Apocalypse Baby-Chapter 32: Fly Swatting

The two cockatrice generals froze when they realized who was standing before them.

It was the human who the one was supposed to be in the fortified cell rumored capable of holding monsters of B ranks.

Their wide, shocked eyes darted to each other as they tried to process what they were seeing.

That prison wasn’t just a cage. It was laced with powerful magical barriers, designed to be impenetrable.

To escape, one would have to overcome both the barriers and Talvok, the general assigned to guard it.

And Talvok wasn’t just any general; he was a seasoned warrior on the verge of breaking through to a C-rank.

If Alex was here then it only meant one thing:

Talvok must be dead.

Their expressions darkened as the weight of that conclusion sank in.

If this human had managed to defeat Talvok, then he was no ordinary foe.

He had to be incredibly strong, perhaps stronger than either of them individually.

The cockatrices tensed, feathers bristling, as they prepared for a fight they weren’t sure they could win.

Alex stood there, completely unfazed.

Cockatrice’s blood dripped from his face and clothes, a stark reminder of the chaos he’d left behind.

His piercing gaze locked onto the two generals, calm and unwavering.

To him, they were nothing more than another obstacle in his path.

His demeanor wasn’t arrogance—it was confidence earned through battle.

Alex had fought and defeated three cockatrice generals before, and that was before he reached D-rank. Compared to the challenges he’d already overcome, these two weren’t a threat; they were just a warm-up.

Even though the two cockatrice generals in front of Alex were high-level C-ranks, he didn’t feel the slightest concern.

His strength had skyrocketed, and he doubted their ranks would make any difference in the fight to come.

Alex took a single step forward, [Eclipse Edge] gleaming faintly under the light.

The motion was subtle, but the effect was immediate, as both cockatrices flinched, their talons scraping against the rocky ground as they instinctively stepped back.

Fear flickered in their glowing eyes.

They were wary.

Alex was an anomaly—his strength, his tactics, everything about him was unpredictable.

Rushing in recklessly would only lead to their deaths, and they knew it.

Their bodies were tense, feathers puffed as they tried to size him up.

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Alex, on the other hand, was calm and collected.

His stance was firm, his eyes steady, and he showed no intention of making the first move. He waited, his blade pointed downward but ready.

The tension was unbearable as neither side moved.

But finally, one of the cockatrices snapped under the pressure and stepped forward, talons raised, preparing to strike.

And that was all Alex needed.

In a blur of motion, [Eclipse Edge] struck true, tearing into the beast’s fur and flesh with a sickening crunch.

Blood sprayed as the cockatrice let out a guttural screech.

"Gaah!"

Its massive body crumbled to the ground in a heap, lifeless.

The second cockatrice froze, its glowing eyes wide in utter shock. It stared at its fallen companion, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

"Just like that?!"

He didn’t even see the human move.

"Dammit!" the cockatrice cursed internally, leaping backward as its throat began to glow, preparing to unleash a deadly [Sonic Howl].

But before it could release the attack, Alex vanished from its sight.

In the next instant, he appeared directly in front of the beast.

His movement was so blindingly fast that the cockatrice hadn’t even registered it.

Panic surged through the creature as it instinctively swung its feathered blades in a wild slash.

The attack connected, but instead of piercing flesh, it rebounded.

Alex had activated [Aegis Arcane], his magical barrier absorbing the strike without a scratch.

The cockatrice’s glowing eyes widened in alarm. It immediately realized it was completely outmatched.

This human… he’s beyond me!

Without hesitation, it tried to escape, flapping its powerful wings and turning to flee.

But Alex wasn’t about to let it go.

He shot forward like a missile, his hand wrapping around the cockatrice’s neck in an iron grip.

With brutal strength, he yanked the bird toward him, slamming it to the ground with a deafening crack.

The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the earth, creating a web of cracks beneath the beast.

Feathers exploded into the air like a burst of fireworks.

The cockatrice thrashed violently, screeching and flailing in an attempt to retaliate. It flapped its wings desperately, but Alex’s grip didn’t falter.

He pressed it harder into the ground, pinning it with an almost inhuman force.

Then, without warning, the feathers that had scattered into the air froze mid-flight.

They twisted unnaturally and pointed downward, gleaming with deadly intent.

The feathers rained down like razor-sharp darts, forcing Alex to release his grip and leap backward to avoid being skewered.

The cockatrice didn’t waste a second.

As soon as Alex moved, the beast scrambled to its feet and launched itself into the sky, wings flapping frantically.

It thought it had escaped.

For a brief moment, it felt relief as the ground grew distant beneath its talons.

But before it could fly far, the cockatrice’s neck erupted in a gruesome spray of feathers and blood, its head separating cleanly from its body in a spiraling motion.

The decapitated corpse fell off the sky and Alex got a notification:

Ding!

[You have leveled up!]

[You have received +5 Stat Points!]

[You have received 1 Powerstone!]

No skill this time?

Alex thought to himself every time he had killed a high-rank cockatrice he had gotten a new skill.

But this time...Alex figured it was because he had ranked up.

It sucked but it didn’t matter as he still had his title to make him happy.

[Apocalypse Baby kicking in]

[You have received an additional +5 Stat Points!]

[You have received an additional 1 Powerstone!]

Alex exhaled deeply, his breath misting in the cool air as he dismissed [Eclipse Edge] into his inventory.

In less than a minute, he had taken down two cockatrice generals—an accomplishment that would’ve seemed impossible not long ago.

He turned his gaze toward the cave entrance that the generals had fiercely guarded.

The massive stone opening loomed before him, shadowed and mysterious, like a doorway into another world.

Alex muttered, his tone calm but laced with anticipation:

"So this is the king’s abode."

The cockatrice king wasn’t here—Alex was certain of it.

If the king had been inside, the chaotic battle outside would have drawn it out by now.

But that only heightened Alex’s curiosity.

With steady steps, Alex approached the cave, his boots crunching against the gravel.

The air grew noticeably cooler as he entered, carrying a faint metallic tang.

He couldn’t help but think back to the goblin cave he had cleared earlier.

That place had been a nightmare: dark, cramped, and reeking of decay and filth.

It was a testament to the chaotic, mindless nature of the goblins.

This cave, however, was something else entirely.

The walls were smooth and clean, etched with glowing runic symbols that pulsed with a faint, rhythmic light.

Each rune seemed alive, humming softly with energy.

The interior was spacious and organized, exuding a strange sense of refinement.

It was the difference between a luxury mansion and a rundown shack in the slums.

Alex ran his fingers along the smooth surface of the cave wall and mused aloud:

"Not bad for a beast."

He stopped placing his palm firmly against the wall using [Exploding Touch]:

"But it’s too bad...I’m going to turn this neat little palace into a mess."