Apocalypse Baby

Alex didn't flinch at the gazes.

He calmly looked around.

And he could tell from what he sensed that these were not just any humans.

These ones radiated power.

Some more than others.

Way more.

Their eyes flicked over briefly, sizing him up, before they quickly glanced away.

Alex couldn't help but notice their lack of surprise.

He figured this kind of sudden appearance must've been routine for them as this must be how others arrived as well. Or maybe, he just wasn't impressive.

Who knows.

He stood still, taking in the sight around him.

His gaze swept across the group, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

"So... this is what the system meant by 'players from another world,'" he muttered to himself.

These weren't the players from his tutorial or the numerous tutorials that existed in his world.

No.

These were people from other worlds. Other versions of Earth.

Alex was the only one from his world chosen for this.

As he scanned the crowd more closely, using Omni View details started to stand out.

Some of them wore enchanted armor, the metal shimmering with glowing runes that seemed to pulse with life.

Others wielded weapons that moved with an energy of their own—blades that shimmered with raw heat, frost creeping along the edges, or weapons crackling with aetheric energy, like they were alive.

A few had cloaks that rippled and shimmered without a single gust of wind, each marked with strange crests or beast emblems that gave them an air of mystery.

One girl caught his attention—she was floating a few inches off the ground, her hair flickering like flames as if it had a life of its own.

A guy nearby had a greatsword so massive it looked like it should've been impossible for him to even lift. But he held it like it weighed nothing, a deadly ease in his every movement.

And then there was another, sitting on the ground, lazily sipping from a crystal flask, his fingers flicking as he cast illusion spells that danced across the sky, leaving glowing trails in their wake.

This wasn't just a group of players.

These were monsters.

The best of the best.

Each of them carried an aura of someone who had survived the impossible—people who had bled, battled, and come out on top, standing victorious.

Alex observed, figuring some of them had to be New Realm players. The ones Oracle had mentioned.

Because there was no way some of these candidates were regular tutorial players.

He'd reached the peak of the tutorial, and he knew exactly what the ceiling looked like. But half of the people around him were on a whole different level.

Some of them oozed power, practically radiating with a boundless potential that seemed almost… unstoppable.

And that wasn't something that could be achieved in the tutorial.

Unless one was Alex.

So, he quickly pieced it together.

New Realm players were those who had graduated from the tutorial, leaving behind the safety of its boundaries to face the brutal, unfiltered dangers of the world outside, gaining experience and power beyond what Alex had been exposed to.

And these were the people he was going to compete against...

"Cool."

Alex then took a moment to scan the arena again.

The floating coliseum seemed to hum with a quiet tension like the air itself was holding its breath.

Most of the gathered humans kept to themselves, speaking in low murmurs, their voices barely rising above a whisper.

Every now and then, Alex caught a snatch of conversation, words like "strategy" and "potential threats" floating through the air.

Meanwhile, some of the competitors were just watching, their eyes scanning the arena and sizing up the others—like he was doing.

Alex felt the weight of several gazes land on him as well. It wasn't surprising. The arena was full of sharp eyes, so Alex didn't mind.

After all, he was doing the same thing.

And anyone who wanted to smoke with him would get flames.

Sure, most of the players around him were powerful.

Especially the New Realm players.

But for all their strength, not many caught Alex's attention.

None of them sparked the thrill Alex was looking for.

That instinctive, spine-tingling feeling you get when a real predator enters the room.

None of them... except for one.

Alex's eyes zeroed in on a lone figure standing at the far side of the arena.

This guy wasn't trying to be noticed.

No flashy display. No glowing weapons. No familiars or magical beasts ready to pounce.

He wasn't doing anything special.

He was just standing there, perfectly still.

And that stillness? That's what made him dangerous.

Alex's instincts screamed at him as he locked onto the man.

The air around him felt heavier, thicker like something massive was pressing down on him.

The guy's mana… was ridiculous.

It didn't leak out like the others, glowing and sparking off the edges of their auras.

No, this guy's power was contained—coiled, like a serpent waiting for the perfect moment.

His skin was tanned, his hair short and silvery, catching the light like strands of molten metal. His expression? Impossible to read—completely neutral, like a blank slate.

His outfit was simple, almost plain: a dark, sleeveless robe that moved with an eerie fluidity, high combat boots that looked worn but reliable, and twin vambraces made from something that could only be dragon bone—crystallized.

Behind him, were sheathed two massive dual-blades.

Although this guy wasn't trying to stand out, the sheer force of his presence made it impossible to ignore him.

Even the rest of the players instinctively avoided going near him.

Then, Alex felt it.

The intense pressure, the suffocating presence he'd been feeling, was suddenly gone.

Completely.

It was like the guy's aura had disappeared into thin air. No trace. No hint. No whisper of power.

Alex's eyes widened.

"Insane."

Only someone with ridiculous control over their energy could pull something like that off. It was like he had flipped a switch and erased all traces of his presence, making himself utterly invisible.

Then the strange man's posture shifted, his gaze lifting slowly, deliberately, until it locked onto Alex's.

Their eyes met and Alex's body instinctively tensed up.

He had been staring too much and had gotten caught.

The man's gaze was intense and intimidating, but Alex didn't cower.

He raised his chin slightly, not as a challenge, but as a greeting.

Then, something shifted in the man's expression—just a flicker, a spark of interest.

It was subtle, but Alex saw it.

And the stillness was gone.

Without hesitation, the man moved.

His steps were confident, and unwavering, as he walked straight toward Alex.

This motion caught the attention of some people

And, one voice broke the tension.

"Hey, isn't that him?"

The words rippled through the crowd.

More whispers followed.

"The one and only candidate."

"The Dragon's Emperor's recruit."

"He's here… participating too?"

Listening.

Alex's eyes narrowed as the murmurs reached his ears.

Dragon Emperor?

The words echoed in his mind.

He'd heard that name before, but from where?

His thoughts raced as he tried to place it.

And then, before he could piece it together, the mysterious figure was right in front of him.

Without a word, the man extended his hand toward Alex.

"Nice to meet you, Alex Knight," the man said, his voice smooth and calm, but there was power in every syllable. "I'm Adam Evargel."

Alex's gaze flickered to his hand, but his focus was instantly drawn to the man's eyes—golden, glowing like they held the light of another world.

The intensity of those eyes almost felt like they could burn right through him.

Alex's mind went still for a moment.

The moment the name hit him, the memory clicked.

Dragon Emperor.

It was one of the deities, that had requested a meeting with him along with numerous other gods.

Adam didn't wait for him to say anything, as he added smoothly, with his hand still extended.

"My Master would like to have a word with you."