The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

Chapter 189: Demon's Abode Forbidden Zone [Bonus]

The Demon's Abode is one of the most dangerous Tier 4 Forbidden Zones in the Eastern region of the Northern Union. It isn't far from Arcadian City. From Klaus's research, he discovered that only Sages dared enter this place. A Saint would be sending themselves to their death unless they had absolute trust in their abilities and survival instincts.

According to what Klaus had learned, the Demon Abode houses all kinds of terrifying creatures, including a special variant of Zombies known as Darkblood Demon Zombies. These Zombies wield both darkness and blood as their primary elements, relying on these forces to fuel their abilities.

From what he read online, the Darkblood Demon Zombies were far more powerful than the average Zombie. They were faster and had remarkable regeneration abilities. However, they were also hideous.

Unlike the White Zombies, which retained some eerie attraction, these Darkblood Demons were truly grotesque, the way one might imagine a classic Zombie to look.

Klaus also learned that these Zombies didn't just feast on humans. They hunted monsters too, making them much stronger than even the White Zombies or the Voltox Zombies from the Arcadian Mine invasion. This new information made it clear that the Demon's Abode was no place for the faint-hearted.

It would be the perfect challenge. The perfect place for Klaus who is anything but a normal warrior.

His status page looks good but needed to push further if he wants to keep up with the growing threats surrounding him.

Name: Klaus Hanson

Age: 16

Talent: Celestial Elemental Overlord

Class: Weapons Overlord

Bloodline: Dormant

Physique: Nine Reincarnations Divine Body

Realm: Master - Lvl: 4/12

Strength: 1,230 | Agility: 1,270 |Stamina: 1,240 |Defense:1,100 | Intelligence: 1,100| Health: 4200

Star Qi: 143,672,600

Stat Points: 400

[Next Level up: 10,000/31,228,800]

"Looks like I'll be doing more killing this time," Klaus muttered as he stepped down from the military vehicle that had brought him from Arcadian City. Dave Arcadian, feeling both grateful and guilty for nearly losing Klaus during the invasion, had offered the ride as a way of showing his gratitude.

Standing at the edge of the Demon's Abode, Klaus felt a surge of excitement. The air was thick with danger, but instead of fear, it filled him with a sense of thrill.

"This should be fun," he said to himself with a grin, stepping into the zone that looked like a massive reserve. Before the apocalypse, it had been a wildlife sanctuary, but now it was home to mutated monsters and unimaginable dangers.

The land stretched for miles, vast and perilous. As Klaus quietly walked through the dense forest, the wind whispered through the twisted trees, adding to the eerie atmosphere. His Void Piercing Needle hovered above his shoulder, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

His plan for the day was simple—kill whatever crossed his path and clear out a safe space to rest. The next day, the real task would begin. He had stumbled upon some cryptic information online, a strange rumor about the Demon's Abode.

Something about the place made it more dangerous than other Tier 4 Forbidden Zones, and Klaus was determined to uncover the truth.

For now, though, it was all about finding a place where he could always come back to rest. As he ventured deeper into the forest, he sneered, knowing that soon, the hunt would begin.

A while later, Klaus encountered his first target. Without hesitation, he used the Void Piercing Arrow, swiftly taking it down. He continued deeper into the area, moving quickly and efficiently, killing as he went, his eyes scanning for a place he could clear and rest.

Eventually, he came across a small mountain peak with a hidden cave. After scanning the area, he realized there were no monsters nearby, a stroke of luck for them. He quickly set up camp inside the cave, deciding to relax for a few hours before resuming his hunt.

His plan was simple. First, he wanted to train with the Pentaface Bead and master the skills he had unlocked so far. Second, he would train under pressure to strengthen his mind and add more Viper Piercing Needles to the Void Piercing Needle technique.

Third, he needed to work on his swordsmanship. His recent duel with Aoi had made it painfully clear that he was lacking in that area. He wanted to develop his own sword style, something he could truly master.

Fourth, he hoped to create a new technique using the fire element, just like he had with the ice element when he formed the [Nine Stars Ice Lotus Bloom]. The senior had already advised him to try, so he was eager to see if he could come up with something powerful.

But most importantly, he wanted to hunt some devils, hoping to obtain an Ice Elemental Devil core if he was lucky. He couldn't deny the jealousy he felt toward his past self, Fruity. Despite not having affinities for all elements back then, Fruity had managed to awaken three of the seven Forbidden Ice Elements.

Klaus wanted that too. Call it jealousy, but he couldn't help himself. He was eager to awaken something similar, something to rival his past self's power. The thought of it made him both restless and hungry for more.

After resting for a while and eating almost a quarter of the food his mom had lovingly prepared, Klaus gulped down some fruit juice and set out to start leveling up.

Klaus knew he was falling behind, far behind his friends. His sister had already reached Level 6, thanks to the War Goddess giving her higher-tier monster cores.

All his friends were at Level 6 too, and the Mountain Dew Essence had made them even stronger. The gap between them was growing, and Klaus couldn't afford to stay behind, especially with the Next Academy Trial looming.

With 31,228,800 Exp points needed to reach Level 5, he wasted no time. He began his slaughter, starting with the Void Piercing Needle.

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Somewhere deep inside the Demon Abode, on a large platform surrounded by seven towering pillars, a creature stood still watching the work going on around it.

It was nearly 3 meters tall, with a twisted mix of human and decaying monster features. Its skin is dark, and a single horn jutted from its forehead. Its dark red eyes glowed faintly. It's muscular and even one of its hands was large enough to rival the size of an adult's thigh.

It watched as offerings were placed beneath each pillar. After a moment, the creature turned and walked toward a massive cave entrance, each step inciting heavy thuds.

"How are the preparations?" A feminine voice, cold and commanding, echoed through the darkness making the ugly creature stop and bow slightly.

"My Princess, the ritual offerings are almost ready. All that remains is to wait for the red moon to rise, and we can begin."

"Good," she replied. "Make sure nothing goes wrong. We've invested much into this ritual, and the Empress is expecting results."

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The dark creature bowed once more before leaving. As soon as it was gone, a smirk formed in the shadows.

"Those Voltox fools couldn't complete a single task. This time, out of the 69 Zombie Strongholds, I will prove to everyone that the Darkblood Demon Zombies are worthy of standing by the Queen's side in her conquest."

Her smirk grew wider, her disdain echoing in the empty cave.

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Meanwhile, back in the forest where Klaus was farming Exp points and sharpening his mind, thousands of monsters lay dead, each with a single hole through their vitals.

Klaus had recently added 400 points to his Intelligence, making his mental training far more effective. The Void Piercing Needle continuously flashed through the forest, piercing monster after monster with lethal precision.

He had already accumulated over 20 million points, but it wasn't enough. He needed more, so he never stopped killing. Eight hours later, his total reached 30 million points, leaving only a little more before he could finally level up.

Suddenly, a deep, heavy roar tore through the thick forest, followed by the surge of a powerful aura that threatened to crash every soul around. Klaus, unaffected by this aura smiles.

"Finally," he muttered, "a Devil has appeared."