The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

"Wow, that is one terrifying lineup!" Klaus shouted as he stared at the sea of monstrous shapes, all formed from lightning. There were tigers, spiders, zombies, spears, and even some figures made of spears, all standing there, filling the space to the brim.

During his tribulation, Klaus used the black hole to steal the lightning and trap it within the tribulation prison that his senior had created inside his soul sea. He had expected only a few creatures to be pulled in, but he clearly underestimated the black hole's power. The entire 3-kilometer area was packed with monsters.

"I'll need to expand this place before my next tribulation," Klaus said with a satisfied grin. The sight of the lightning monsters and shapes filled him with joy.

"Senior, what's next?" Klaus suddenly asked, his excitement brimming.

"Just kill them and absorb the runes into your body or your Lotus flower," the Senior replied within his soul sea.

Klaus paused for a moment. "But, Senior, how come I have an affinity for all elements, yet I can only access ice and fire?" He frowned, thinking it over. His talent is Celestial Elemental Overlord, meaning he has an affinity for all elements.

But so far, only ice and fire were within his reach. He couldn't help but wonder: if he could unlock access to all elements, wouldn't that make him overwhelmingly powerful?

"You can't access the other elements yet because you're not ready or strong enough to wield them. I shouldn't be telling you this—karma will start piling up," the Senior's voice grew quiet as if reluctant to continue.

"Come on, Senior, I don't care about karma or whatever else," Klaus pressed, frustration in his voice. "Just tell me what I need to do to unlock the other elements."

The Senior sighed. "Fine. The reason you can't access the rest is because you haven't met the requirements yet. Even the ice and fire you're using now are only the most basic forms of those elements. You've barely scratched the surface."

"Take, for example, that girl, Lucy," the Senior continued. "She awakened a unique form of the ice element called Half-Moon Ice. Her ice is much stronger than yours, with special properties that give it an edge. What you're using now is just the normal form of ice."

Klaus listened in stunned silence. If his element was just the basic form, why was it already so powerful? It didn't make sense.

"Of course, you're wondering why your ice and fire are still so powerful despite being in their basic forms," the Senior said as if reading his thoughts.

"Well, there are two reasons for that. First, it's because of your talent. A celestial-grade talent like yours is unheard of. That alone makes you terrifying. It's a blessing, yes, but it comes with a cost."

Klaus furrowed his brow. "What cost?"

"It means you'll have to work even harder to awaken your elements fully," the Senior explained. "Unlocking the true form of your ice and fire will require far more effort than it would for anyone else."

Klaus nodded slowly, processing this.

"The second reason your basic elements are so strong," the Senior continued, "is because you're using Star Qi as your energy source. Most people use Spiritual Qi, but your Star Qi is on a completely different level. It amplifies even the simplest forms of your elements, making them much more powerful."

Klaus took a deep breath. "So, the real power of my elements is still locked away… and I have to put in the work to unlock them."

"Exactly," the Senior said. "But once you do, you'll be beyond anything you've imagined."

"Then how can I unlock them?" Klaus asked eagerly. If he could gain access to the earth element, his defense would become impenetrable. If he could wield darkness, he could wreak havoc in the shadows. There was infinite potential locked away within him, and he was determined to unlock it all.

"There are many methods," the Senior replied, "but for you, only two are viable right now. The first is the easiest: They will automatically unlock and awaken as you level up and break through to higher realms."

Klaus listened closely, but the Senior hesitated before continuing.

"And the second way?" Klaus pressed.

"Well..." The Senior hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Some truly powerful monsters produce unique cores that contain specific elemental properties. If you manage to acquire and consume some of these cores, it could greatly increase your chances of awakening the true forms of your elements."

Klaus's eyes lit up with interest. "And what about unlocking new elements?"

"That depends on the strength of your soul," the Senior explained. "But your soul is strong enough now to handle the awakening of a new element if you can find the right core which I am not saying will awaken or unlock your elements by just consuming them, it will definitely increase your chances"

Klaus's mind raced with possibilities, but the Senior quickly added a caution. "However, with your current strength, securing such monster cores won't be easy. The creatures that hold them are no ordinary foes. They're real monsters—beings far more powerful than what you've faced before."

"How strong exactly?" Klaus asked.

