodging the strike by a hair's breadth. He knew that if it had been relying solely on reaction speed, Kilian's strategy would have worked perfectly, resulting in a decisive blow.

"That was a good move, Kilian, but you'll have to be faster than that," Klaus said, a smirk playing on his lips.

Kilian's jaw tightened.

He took a deep breath and steadied himself again. The clones dissolved into thin air as he prepared for the next round, eyes locked on Klaus, who stood unbothered, ready for whatever came next.

Kilian used the skill again, but this time he was much faster. His swords glowed crimson, tinged with the fierce energy of Sword Qi. All three versions of him charged straight at Klaus, their movements synchronized and deadly.

Klaus's smile widened, understanding Kilian's strategy. Kilian planned to strike with all three versions at once, masking which one would deliver the true blow until the last possible moment.

'A true genius move,' Klaus thought, but his eyes remained locked and calm. He watched closely, studying the subtle differences between the clones and the real Kilian, ready for the moment of truth.

The three Kilians closed in, their swords cutting through the air. Klaus's grip on his sword tightened, and time seemed to slow. The real attack would be decided in an instant—Kilian's eyes flickered, revealing his intent.

Klaus reacted with flawless precision. In a single, fluid motion, he spun to his left, meeting the true Kilian's sword mid-swing. The impact sent a shockwave through the clearing, the crimson Sword Qi clashing against Klaus's steel.

Kilian's eyes widened in disbelief. Klaus's smile never wavered. "Impressive move, but not enough," he said, pushing Kilian back with a controlled force.

Kilian staggered, his clones dissolving like smoke. For 45 minutes, he tried every strategy he could think of, but he never managed to catch Klaus off guard. Every attack was defended effortlessly.

"Nice one, Kilian, but work on your speed. This skill requires two things: endurance and speed. With quick strides, you'll be able to catch anyone off guard," Klaus said before landing a swift kick to Kilian's side during his next attack, sending him flying.

Klaus turned his focus to the remaining four.

Kay, the only archer among them, stepped forward, determined. They all knew they couldn't defeat Klaus, but that wouldn't stop them from trying to push him back.

"You're wondering how an archer and a swordsman are going to spar, right?" Klaus asked as Kay stepped into the arena.

"Yes," Kay nodded.

"It's going to be simple. You'll stand there, and I'll start from here, leaving 200 meters between us. All you have to do is shoot at me using any skill in your arsenal. I'll defend and move toward you until there's no space left between us.

If, before I reach you, you manage to push me back, I'll count it as your win," Klaus explained, a confident smile on his face. Kay's eyes narrowed, considering the challenge.

"What if I accidentally kill you with my arrow?" Kay asked, half-serious.

"Accidentally kill me? Ahaha," Klaus laughed heartily.

"Kay, buddy, I'm not underestimating you, but I don't think you can even injure me, let alone kill me. Just give it your best shot."