Apocalypse Baby

No wonder.

No wonder he had been so relaxed around her. So trusting.

No wonder it felt like he was in love...

It wasn't real.

It was an illusion.

A hypnosis.

And the caster? None other than Nancy.

She must have thought he wouldn't notice.

That she could weave her way into his mind without resistance.

But she was wrong.

[Illusion Resistance] had torn through the deception, leaving nothing but the bitter truth behind.

Nancy shifted uneasily.

Something was off.

Alex's posture had changed.

His expression, once neutral, had turned unreadable—cold, calculating. His body, once at ease, was now rigid with tension.

She could feel it.

He knew.

Her heart pounded as she swallowed hard.

"Alex," she asked hesitantly, forcing a smile, "is everything alright?"

Alex slowly lifted his head.

His eyes locked onto hers—icy, sharp, unforgiving.

Then, in a voice as cold as steel, he asked:

"How long?"

Nancy opened her mouth to speak:

"What do you mean..."

But before the words could finish leaving her lips, Alex moved.

Faster than she could see.

His hand shot forward, gripping her by the neck.

Before she could even process what was happening—

SLAM!

Her back crashed against a nearby tree. The bark splintered on impact, cracks spreading like a spiderweb. A sharp pain shot through her spine.

Nancy groaned, dazed from the sudden attack.

Her hands instinctively went to Alex's wrist, trying to pry his fingers off.

But his grip only tightened.

Her breathing grew shallow. Shocked. Confused. Terrified.

This wasn't the Alex she knew.

"What... what are you doing?" she gasped, struggling against his strength.

Alex's expression was unreadable—his usual calm replaced with something far more dangerous.

His golden eyes burned with cold fury.

His voice came out in a low growl, demanding, unrelenting.

"How long?!"

Nancy's fingers trembled as she desperately clawed at his hand, trying to free herself.

Alex scoffed, his grip still firm around Nancy's throat.

To anyone else, it might have looked like she was just struggling to break free—but he knew better.

Her trembling hands weren't just desperate.

She was trying to amplify her ability.

"Touch increases the potency of the skill, doesn't it?"

Nancy's eyes widened.

He knew.

Her pulse quickened. She had been so careful, so subtle. Yet, somehow, he had seen through everything.

"It doesn't matter what you do," Alex continued, his voice sharp as a blade. "It will not work on me. I'll ask one last time…"

His fingers tightened slightly—just enough to remind her of his strength.

"How long?"

Nancy's breath hitched.

Her lungs burned.

Her body screamed for air.

She had no way out.

No more deception. No more illusions.

With a shaky breath, she finally admitted the truth.

"Since the beginning. Since we met."

Alex's expression shifted.

For a split second, a flicker of something unreadable passed through his eyes.

Then—he let go.

Tcch!

Nancy collapsed to the ground, coughing violently as she gasped for air.

Her fingers clutched at her throat, her body still trembling from Alex's grip.

But the moment she caught her breath, she rushed to explain.

"It wasn't intentional…" she rasped. "It's a passive skill called Eros' Blessing. It's my innate ability. I—I don't know how to switch it off."

Alex's eyes narrowed.

His expression was unreadable, but the sharp glint in his gaze made her uneasy.

His instincts told him she wasn't lying.

But he couldn't believe her.

Not anymore.

Not after everything.

A heavy weight settled in his chest.

All those emotions—those moments of warmth, the unshakable belief that she had been someone special—all of it had been fake.

An illusion?

He had killed for her.

Not innocent people—but still.

Alex clicked his teeth, frustration bubbling inside him.

"So everything I felt toward you… was a lie."

Nancy hesitated, guilt flickering across her face. "I can't say it wasn't."

His jaw clenched.

He had thought she truly cared.

That there was something real between them.

But it was all just his delusion.

Nancy exhaled sharply, trying to explain. "I'm sorry, but I had no choice. It's a passive skill. I couldn't just turn it off."

Alex let out a harsh laugh.

Then he clicked his teeth again.

"Minutes ago, the moment you saw me, you were clearly using it. I felt it. That unnatural fog in my mind. That pull. So don't give me that excuse."

Nancy fell silent.

She had no defense.

Because she knew—he was right.

She had actively used her skill on him, trying to control him.

If he hadn't possessed Illusion Resistance, he would have fallen.

A puppet. A fool.

A moron who thought his actions were his own, never realizing they were being manipulated.

The thought of that alone pissed him off.

Nancy's voice was barely above a whisper.

"The ability is called a blessing… but it's nothing but a curse." Her hands clenched into fists. "I can't form a bond with anyone and know it's real because of it."

Alex didn't care.

Her words meant nothing to him now.

He was done listening.

His attention shifted to something else.

To the footsteps he heard.

Dozens. No—hundreds.

The people approaching him were trying to be sneaky, but their attempt was pathetic.

He had sensed them from a mile away.

Slowly, he turned his gaze back to Nancy.

His voice was calm but sharp.

"Tell me, Nancy… why are there hundreds of players closing in on me? Do you have a hand in this, or do you not?"

Nancy raised her head, but she didn't meet his eyes.

She stayed silent, her gaze falling to the ground in shame.

Alex scoffed.

"Seriously, Nancy. At least attempt to hide your betrayal."

Nancy let out a slow, heavy exhale.

But Alex wasn't done. A grin curled on his lips.

"I'm really disappointed," he continued, his voice laced with mock amusement. "That you'd underestimate me so much."

Then—a flash of light.

A runic circle burst to life beneath Alex's feet, glowing with intricate symbols.

Without warning, chains shot out, coiling around his arms, legs, and torso, locking him in place.

The metal clanked as it tightened.

But Alex didn't even flinch.

His expression remained casual, almost bored, as he watched the scene unfold.

From the shadows, figures began to emerge.

One by one, they stepped into the open, surrounding Alex like wolves closing in on their prey.

Yet, he remained unmoved.

His gaze swept over them, taking in their faces.

Some were familiar—Jonah, Thompson... old acquaintances.

But many were strangers, unknown faces with hostile intent.

And then, there were two who stood out the most.

Ethan—his former boss.And Katie—his ex.

Ethan took a step forward, smirking with arrogance.

"Long time no see, filth."

Alex's eyes flicked to him.

Lazily. Unimpressed.

Disappointment settled in his chest.

To think he had once dreaded meeting these two again.

But now?

Now, he could hardly feel anything from them.

The power they oozed felt pathetic.

A single clone of his could take them down without breaking a sweat.

But he held back.

He wanted to hear them out first.

Wanted to understand why they were here.

Why so many players were suddenly hunting him.

Before he flipped this entire tutorial on its head.