Apocalypse Baby

Ella slammed her staff into the ground.

A magic circle flared to life beneath the charging ram.

From the glowing glyphs, thick, thorn-covered vines erupted, shooting upward like a living trap.

The vines coiled around the Shard Ram in an instant, wrapping tightly around its body, its legs, and its glowing horns.

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The beast thrashed violently, trying to break free, but the vines held firm—

Then came the spikes.

Razor-sharp thorns lined the vines, pressing deeper and deeper into the ram’s flesh.

SHRRRK!

The spikes pierced through, shredding the monster apart.

A spray of blood splattered against the stone walls.

Freya stared, stunned.

She hadn’t expected that. Not from Ella.

The girl who had been shaking in terror just minutes ago had just annihilated a monster without so much as a flinch.

Freya’s gaze flicked to Ella’s face.

Calm. Focused.

The fear she had shown against the Veilborns was gone.

Maybe standing her ground against the shadow creatures had done more than just save her life.

It had changed her.

On seeing this a question lingered in Freya’s mind, gnawing at the edges of her thoughts.

She turned to Ella, her expression serious.

"Ella."

The druid looked up, still catching her breath from the battle.

"Yeah?"

Freya hesitated for a second, then asked:

"What color was the identity notification on the Shard Ram?"

Ella blinked, confused:

"What?"

"The name above its head. What color was it?"

Ella furrowed her brows, thinking back:

"Green... Why?"

Freya’s breath caught in her throat.

Her eyes widened slightly.

Just as I suspected...

So it really was different for each player.

The system wasn’t just marking monsters based on their overall power—it was comparing them to the strength of the player looking at them.

Which meant...

Another unsettling thought crept into Freya’s mind.

She hesitated, then shook her head, almost as if trying to dismiss the idea.

But she needed to be sure.

"And what about the Veilborns?" she asked, her voice quieter this time.

"What color did you see?"

Ella furrowed her brows, thinking back.

Then she answered hesitantly:

"Green as well?"

"GAAH!"

Freya let out a sharp cry, making Ella jump in alarm.

"Ma’am?! What’s wrong? Are you hurt?!" Ella’s voice wavered with concern.

Freya clutched her chest dramatically, breathing heavily as if she’d just taken a punch.

Then she shook her head:

"No... I’m fine. Just... shocked."

How could this be?

Ella tilted her head, confusion clear on her face.

Freya narrowed her eyes at the young druid.

If the Veilborns appeared green to her… then that meant Ella was strong enough to face them.

But from what Freya knew, the only thing that could harm those creatures was fire.

Which meant…

Freya took a steady breath, then asked carefully, "Ella… do you happen to have an ability that lets you use fire?"

Ella nodded. "Yes."

Freya sucked in a sharp breath.

Of course she has fire magic.

Her mind raced.

"Then… you could’ve dealt with the Veilborns easily."

Ella awkwardly scratched the back of her head, looking embarrassed. "I was too scared… And besides, we only figured out their weakness too late, so…"

Freya sighed, nodding. "That’s true…"

But still. If Ella had acted sooner, they could’ve wiped those shadowy creatures out. No need for all that fear.

Freya glanced at Ella again. She was way more powerful than she let on.

As long as she had the confidence to act, she’d be a force to be reckoned with.

A reliable partner.

That thought reassured Freya.

But then...

As they turned the next corner, Freya’s stomach twisted.

The sight before them sent a chill crawling up her spine.

Jeremy was hanging on the wall...impaled.

Thick wooden thorns jutted out of his chest, piercing straight through his body.

His head hung low, arms limp, fingers barely curled.

Blood dripped from his lips, a slow, steady trickle that stained his torn shirt.

Freya froze, her breath catching in her throat.

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Ella shuddered, gripping Freya’s hand tightly as if grounding herself.

Freya’s voice came out barely above a whisper:

"What... what the hell happened?"

They inched closer.

Jeremy wasn’t moving.

He was dead.

Freya’s mind raced.

Was it a trap? A monster? Was it still here, watching them?

Her eyes darted around, scanning every shadow, every crevice.

Nothing. No movement.

No monsters lurking in the dark.

She exhaled, pressing her lips into a thin line.

Whatever happened here, it was too late to change.

And dwelling on it wouldn’t keep them alive.

It was unfortunate.

Freya had told Jeremy they shouldn’t cross paths again.

And now... it seemed like they never would.

"Let’s go," Freya said, her voice firm but quiet.

Ella clung to her arm, pressing close as they walked beneath Jeremy’s lifeless body.

She kept stealing glances at the corpse, her face pale, her grip tightening with each step.

Then...They heard it.

A faint, creaking sound. Like old wood bending, twisting... moving.

They turned.

It was crawling.

Dark, gnarled roots slithered across the ground like tendrils, twisting together, rising up.

Forming something.

A humanoid figure took shape, its entire body made of hard, knotted wood.

It turned toward them, slow and deliberate.

Its eyes—hollow. Empty. Dark.

A notification flashed in front of Freya.

She already knew.

It would be red.

But before she could even read the name—

The wooden creature attacked.

Then...

BOOM!

An explosion erupted right beside the monster.

The blast shook the ground, a shockwave ripping through the air.

Freya stumbled back, barely keeping her balance, while Ella yelped and clutched her arm for support.

The creature was gone.

Obliterated in the blast.

Before Freya could even process what happened, another explosion roared, this time blowing a massive hole in the maze wall ahead.

BOOM!

Freya’s heart pounded.

Who the hell would be crazy enough to use explosions to get through this death trap?!

Then she heard footsteps.

Slow. Casual. Unbothered.

Freya’s breath caught.

There was only one person reckless enough to take on the trial like this.

The dust settled.

And she saw him.

Alex.

Of course. It had to be him.

Alex didn’t look towards their direction.

He walked forward, calmly stepping through the hole he had just blasted into the wall.

Then...

BOOM!

Another explosion rocked the maze.

Freya flinched, but her focus shifted as she caught sight of Ella.

She wasn’t moving.

Her eyes were locked on Jeremy’s lifeless, thorn-ridden corpse.

Freya didn’t hesitate.

She grabbed Ella’s arm and yanked her forward.

"This isn’t the time to freeze up," she muttered under her breath.

Survival was right in front of them, and they weren’t going to waste it.

She pulled Ella along, hurrying after Alex.

They reached the next hole—a fresh blast still crumbling at the edges.

Alex had just stepped through, pausing for the first time.

Freya saw him glance left.

Then right.

Then, with a tone that somehow carried both mild surprise and complete indifference, he muttered:

"Oh… what the hell is going on here?"