The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

"Klaus, are Big Sister Queenie and Nira are gone for good," Lucil asked. After three days of modeling, Klaus finally came out of his room when Logan informed him that they were ready for the next testing and training phase.

"Yes, something came up, so she had to leave," Klaus said, knowing full well that Queenie wouldn't have left unless something incredibly important had happened. Not that he was complaining—she did leave him with a kiss, and that counted for something.

"How are the preparations?" Klaus asked, not wanting to dwell on Queenie's issues any longer. One way or another, they would meet again.

"Well, Klaus, I guess today is the day you'll be facing a real opponent," Joon chimed in.

"The data we collected from your last battle with the Mecha Zombie was more valuable than we initially thought. I can confidently say that if the Regional Trial were to be run again, the top 1,000 would be selected in under 30 minutes.

"Although we haven't yet gained the same battle experience one might acquire in the real world, we're close—about 97% close. After today's battle and testing, we'll finally achieve what we've been striving for all these years. And it's all thanks to you, Klaus," Joon explained, his smile brimming with excitement.

"It was a team effort," Klaus brushed off the praise.

However, he underestimated the joy he had brought to the Nerds. The realism Klaus had helped them bring into Oracle was so profound that they wouldn't have been able to achieve it without him.

"Let me show you the new adjustments I made to the Mecha Zombie for today's battle," Lucil said.

Although her two big sisters were gone, she was happy that Klaus was still there. After all, he was the main reason she had decided to come to Oracle for the month.

They walked to her workstation, where she projected the new Mecha Zombie design. Klaus was immediately taken aback by its appearance. It was still 3 meters tall, but now its build was both terrifying and dangerously elegant.

"I've added two more Spirit Weapons. The first one is called 'Web Cuts.' As the name suggests, they're strings that can weave through the air. Without enhanced sight or senses, you could lose your head or legs without even knowing how it happened."

"Wait, are those real Spirit Weapons?" Klaus asked, his eyes lighting up.

"Yes," Lucil confirmed, making Klaus nod with a smile. 'I'm getting one of those the moment I leave this place,' he thought to himself.

"What's the other one called?" Klaus asked.

"'Pincer Bees Pole.' Do you see those small markings on the pole? They're actually tiny bees with pincers sharp enough to pierce deeper than a needle. And guess what—they're poisonous. When they sting, the poison enters your system.

"This is just a smaller version of the pole, so it only holds 270 bees in total, but the Mecha Zombie can deploy all 270 if needed," Lucil explained.

'I guess I'll need to pay more attention to these Spirit Weapons,' Klaus thought, his curiosity piqued. He wanted nothing more than to get his hands on them. As a Weapons Overlord, Klaus had a special connection to all weapons, making anything in his hands deadly.

Of course, he hadn't yet unlocked the full potential of his class, but he was connected to every weapon he wielded, and with enough training, he knew he could become lethal even with a simple stick.

'How exciting,' he cheered inwardly.

"Alright, what else?" Klaus asked.

"Apart from the Spirit Weapons, I've added two more fire-based skills and two ice-based skills. So, expect some wild attacks from the Mecha this time. I've also strengthened its defenses.

"Even though its stats are 20% higher than normal, now that the data has helped us fix most of the realism issues, you should prepare for a chaotic battle," Lucil said, already eager to record and share the amazing battles with the other executives of the Knights of House Klaus.

"Alright then, let's get started," Klaus said, eager to face this battle machine.

While every warrior is required to hunt monsters to level up, the risk is incredibly high, especially when using those battles for training. That's where Oracle comes in—allowing warriors to train and master their skills and techniques before facing real monsters.

This would help minimize casualties when fighting real threats. Oracle simplifies and enhances training since you can adjust the strength of the monsters at will.

Although Oracle doesn't replicate the same rush of knowing a single death could end your warrior career, since you respawn after dying, it still prepares warriors for the brutal reality of the Forbidden Zones and Death Zones.

After Lucil helped Klaus put on the helmet, he entered Oracle. He quickly selected his sword and the Viper Piercing Needle, then readied himself for his opponent to appear.

It didn't take long for the Mecha Zombie to materialize. Klaus smiled, sensing its imposing presence, now even more intense than before.

He knew the tech nerds had finally fixed what had been weakening Oracle's challenge, and he was eager for a real fight.

"Alright, let's see how long this can last," he said. With that, his sword slashed forward, sending a sharp, crescent-shaped arc of fire toward the Mecha Zombie.

In response, one of the spirit weapons—the razor disc—shot forward, cutting the fire arc in half, destroying Klaus's test attack.

"How exciting," he muttered.

And with that, the real battle began. His Void Piercing Needle formed and darted toward the razor disc. At the same time, two more fire arcs slashed out, cutting down two strings that had formed.

Klaus immediately realized he had to stay proactive in this fight; otherwise, he'd die before even understanding how it happened. Before attacking again, his eyes turned red, enhancing his awareness of everything around him.

Klaus dashed forward, ready to clash swords with the Mecha Zombie. But as soon as he moved, a spike made of ice appeared behind him. Before Klaus could react, the spike shot forward, aimed directly at his spine.

He twisted his body, slashing his sword backward, coating it with fire essence. However, just as his two attacks were about to connect, Klaus sensed a sharp cut headed toward him—it was the Razor Disc.

Klaus had to act fast. He quickly directed the Void Piercing Needle to intercept the Razor Disc. But at the same moment, he heard a buzzing sound behind him. Without even turning his head, he sensed 270 bees rapidly closing in.

"Wow, this is wild," Klaus muttered, feeling the pressure for the first time in this training session. He knew he had to take control of the situation or he'd be overwhelmed.

As a Tier 3 expert facing a Tier 7 target with its stats amplified by 20%, the odds were heavily stacked against him. But Klaus wasn't worried—he still had a few tricks up his sleeve.

His sword met the ice spike shattering into into splinters.

Now free from the spike's sneak attack, Klaus darted toward the Mecha Zombie, but not before addressing the bees. With a snap of his fingers, a small fireball appeared. With just a flick, the fireball shot toward the bees, exploding before they could get close. The swarm was neutralized.

"Boom!" The two finally clashed, their swords meeting with a thunderous impact.

Chapter Enjoy:

"Again!" Klaus shouted, lunging at the Mecha Zombie once more.

Klaus and the Mecha Zombie exchanged sword strikes, the sound of metal ringing through the air. Klaus swung his blade, aiming for the Mecha's chest, but it blocked the attack with ease. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through the ground.

The Mecha countered, slashing down at Klaus's head. He sidestepped just in time, the blade whistling past his ear. He retaliated with a swift upward strike, his sword glowing with fire essence. It connected, but only managed to graze the Mecha's armored chest.

They circled each other, both calculating their next move. The Mecha lunged, swinging its sword in a wide arc. Klaus ducked under it and slashed at its legs. Sparks flew as his blade scraped against metal, but the Mecha barely flinched.

"Excellent Awareness, adaptability, and great skills, how exciting" Klaus muttered knowing he had a chaotic battle ahead of him.