The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

After Joon, Logan, and Ryan left—now looking sharp with freshly cut hair—Klaus was left with his mom and Miriam. Hanna was in seclusion, so she wasn't around to enjoy the five days Klaus planned to spend with his mom and Miriam before leaving.

Ohema still hadn't called for unknown reasons, which worried Klaus a little, but his mom assured him that Ohema would call when she was less busy. They didn't know much about her, but Klaus knew she was someone important, so it was understandable that he hadn't been able to reach her over the past few weeks.

They talked, ate, and even went to catch a movie until, finally, the day for Klaus to leave arrived. A jet came to pick him up at Oracle Inc.'s headquarters.

"Take care of yourself, and don't cause any trouble for those people," his mom said, brushing her hand through his hair.

"Mom, I'm the most well-behaved person you'll ever meet. No need to assume the worst of me," Klaus replied with a grin.

"Tsk," Miriam, who was standing beside him, chuckled. Who was he trying to fool? Wherever Klaus went, trouble always seemed to follow. Of course, she was a little sad he was leaving, but she managed to hide it from Klaus—though not from his mom.

Miriam had opened up to his mom about her past, so she had become especially protective of her.

"My dear Miriam, make sure you don't miss me too much. Mom will keep you company while I'm gone," Klaus said with a teasing smile. Since she'd refused to move into his room for obvious reasons, Klaus could only use this time to get a little affection before leaving.

His mom stood beside him, smiling, as he planted a gentle kiss on the lips of the normally stoic war goddess. After a few more goodbyes, the jet took off, leaving Ross City behind.

===========

Inside the same meeting room where the Overlords had gathered days ago, the cold, emotionless Overlord sat browsing the internet, her expression shifting subtly. Every now and then, one could almost swear she smiled between scrolls.

"Well, well, well. Who would have thought? The mighty leader of the Overlords resorting to stalking a boy through the internet," a voice said suddenly, followed by the appearance of a red-haired woman.

"What are you doing here, Nari?" the cold lady asked, her gaze narrowing.

"Jeez, can't I come to see my big sister whenever I want?" Nari replied, taking a seat with a playful smile.

"What do you want?" the cold lady asked again, her tone flat.

"I heard you went to save the kid a few days ago but ran off before he could wake up. Why? Were you too shy to meet him?" Nari teased, her smile widening. It was clear she enjoyed making her sister a little uncomfortable.

"And?" the cold lady asked, expressionless.

"And, well, he's coming to Stone Valley. It seems those three nerds want to pick his brain on how to improve Oracle, and I heard he'll be spending a whole month there. So, this is your chance to get laid," Nari replied, a playful smile still on her face.

"Nari, watch your language," the cold lady said, her expression shifting to something unreadable.

Your next read awaits at mvl

"Oh, please. You're over sixty; it's not like you've never heard of sex before. But seriously, you need to go out and have some fun. A couple of nights together, and I'm sure Klaus will straighten you out," Nari teased, laughing uncontrollably.

"Think about yourself before butting into other people's business," the cold lady retorted.

""Tsk, what a cold-hearted woman. Just so you know, some vipers in Stone Valley will be all over him. It's in your best interest to take a little vacation and do some sightseeing there. I would have helped you, but you gave us this stupid exploration mission," Nari said as she stood up to leave.

"From one woman to another, even if you don't want to be sent to the rainbow cloud just yet, at least go meet him. I hear he's quite a lively person. You won't regret it," she added before vanishing. However, one last sentence echoed through the room as she disappeared.

"And be sure to wipe that cold expression off your face before meeting him. We don't want him scared right off the bat."

The cold lady stared at the empty chair Nari had left behind and snorted. "What a bitch," she muttered.

"I heard that," Nari's voice echoed back into the room, laced with a hint of amusement.

She returned to her phone, but this time, she didn't scroll. A single image of Klaus filled her screen. After staring at it for a few seconds, she pressed a button on the table and spoke the words that set everything in motion:

"Jane, I'll be away for a few days. Handle everything while I'm gone."

"Atta girl!" Nari's voice echoed again, her cheerful tone making her jaw clench in irritation. She wanted to strangle that fire lady until she couldn't breathe any longer.

A few seconds later, she too vanished from the room.

=========

Stone Valley, where Oracle Inc.'s headquarters is located, is a breathtaking place. This valley has been developed into an elegant environment, showcasing artistic designs and architectural excellence.

It's called Stone Valley because it's surrounded by stone mountains, with the main building perched atop one of these peaks, enhancing the beauty of the entire area. From a high vantage point, its splendor can truly be appreciated.

The whole area is shaped like a zero within another zero.

Now, standing on a landing pad for jets, the three creators of Oracle—Joon, Ryan, and Logan—waited with a lady who seemed to be running out of patience.

"Lucil, relax. The pilot said they're almost here," Joon said, addressing her.

"Bastard! Who are you telling to relax? Just because you got a haircut and somehow look handsome doesn't mean everything's fine. I only came here because of Klaus Hanson," Lucil shot back, clearly still at odds with him.

"Who wants you here? You're just causing a scene, and I hate to break it to you, but this is Stone Valley, not your Daydream AI village," Joon replied. They were there to welcome Klaus, who was en route. Of course, Lucil—Joon's ex-girlfriend—was only there for Klaus; she was a huge fan.

The tension hung in the air like a thick fog. Ryan leaned against the railing, trying to ease the mounting frustration.

"Can we just chill for a second? Klaus will be here any minute, and we don't need this drama," he said, glancing at both of them.

Lucil crossed her arms, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Drama? You call this drama? I'm just here to meet someone who actually matters, unlike you three nerds," she retorted, shooting a pointed look at Joon and his friends, Ryan and Logan.

The three exchanged amused glances. It was clear that, even after years apart, Lucil hadn't changed one bit. She was still the same hot-tempered, brilliant beauty with dark hair, striking bone structure, and an athletic build.

They knew better than to anger her; doing so would bring them more harm than good. Although they needed her there, they understood that provoking her was just asking for trouble—she was simply too unreasonable.

"Thank God Klaus is coming. She seems eager to meet him. At least we'll have some peace around here," Joon sighed inwardly.

Just then, the jet appeared in the sky, slowly descending. As soon as Klaus stepped out, Lucil rushed over to him, her excitement palpable.

"Klaus Hanson! I'm Lucil. Nice to meet you! I'm a huge fan!" she exclaimed, nearly jumping into his arms.

"Nice to meet you too, Lucil," Klaus replied, smiling as he caught the looks on the three nerds' faces.

They got into a car and headed to the main building, where Klaus would spend the next few weeks working with the creators of Oracle.