"Well," the Senior began, "you know how a human has to form a Star Core when they're about to break through to the Saint Stage, right? But that's only the beginning. After the core is formed, the Evolution Phase begins. It's similar to what monsters go through but with some differences.

To advance to the Sage Stage, your core will need to undergo four evolutions: Lesser, True, Alpha, and finally, Chaos. This evolution is a crucial step in becoming a true powerhouse. But just like humans, monsters also experience this process."

Klaus listened intently as the Senior continued.

"When monsters advance to the Devil Class, their core evolves into a Devil Core. This core contains their elemental powers and grants them access to a variety of skills, much like humans. It's at this stage that they start evolving into true beasts.

Now, contrary to what you might think, a Devil-Class monster is far more terrifying than a thousand Terror-Class monsters combined."

Klaus felt a chill run down his spine as the Senior explained.

"If you want to obtain a Devil Core," the Senior said, "you'll need to start hunting Tier 7 Devils. And trust me when I say this: they are several times more dangerous than anything you've faced before. Monsters can only ascend to the Devil Class when they break through to the Tier 7 stage."

Klaus sucked in a cold breath, the weight of the challenge ahead sinking in.

"So, this means I need to start venturing into higher-tier forbidden zones," Klaus said with a grin, already thinking ahead.

"Brat, did you hear anything I just said?" the Senior snapped, raising his voice. "Going up against an opponent that can use skills like you do is terrifying—especially one that's four realms above you!"

"Old man, chill," Klaus replied, still smiling. "I'm not planning on charging into hordes of them. I'll scout the area, plan carefully, and strike when the iron is hot and ready."

The Senior sighed but couldn't help but chuckle a small. "You're either incredibly brave or utterly stupid."

Klaus smirked. "Why not both? I am a paragon, after all."

"Speaking of that, Senior," Klaus said with a playful grin, "don't you think I've earned a new skill by now? Come on, throw me a bone here."

The Senior let out a low chuckle. "I don't have anything new for you, kid. As you grow, you'll naturally learn more on your own. For now, focus on developing your Lotus Flower. You've already unlocked two abilities with it—use this opportunity to make it even stronger."

Klaus leaned back, slightly disappointed but intrigued. "Why the rush?"

"Because," the Senior's tone grew serious, "the day you face a Tier 7 Devil will be the day you understand what true terror looks like. And believe me, you'll want every ounce of power you can muster when that day comes."

Klaus smiled and refocused on the lightning monsters before him. Inside the Tribulation Prison, his power reigned supreme. With a flick of his will, a hundred lightning monsters exploded, sending lightning runes swirling toward him.

"I don't need these anymore," Klaus mused. "The flower can take them."

He summoned the Ice Lotus Flower, allowing it to hover over the remaining monsters. One by one, they began to detonate, releasing runes that floated up into the flower. Klaus watched as the Lotus became more solid and tangible with every rune absorbed.

"It's growing stronger," Klaus noted, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. The more monsters that exploded, the more robust the flower became, and its form gradually stabilized.

"Hehe, maybe it's time to visit Ruin City and clear the place out," Klaus chuckled. "Should give me a nice chunk of EXP to level up."

Now that he has advanced to the Master Stage, he will need far more experience points to continue progressing. Fighting weaklings wouldn't cut it anymore. Forbidden Zones were his best bet—places teeming with powerful creatures.

Besides, Klaus thought with a grin, the military wants those places cleared out anyway. Might as well do the public a favor.

"Kid, it's crucial that you focus on awakening the elements you've already unlocked," the Senior advised. "Also, try to use your fire element as effectively as you do with your ice element. Trust me, your Lotus Flower is more powerful than you realize. Just keep strengthening it every chance you get." the senior said

"I will, Senior," Klaus replied with determination. From his tribulation, he knew the Lotus Flower was indeed formidable. Based on what he had seen, each petal could hold up to nine abilities. If his calculations were correct, he could one day unlock all 81 stars on the petals, giving him 81 abilities in one flower.

"That's incredibly OP," Klaus thought to himself with a grin. After about two hours, all the lightning monsters were detonated, and the flower absorbed all the runes.

Klaus went back to the waking world and started practicing his swordplay while he waited for his duel with Max Duncan.

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[A/N: I will be adding three different privilege chapters next month: 10 advanced chapters, 20 advanced chapters, and 30 advance chapters. Get your coins ready!]