The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

Chapter 186: One Decisive Strike

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Klaus knew he couldn't afford to make a mistake. Assassins are tricky; if you don't kill them with your first strike, the chance of succeeding with the next is slim.

Their escape skills are legendary, and Klaus was well aware of that. He planned to counter those skills with his own, using precision and timing.

The [Bell of Harrows] and [Eye of Despair] were the key to his success. The bell had the power to deal both physical (Sonic) and spiritual damage. Klaus needed that combination, and with the addition of the [Eye of Malevolence], he knew he had a real shot.

"Mother-in-law, I'm making my move. Be ready to step in if things don't go as planned," Klaus muttered under his breath as the bell and eye manifested in the air.

Ding! The bell rang, releasing a shockwave of spiritual energy that rippled through the air, spreading across a 4km radius. Klaus had designed the attack for maximum impact, so he waited for the assassins to close in within 2km of his position.

The moment the sound hit, Klaus sensed them freeze in their tracks. The bell's appearance and the ringing were so sudden that they had no time to react. After all, it was a soul attack—something even skilled assassins couldn't defend against easily.

But as if that wasn't enough, the [Eye of Despair] snapped open, and like a demon awakening, a wave of pure terror surged forth. This terror wasn't just for show—it was a powerful soul attack triggered by the eye's three unique abilities.

The ability, called Soul Gaze, unleashed Klaus's star qi in devastating force. He wasn't holding back. Thirty percent of his star qi fueled the attack, and the results were immediate. The Saint assassins began to lose their senses.

The attack struck deep into their souls, leaving them reeling, disoriented, and wracked with pain. Their eyes glazed over as their spirits faltered. Even the Sages among them were struggling to withstand the onslaught.

But Klaus wasn't done.

A flash of light shot forward. Before any of them could react within that split second, blood started spraying into the air.

The Void Piercing Needle, which Klaus had secretly set up in their room long before they entered the pool, has started its work. Klaus has held it in place all this while they waited for their guest to appear, and now, it's been put to good use.

This arrow wasn't in its ordinary form—it was formed from all 54 Viper Piercing Needles Klaus could control. So it's both thick, heavy, and pointy for what he intended to do.

In the blink of an eye, ten heads exploded. The Void Piercing Arrow moved faster than anyone could track, and with Klaus's [Eye of Malevolence] enhancing his vision, he pinpointed each target with terrifying accuracy.

One man, clutching his chest in shock, snapped his eyes open, sensing the attack too late. He turned to his left, but before he could react, something sharp passed through his forehead, exiting the back of his skull.

Blood and brain tissue splattered as his body collapsed. The needle didn't stop there—it continued its deadly rampage.

In less than two seconds, ten Saints and one Sage lay dead, their bodies crumpling to the ground. The rest weren't far behind.

Another assassin emerged from the shadows, sneaking toward the pool just as the bell rang and the [Eye of Despair] snapped open. He was immediately hit hard, his senses muddled from the soul attack. The pain was unbearable, and before he could regain his focus, the Needle of Death—the Void Piercing Needle—struck, piercing straight through his skull.

On the other side, a woman dressed in black was about to draw her bow when the soul attack hit. She froze, her body tense as she gritted her teeth, trying to endure the torment. From the look on her face, it was safe to say assassins have high pain tolerance.

The soul attack wasn't something anyone could quietly withstand, yet somehow, none of them screamed, not even the Saints. But that was irrelevant to Klaus. He didn't care about their suffering—he only needed to disorient them for five seconds. He was already running out of time, with just two seconds left.

The woman sensed the Void Piercing Needle heading her way and tried to move back, but her body wouldn't respond. Her shadow had been pinned in place before she even had the chance to escape. The Needle pierced her head, killing the third Sage instantly. Only five remained.

The needle continued its deadly path, slipping through a window, then bursting out the other side, spraying blood across the grass. It passed through a lush flower garden, staining the white lilies with blood.

It streaked through the resort, and in the store window, a body collapsed to the floor. Another figure dropped from a window and hit the ground. Just like that, seven out of the eight Sages had died before they could even react.

The last assassin, however, was quicker. Four seconds had passed since the soul attack hit, but he wasn't as affected as the others—likely due to a stronger soul. As the Needle drew closer, he dove into a shadow, attempting to vanish from sight.

But before he could fully escape, the shadow he was trying to emerge from shifted, dragging him back to where he had originally entered. He blinked in confusion, but it was the last blink he would ever make. His head exploded.

Seven seconds—that was how long it took for Klaus to eliminate eighteen assassins. Eight Sages, 10 Saints.

Back in the pool, Klaus stood with his eyes closed, focusing. Beside him, his mother-in-law, Cynthia Ross, stood pale and shaky, holding his hand. She has a unique class called Shadow Dancer, which allows her to control shadows.

However, she's only a peak Sage level. There was only so much she could do. Using her power to lock down a Sage had already taken a toll on her body. But when she went a step further and manipulated the shadows of the last Sage, it drained her entirely—her stamina and spiritual qi were almost gone.

It hadn't been easy. She had to link to all the shadows, locking them out and opening only one. She even reversed the Sage's path, making sure he didn't suspect a thing until he walked right into her trap.

Klaus had told her not to let a single assassin escape, and she had been determined to see it through. In the end, she succeeded, and she had done it well—better than anyone could have expected.

"Mother-in-law, are you okay?" Klaus asked, noticing her face had gone as white as a sheet.

"I'm fine. Just take me back to the room," Cynthia Ross muttered, closing her eyes. She knew the white-haired brat wouldn't try anything inappropriate.

Even if Klaus had other thoughts, he wouldn't act on them—after all, she was his mother-in-law. As for her safety, she knew she was in good hands.

She had kept her shadow sense active the entire time, witnessing how lethal Klaus's attacks were. She expected a few assassins might try to escape, but to her surprise, Klaus was even more terrifying than she had imagined. He had killed them all before they even realized what was happening.

Klaus carried her like a princess back to the room and gently laid her down on the bed, still dressed in her swimwear.

"You're not going to leave me behind, are you?" she asked just as Klaus was about to walk away, reaching out to hold his hand.

"I wouldn't dare," Klaus replied with a small smile, dropping onto the bed beside her. He hadn't planned to stay; now that the action was over, he figured their roleplaying was over. But with Cynthia holding him firmly, he had no choice but to give in.

He closed his eyes, trying to catch some sleep, though his senses remained on high alert. And now, his mother-in-law was cuddled up beside him, making the situation even more awkward.

'Maybe the God of Lust and Womanizing has cursed me,' Klaus thought to himself.