The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

Chapter 5: Klaus's Birthday Gift

His mother froze for a momt, processing his words. Th, slowly, her arms circled him, holding him close. "Oh, Klaus," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I'm so proud of you."

Klaus buried his face in her shoulder, letting the tears flow freely. The years of struggle, of feeling powerless and uncertain about the future, all seemed to pour out of him in that momt. He clung to his mother as if afraid that letting go would make it all a dream.

His mother's own tears began to fall as she stroked his hair gtly. "You've worked so hard, Klaus. You've sacrificed so much for us... and now, look at you. A warrior."

They stayed like that for a while, lost in the momt. The world outside could have be falling apart, but inside that embrace, everything felt right. Klaus could feel his mother's heartbeat against his chest, steady and strong, and it gave him a sse of peace he hadn't felt in a long time.

"I couldn't have done it without you, Mom," Klaus finally whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "You never gave up on me, ev wh I wanted to give up on myself."

His mother pulled back just ough to look him in the eyes, her own filled with a mixture of pride and love. "I would never give up on you, Klaus. You're my son, my strong, brave boy. You've always be a warrior in my eyes."

Klaus smiled through his tears, feeling a warmth spread through him that chased away the cold grip of doubt that had be with him for so long. "We're going to be okay, Mom. I promise you, I'll protect us. I'll protect you."

His mother nodded, unable to speak as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. She knew Klaus meant every word, and in that momt, all the hardships they had faced seemed worth it.

As they held each other, Klaus felt a surge of determination rises within him. This was just the beginning. He would become stronger, not just for himself, but for the woman who had giv everything to see him succeed.

Together, they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, feeling like they could face anything the world threw at them.

In that small room, in that fragile momt, there was nothing but love, pride, and the unbreakable bond betwe a mother and her son.

"Let's go back inside. I want to give you something special. It's a birthday gift of sorts," Klaus's mother said after they had hugged for a while, gtly breaking away and wiping her tears, as well as Klaus's.

"There's more?" Klaus was surprised, but he followed his mother back into their small room. Once inside, she oped a cardboard box and carefully pulled out a long wood box, about .5 meters in lgth.

She placed it on the floor and stared at it for a momt, a deep sigh escaping her lips. Klaus noticed the sadness in her eyes and felt a knot form in his stomach. "Is everything alright, Mom?" he asked, concerned by the look on her face.

"No, nothing is wrong. Op it. It's yours," she replied, her voice soft and a little shaky.

Klaus hesitated for a momt before stepping forward. He knelt down and slowly lifted the lid of the wood box. Inside, resting on a bed of soft cloth, was a beautifully crafted sword. The blade gleamed ev in the dim light of the room, and the hilt was intricately designed with patterns he had never se before. But what caught his eye was a folded piece of paper placed on top of the sword.

He picked up the note with trembling hands and unfolded it. As he read, his breath caught in his throat.

"Happy birthday, Klaus," the note began. "I'm so proud of you, son. I wish I could be there to see the man you've become.But since I am not here, I left something for you. This sword is a family heirloom, passed down from father to son. It's now yours. Use it well, and protect your mother with everything you have.

I'm sorry I can't be with you but know that I love you both more than anything. Stay strong, my boy. I believe in you."

The note was signed, "Dad."

Klaus felt a wave of emotions crash over him—joy, sorrow, confusion. He looked up at his mother, his eyes wide with questions. "Mom... did Dad leave this for me? Where did this come from? Is he really...

gone?"

His mother knelt beside him, her hand gtly resting on his shoulder. "He left it for you before he disappeared, Klaus. He made me promise to give it to you wh you were ready. I don't know where he is or what happed to him, but I do know that he loved us. He wanted you to have this wh the time was right."

Klaus stared at the sword, his mind racing. His father's words echoed in his head, filling him with both hope and uncertainty. "What if he's still out there, Mom? What if he's not really gone?"

