Apocalypse Baby

Freya shook her head, disbelief washing over her like a cold wave.

Did he really just say that?

Was this the same man begging for his life seconds ago?

And to think—she had almost spoken up for him.

Kyiv's voice rose, cracking with hysteria.

"You're someone's daughter?!" he screamed.

His eyes burned with anger, spit flying as he ranted.

"How do you think your parents would feel about what you just did?"

Freya's chest tightened.

"You killed a man! Turned him into a porcupine under the facade of survival!"

Her fingers twitched.

She could still feel the weight of her dagger in her palm. The sensation of steel sinking into flesh.

Kyiv's voice kept hammering into her skull.

"Admit it! You enjoyed it! You did it for the Nightmare Points!"

Freya's breath hitched.

"If that's not the case, transfer them! Transfer them, goddammit!"

His screams echoed in her ears.

Her pulse pounded.

Kyiv's words clawed at her mind, pulling at something deep inside her.

Then a voice.

Low, calm and unshaken.

"Don't listen to him."

Freya's head snapped to the side.

Alex.

His eyes held no doubt.

No guilt. No hesitation.

Just certainty.

Freya swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper.

"It's hard not to when he's yelling."

"Then..."

Alex stepped in behind her, his movements calm, deliberate.

Then his hands lifted, pressing gently against her ears.

Freya froze.

Her heart skipped a beat.

The warmth of his palms against her skin sent a shiver down her spine.

Then heat rushed to her face.

Her cheeks burned.

Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, louder than Kyiv's shouts.

She stammered, barely able to form words.

"Wh-what... what are you doing?"

Alex's voice came flat and casual as usual.

"Covering your eyes."

A pause.

"Keep moving, Freya."

She blinked.

Wait—what?

Alex stayed right behind her, his hands still covering her ears as they walked.

Freya's breath came uneven.

Her palms felt sweaty.

Her chest tightened.

Her voice came out small.

"Are… are you flirting with me?"

A beat.

Then...

"No!"

Freya bit her lip.

That response?

It was way too fast.

Freya stayed silent for a moment, her mind racing in confusion.

Then a sudden realization struck her.

Her eyes widened.

Don't tell me…

Without thinking, she swatted Alex's hands off her ears.

Alex blinked, puzzled by her action.

Then he asked:

"What was that for?"

Freya took a step back, staring at him like he was some kind of madman.

"Are you setting an explosive on my head?!"

Alex double-blinked.

"What?"

A pause.

"No....why would I do that?"

Better question: How did she know about my ability?

His expression stiffened.

First Onigi, now Freya.

He sighed, shaking his head.

He really needed to do a better job at hiding his skill.

But then again, did it even matter?

Physical contact wasn't necessary anymore to use the skill.

Freya narrowed her eyes, her mind piecing everything together.

She knew about his ability.

How?

Because Onigi had refused to shake Alex's hand, saying he'd die if he did.

Because she had seen Alex blow up that vendor shop without even lifting a finger.

She had put two and two together.

And now, the lingering warmth of Alex's touch felt less like a moment of flirty tension—and more like a death sentence waiting to go off.

Her heartbeat quickened.

She took a shaky breath and asked, "Answer me... Did you put an explosion on me that I don't know about?"

Alex sighed, rolling his eyes.@@novelbin@@

"If you keep asking me that, I might actually consider it."

Freya's temper snapped.

"Next time, don't touch me out of nowhere unless I want you to...or unless I touch you first!"

Alex froze.

His brain processed that in real-time.

Wait. What?

The last part was... confusing.

But, after a second, he decided it was fair enough.

He gave her a small nod.

"Okay then."

Alex had already started walking ahead when Freya suddenly processed her own words.

Wait... Did I sound too rude?

She frowned, feeling the need to clarify.

"Wait!" she called out.

Alex stopped but didn't turn around.

"What?"

Freya took a breath, trying to find the right words.

"Just so you know... I didn't mean that I don't want you to touch me... or that I do want you to touch me."

Alex slowly turned to look at her, even more confused.

"Okay?"

Freya winced.

That didn't come out right.

"What I'm saying is..." she gestured vaguely, struggling. "I don't want you to touch me, but I also don't not want you to touch me either?"

Silence.

Then Alex threw up his hands.

"What?!"

Freya groaned.

"Listen! If you want to, you can—but sometimes you need permission! And sometimes I might touch you without permission...?"

Alex just stared at her.

"Again, what?"

Freya groaned and facepalmed.

Trying to explain was only making things worse.

Alex, meanwhile, had given up on trying to process whatever she was saying.

With a simple shrug, he pointed ahead.

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"We're here, Freya. Let's go."

They stood before the glowing exit, its ethereal energy swirling like a gateway to the unknown.

Freya sighed, her face still in her hands.

She placed her palm against the shimmering surface, feeling her soul die from secondhand embarrassment.

No notification.

No alert.

The moment they stepped forward, their bodies disintegrated into light.

5,000 Nightmare Points vanished from their total.

When they reappeared, the air was heavier. Darker.

The first thing they saw was a figure.

An undead in a crisp black suit, standing tall, his hollow eyes glowing faintly beneath a decayed yet strangely dignified face.

He lowered his head slightly, his voice a deep, guttural rasp.

"Welcome to the third trial, Players 665 and 666."

The voice was deep and rasping, like dry bones scraping together.

Alex and Freya stood frozen, their eyes locked onto the figure before them.

An undead?

Dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, he bowed slightly, his hollow eyes glowing faintly. Despite his rotting flesh, he carried himself with an eerie grace.

"I am the guide for this round of the Nightmare Trial," he continued, his grin stretching wider than any human's should.

Freya swallowed hard.

Alex, however, sighed in annoyance.

"Another one of these clowns."

Without hesitation, he raised his hand, fingers tensing, ready to blast the undead to smithereens just like he did the vendors, but...