The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

"Klaus, your friends need your help," his mom's voice reached his ear immediately after he came out of the training room.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Klaus asked, glancing at the flood of messages he had missed. He hasn't had time to check the messages since some of them are from his mother. All he needed was her name to know something was wrong, so he rushed out.

"There's an invasion in Arcadian City, and your friends are there fighting. You should go help them," his mother explained, her tone hasty and serious. Klaus could see she wasn't kidding.

Even though she always advised him to avoid risks, she had come to accept that her son is now a warrior. His path was going to be fraught with danger, and rather than holding him back, she wanted to ensure he was prepared and knew how to handle such threats.

She also recognized how happy Klaus was when his friends were around. She knew their lives were in danger with them on the front lines, and Klaus's presence could make a difference. She had seen his skills during the battle with Max Duncan and knew her son had grown into a formidable warrior.

"The invasion was sudden, and they said if it's not defended, it might spread to neighboring cities. So many warriors, including your friends, went to help defend it," his mother said urgently. "You need to go, but be careful, and don't get too reckless."

"Kofi," Klaus nodded and then called out to his security chief and driver. "Take me to the Ross Mansion."

"Kofi will be going with you. He's a saint and can protect you better than you can protect yourself," his mother said, and Kofi nodded. He quickly went to get the car while Klaus put on the battle armor Nadia had given him a few days ago.

They left promptly, heading toward the Ross Mansion. Knowing that driving would take too long, Klaus planned to ask Anna's parents for a favor. If he could get a jet or helicopter, he'd reach Arcadian City in less than an hour.

Henry, the butler was there waiting for them immediately Klaus and his driver arrived at Ross Mansion "Master Klaus, the patriarch has been expecting you."

Klaus was curious about why he would be expected but didn't have time to ask. He and Kofi followed Henry. He knew Anna had made arrangements for him, or they anticipated something like this from happening.

"Klaus, you're finally here," Daven Ross said as they entered the garden.

"Yes, I was tied up with something and just got out," Klaus replied.

"No need for explanations. You want to get to Arcadian City faster, right? Henry here has been ready to take you and your guard there," Daven said.

"Thank you. I'll be sure to repay this favor when you need it," Klaus said, turning to Henry.

Immediately after they left the garden, a lady stepped out of the shadows. Cynthia Ross, Anna and Lucy's mother, watched Klaus back with a smile.

"This kid is full of surprises," she mused, her eyes shining with interest. "Each time I see him, something new changes about him. Fascinating, very fascinating."

Klaus, Kofi, and Henry, the butler, made their way to the park where the Ross family's fleet of cars and jets were lined up. Henry led them through the area passing many cares and jets before finally stopping next to a sleek helicopter-like jet.

"This is the Valkyrie V-9 Thunderstrike," Henry said, gesturing to the angular chopper with its durable titanium-aluminum alloy shell. "It'll get us to Arcadian City in under an hour." The jet's two forward-facing rotors were designed to reduce noise and naturally harness the wind for faster, more efficient flight.

Klaus wanted to take a moment to appraise the impressive machine, but they were pressed for time. Without hesitation, they jumped inside, and soon enough, they were airborne, speeding toward the battlefield.

Settling into his seat, Klaus pulled out his phone and opened a live feed of the ongoing battle. The military had finally redirected their satellites to the battlefield, capturing the chaos in real-time.

The battlefield was pure chaos. Though there were no casualties yet, the medical teams were on high alert, ready to treat the wounded at any moment. Among the many fighters, a few powerful presences stood out. Sages are battling alongside the rest. One of them was Dave Arcadian, fiercely holding the frontlines.

And it wasn't just him. Uncle Ziggy and his crew were there too, fighting with everything they had against the seemingly endless waves of Zombies.

The battle had been raging for three hours now, and the human forces were being pushed to their limits. The sheer number of Zombies was overwhelming. After dealing with the first wave of Tier 4 Zombies, the more dangerous Tier 5 Zombies came into force.

Despite the odds, the Saints and Grandmaster experts managed to push through, clearing the initial wave. But then, twice the number of Tier 5 Zombies appeared, filling the battlefield and making it even harder to hold the line.

This forced about ten sages to step in, turning the tide just enough to give the human forces a fighting chance, but the battlefield was still chaotic and unpredictable.

Anna led the group of young men and women in defending the city as the final line of defense. Although they were reluctant to use weapons that might cause more harm than good, they knew they couldn't let the Zombies overrun the city.

So as a last resort, cannons and projectile weapons were armed and ready to fire, when their human force was unable to endure anymore.

The battle was pure chaos. More and more Tier 5 Zombies kept pouring in, but thanks to the efforts of the Saints and Sages, they managed to hold the line for now.

However, everything suddenly changed when thousands of Tier 5 Zombie Captains started to appear. Their appearance made the situation even more dire. The Sages were forced to push forward, unleashing devastating attacks in an attempt to thin the numbers.

But there was only so much they could do. With just ten of them, they needed more time to clear the field, and more Zombies kept flooding in. This forced the Saints, acting as the second line of defense, to step up, further reducing the number of Zombies.

In doing so, though, they had to ignore some of the Tier 5 Zombies, making things harder for the Grandmasters and Anna's team. Despite this, Anna's quick, decisive decisions kept her group holding their ground.

Casualties started to mount as the army started to lose their numbers. These troops fought fiercely, knowing it was their duty, but the pressure was immense.

Two hours into the battle, the situation worsened. Tier 5 Zombie Generals began flooding in, making the fight even more brutal. Then, the real nightmare started—thousands of Tier 6 Voltox Zombies appeared. At this point, casualties were unavoidable, and the battlefield became a bloodbath.

Even among the Saints, the overwhelming number of Zombies began to take its toll. Some started losing ground, and the situation quickly became dire. Others, however, continued to hold their own. The Sages pulled back slightly, using their power to shield the others, absorbing most of the damage to keep the frontlines from collapsing.

Before them was a terrifying sea of Zombies, seemingly endless. Despite this, no one considered retreating—not yet. Everyone believed they could still hold on.

"Anna, watch out!" Lily's urgent voice suddenly cut through the chaos prompting Anna to turn just in time to see it—a Tier 6 Zombie General lunging at her, its clawed hand aimed straight at her neck.

Anna, in the middle of casting a wide-area spell, had no way to defend herself. Panic seized her, and she staggered backward. If she fell, it would be over. Kay, Danny, and the others abandoned their targets, rushing to her aid, but they wouldn't make it in time. They knew that, but they refused to accept it.

A single tear slid down Anna's cheek as she closed her eyes. She braced herself for the fatal blow, knowing there was no way to avoid it. But just as the Zombie's claws were about to strike, a hand pulled her back, and she felt warm blood splash across her face.

Her heart sank. But then, a familiar voice broke through the chaos.

"Miss Anna, you're safe now."