His mother's expression softed, though the sadness never left her eyes. "I wish I knew, Klaus. But whatever the truth is, your father believed in you. And so do I. He left this for you because he knew you would become a warrior one day. This sword shows how much faith he had in you.

Every part dreams of giving their childr a chance to find their place in this chaotic world.

I miss him, Klaus, and I know you do too. But remember, I'm always here for you. And with this sword, your father is with you too."

Hearing his mother's words, Klaus felt a wave of emotions wash over him. He gtly reached out and ran his fingers along the blade of the longsword. The metal felt cool to the touch, and the craftsmanship was exquisite. As soon as his hand made contact with the sword, a sudd rush of information flooded his mind.

It was as if memories or knowledge not his own were trying to surface, but just as quickly, it all wt blank.

For a momt, Klaus hesitated, unsure of what had just happed. But something deep inside him urged him on, a pull he couldn't ignore. Almost as if guided by an unse force, he wrapped his fingers a the hilt of the sword.

The momt he did, something shifted within him. His posture straighted, his grip firm and sure. It was as if the sword had awaked something within him, something ancit and powerful. Klaus felt a confidce he had never felt before, as though he had be wielding swords his tire life. His feet instinctively moved into a solid stance, and his body felt balanced and ready.

He swung the sword gtly at first, testing its weight and feel. The blade moved through the air with a grace that surprised him. It felt natural, like an extsion of his own body. He adjusted his grip, feeling the strgth in his arms as he held the sword with a calm yet determined focus.

For a brief momt, Klaus wasn't just a boy who had awaked as a warrior—he was a grandmaster, someone who had trained for years, someone who understood the art of the sword deeply. The connection he felt to the weapon was profound, and it stirred something in his soul.

"There's another note and a ring," Klaus's mother said, pointing to the inside of the box. Her expression revealed that she hadn't looked at the contts all these years. Klaus carefully picked up the note, unfolding it with a mix of curiosity and anticipation.

"Little Fella," the note began, and Klaus could almost hear his father's voice in the words. "I know I promised to take you to get your first tattoo wh you turned 6. Unfortunately, I'm not there now to keep that promise. But don't worry, I've already made arrangemts. Go to Ziggy Tattoo Parlor and tell him you're my son. He'll know what to do.

Goodbye, little fella. And remember, always make your mother smile."

Klaus couldn't help but let out a small, bittersweet laugh as he finished reading. The note was so typical of his father, full of love, but also a bit of mischief. He could imagine his father grinning as he wrote those words, knowing full well the trouble it might cause.

"Tsk, what a scoundrel," his mother said, shaking her head with a smile. "How could he promise a child that he'd take him to a tattoo parlor?" But despite the smile, Klaus could sse the deep sadness behind her words. The note was a reminder of the man they both missed so much, a man who had left a void in their lives that had never truly be filled.

Klaus picked up the ring that lay beside the note, examining it closely. It was simple yet sturdy, made of dark metal that felt cool in his hand. Without hesitation, he slipped it onto his finger and directed his spiritual qi into it. A few seconds later, his lips curled into a smile. "Dad really was the best.

He ev left me a space ring." Klaus had overheard a lecture about storage artifacts before, so he knew exactly how to use it the momt he saw it.

"What's inside?" his mother asked, curiosity lacing her voice.

"Nothing, it's empty," Klaus replied with a grin, before casually tossing the sword into the ring's storage space. The sword disappeared instantly, and Klaus marveled at the ring's capacity. It wasn't ormous—about 0 square meters, but to someone like Klaus, it was an invaluable treasure. Space rings, with their ability to store inanimate objects in a separate dimsion, were incredibly expsive.

The fact that his father had left one for him showed just how much he cared.

"Let's get some sleep, Mom," Klaus said, turning to her with a look of determination. "Tomorrow, I'm going on my first hunt. Wh I come back, you'll finally get a taste of awaked monster meat." His smile wided as he imagined the look on her face wh he returned victorious.

With a sword and a space ring ready, the next step was to fill them and start earning ough to keep his father's promise—making his mother happy.