Apocalypse: Starting With Three Unique Blessings-Chapter 45: The Twin.

The minotaur charged, its massive, muscular form wielding the axe of obsidian-like material. The sight was intimidating, yet Magnus and Kelvin held their ground, confidence etched on their faces.

The minotaur’s chest, where Kelvin’s flaming fist had struck earlier, bore a deep, cave-like wound. Charred flesh surrounded the gaping hole, revealing cracked ribs beneath, and smoke still curled from the injury. This seemed to have enraged the beast further, as it thundered towards them, the ground trembling with each heavy stride.

Meanwhile, the minotaur Vorax faced was in even worse shape. Its body was riddled with wounds, blood dripping freely, a testament to the devastating power of Vorax’s spiked tail. The minotaur had been flung into the oncoming horde of beasts by Vorax’s attack and had suffered further injuries as the creatures trampled over its prone form.

Emerging from the chaotic mass, the minotaur didn’t attack immediately. Possessing a degree of intelligence, it recognized Vorax’s superior strength and the futility of a one-on-one confrontation in its weakened state. Instead, with a commanding roar, it rallied the surrounding horde. Another roar, and dozens upon dozens of beasts surged towards Vorax, the ground shaking under their combined weight.

Vorax roared back, not with fear, but with pure, unadulterated rage. He charged towards the oncoming tide of beasts.

Magnus, hearing Vorax’s roar, felt the celestial beast’s fury. It was even more intense than when it had lost some of its spikes earlier. But Magnus had little time to dwell on this, for the minotaur charging him and Kelvin had adopted the same tactic. With a bellow, it too was followed by a wave of beasts sweeping towards them.

Magnus’s face hardened, but a glint of confidence remained in his eyes. He was not afraid of what was coming.

-

Within a vast cavern, spanning several hundred meters and reaching a height of two hundred feet, a figure in dark robes reclined against the wall. Shining crystals, embedded in the rock face, illuminated the space, revealing his sharp blue eyes and hair so dark it seemed to shimmer. His strikingly handsome face wore an expression of utter boredom.

A massive explosion rocked the cavern, shaking it to its very foundations. For a moment, it seemed as if the whole structure might collapse, but the young man remained unfazed. He merely turned his gaze towards the source of the explosion, his bored expression unchanged. His eyes lingered on the spot, even though a thick wall of rock obstructed his view. He stared as if he could see through the solid stone.

"Henry," he drawled, his voice laced with boredom, "how much longer do you need to deal with that little wolf?"

A frustrated voice, remarkably similar to his own, echoed from within the rock face. "Just give me a minute, will you? I’ll be done here."

The young man scoffed. "You said that three minutes ago. Just get it over with. It’s starting to get incredibly boring in here," he sighed.

"Why don’t you come over here and do it yourself, smartass?" the frustrated voice retorted. "I’ll bet you the Lightbringer sword you can’t do it any faster or more efficiently than me."

The young man’s face momentarily brightened, then fell back into its usual languid state. He knew that the beast within the rock was no match for him. With a mere ten percent of his power, he could obliterate it completely. However, he also knew that the cavern had to remain intact. Unleashing even ten percent of his power would destroy the cavern along with the beast, defeating the entire purpose.

So despite the tempting offer, especially the wager of the Lightbringer sword, he hesitated. He knew what his brother would ask for in return if he lost, and it simply wasn’t worth the risk.

With this thought in mind, the handsome young man’s face returned to its usual languid state. He scoffed, about to turn away, when a figure emerged from the area of the explosion. This young man looked exactly like him – identical facial features, the same build, everything. In fact, he appeared to be a mirror image, only dressed in white robes.

Henry, peeking out from the dust cloud, looked at his twin brother. "So, what do you think, Ewan? Wanna make a bet?" he asked, earning a scoff in return.

"You’ve got to be more cunning than that if you want my immortal-grade mana stone," Ewan replied dismissively.

"Well, at least I tried," Henry shrugged. Just then, a powerful roar echoed through the cavern, shaking the very foundations. A giant wolf, towering over thirty feet tall and over sixty feet long, charged out from behind Henry.

"Scram!" Henry yelled, sending a punch towards the wolf that sent it flying backward.

A tremendous explosion erupted as the wolf crashed into the cavern wall, sending dust and debris raining down. Without even turning to look, Henry addressed Ewan, his voice taking on a playful tone. "I heard the thousandth player has arrived. Seems like a huge battle is brewing. You finally get to fight as much as you want without me having to hear you whine about being bored all day long," he said with a grin.

The mere mention of battle seemed to ignite a spark in Ewan’s eyes, his blood practically boiling with excitement, revealing his true nature.

"I heard today is his first territory trial, too. All the players, well, mostly the powerful ones, have gathered to observe," Henry continued, then added sarcastically, "They must be so concerned for the kid. Such camaraderie," he chuckled.

"Pfft, we both know those old monsters don’t give a damn about the kid. They’re all there to gauge his strength, to see what he’s capable of. After all, we’re all enemies in the end, fighting for that God-making treasure," Ewan added.

Inwardly, he scoffed. Those old fools were ready to tear each other apart at the mere mention of a God-making treasure – a treasure supposedly capable of granting ultimate power in this world. But Ewan considered it all nonsense. Was there truly any apex of power in the vast expanse of the multiverse, or even beyond?

Back on Earth, where he came from, those who controlled billions and trillions in wealth and corporate empires might have considered themselves at the pinnacle. They were the ones who could act with impunity, wielding power and influence in the highest places. But even that was just the apex of Earth. Here, in the world of Aetherium, such wealth was meaningless in the face of true power. In fact, without sufficient strength, that wealth could be snatched away in an instant. Strength was all that mattered. But even then, were the strongest beings truly at the apex?

The answer was both yes and no.

Yes, in this world, they might be considered apex predators. But compared to the rest of the multiverse, they were nothing.

He had chased that apex since arriving in this world – the kind of overwhelming power that would allow him to stand above all, crushing all beneath his feet. Had he achieved it?

Yes, he was considered a powerhouse in this world, standing above most creatures and humans. Of course, not all. There were still hidden monsters with extraordinary talents and overwhelming abilities. But he was still among the elite, among the pinnacle of this world. Even so, he knew he was far from being able to call himself apex.

If he were at the apex, what about the god who created this game world, who placed him and a thousand others here to compete for some unknown God-making treasure? He didn’t know the god’s reasons. It could be something as trivial as entertainment, or something far more serious. But it didn’t matter. What mattered was that he had finally accepted that there was no true apex, no matter how high he climbed. Even with the so-called God-making treasure, he didn’t believe in reaching a true apex. After all, even the gods themselves couldn’t claim to be the ultimate beings. In the vast expanse of the multiverse, and beyond, there was undoubtedly something more powerful than even the gods.

Henry, staring at Ewan with a furrowed brow, already knew what his brother was thinking.

However, before Henry could reply, the enraged wolf lunged forward again, swinging its massive paw. This time, Henry seemed to have had enough. He turned furiously towards the wolf and roared, "I said scram!..."