Apocalypse Baby

"What… what the hell are you doing here?"

Alex muttered, his voice laced with confusion and shock.

His mind struggled to process what he was seeing.

He couldn't believe his eyes.

Standing right in front of him was a familiar face—one he never thought he'd run into again.

Nancy.

His former coworker.

Someone he had left behind when he made the choice to pursue strength—to hunt down the Beast Lords and push himself beyond his limits.

Back then, he had separated from them because they were holding him back.

And because...

He wasn't sure he could control himself if his bullies kept provoking him.

But now, as he stood there, staring at her, his mind raced.

Why was she here?

How did she find him?

And more importantly—what did she want?

Alex wanted to feel happy.

Or rather—he should be happy to see her.

But instead, a strange foggy feeling clouded his mind.

Something felt off.

Nancy stood before him, dressed in red armor, her sword sheathed at her side.

She looked as elegant as ever—lean, composed, and radiant.

Her face still had that familiar glow, but there was something different about her… something he couldn't quite place.

She glanced around, her eyes flickering over the dead trees surrounding them.

Then she smiled.

"It's been a while," she said, her voice calm, almost nostalgic.

Alex nodded slowly. "Hmm."

But his brow remained furrowed.

Something wasn't right.

His instincts screamed at him—warning him.

Then, he heard it.

Faint movements.

Multiple.

All around him.

It was the kind of quiet that didn't provoke attention but couldn't escape his senses.

Footsteps.

Soft but steady.

They weren't the heavy, thudding steps of monsters, no unnatural breathing.

These were different.

Human.

Players.

Alex's mind raced. Was this real? Or was he caught in some kind of illusion?

His gaze flickered to Nancy.

She stood there, still smiling, but now that he focused—he could hear it.

Her heartbeat.

It was fast. Uneven.

She was nervous.

Something was off.

His eyes narrowed.

"How'd… how did you get here?" he asked, his voice low.

No.

Wrong question.

His expression hardened. "What are you doing here?"

Nancy hesitated. Just for a second.

Then she answered.

"Well… me, Jace, and the others heard there was a Beast Lord in the area, so we came to take it down."

Alex blinked.

"Oh…" he muttered.

"So that explains the dozens of footsteps I hear....right?"

Nancy flinched—just slightly.

She hadn't expected Alex to sense them.

But she quickly composed herself, her expression smoothing out as she continued.

"Yes..." She glanced around, her eyes sweeping over the battlefield. The charred ground, the shattered trees, and the faint, lingering energy of the fallen beast lord.

Then, her gaze locked onto Alex once more.

"But it seems you've already defeated the Beast Lord. Alone, at that."

Alex gave a casual shrug.

"Technically, yes."

Silence settled between them.

The kind that carried unspoken words—a tension neither was willing to acknowledge just yet.

Alex studied her for a moment, then finally broke the quiet.

"So, tell me... how are you doing?"

Nancy's lips pressed together before she let out a slow breath.

"It's been rough," she admitted. "But we've been surviving. We've lost a few people... but we've also met others and managed to form a huge party."

Alex's expression didn't change, but his voice carried a hint of something unreadable.

"Is that so?"

"You're speaking like you don't care," Nancy said, her voice quieter now, but laced with something sharp.

"I truly don't."

Alex met her gaze, unfazed.

A pause.

Nancy exhaled, shaking her head slightly.

"Oh... I see. You haven't changed."

"Guess not."

A beat of silence.

"Alright," Alex finally said, forcing a small, unreadable smile. "I guess we should part ways, then."

He turned slightly, preparing to leave.

But then...

"Wait."

She suddenly moved closer, reaching out and grabbing his hand. Her grip was firm, desperate.

"Why don't you join the group?" she asked. "We could really use your help."

Alex didn't pull away.

He simply stared at her, his expression unreadable.

"You know I don't do well in groups," he said flatly. "Why offer?"

Nancy's lips pressed together.

A flicker of something crossed her face, but she quickly masked it.

"Alright... I guess there's nothing more to say between us."

Alex turned, ready to walk away.

But again, Nancy reached for him, grabbing his hand—harder this time.

Alex sighed, glancing over his shoulder, his voice almost lazy.

"What are you doing?"

"Won't you..." Nancy started, but her voice faltered. She exhaled heavily, trying to steady herself before continuing.

"Can't you just come with me? It must have been agonizing being alone."

Alex tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable.

"It wasn't," he said without hesitation. "If anything, it's been fun."

Nancy's eyes widened slightly, her grip on his wrist tightening.

"You were having fun while others were dying?" she asked, her voice shaking with disbelief.

"People dying is not my problem," Alex replied coldly. "Blame the tutorial."

Nancy took a step back, as if physically hit by his words.

"Didn't you think of me?" she asked, her voice quieter now, almost pleading.

Alex didn't hesitate.

"Strangely… not once."

Silence.

Nancy's brow furrowed, her lips pressing together as emotions flickered across her face—shock, frustration, maybe even hurt.

"Why... why are you being so mean?" she finally whispered.

Alex looked at her, his expression as calm as ever.

"Why?" he echoed.

Alex raised his hand—the one Nancy was still gripping tightly. His eyes flicked toward it, drawing her attention.

"Why, indeed," he murmured.

"Maybe it's because of this."

Nancy flinched.

A flicker of uncertainty passed through her eyes, but she steadied herself and pressed on.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, her voice carefully measured.

Alex let out a slow sigh—deep and heavy.

It wasn't a sigh of exhaustion, nor one of frustration.

It was disappointment.

It was of betrayal.

"You're seriously asking me that?" His gaze bore into her. "You know exactly what you're doing."

Nancy's expression tightened.

She tilted her head slightly, her brows drawing together.

Did he know?

He knew.

The moment he laid eyes on her, he saw through it.

Nancy's presence, the warmth in his chest, the strange comfort he felt—it was all fake.

His passive skill, [Illusion Resistance], cut through whatever ability she was using like a blade through mist.

The unseen shackles on his mind shattered, peeling away the unnatural fog clouding his thoughts.

Muddling.

A subtle, insidious trick.

It had been tampering with his emotions, making him feel at ease, making him want to be with her.

Making him happy to see her.

But it wasn't real.