Apocalypse Baby

With a confident grin, Alex snapped his fingers.

And in an instant, the closest explosion to Murzok detonated with a deafening roar, sending shockwaves through the air.

The blast sent a rush of heat and debris in every direction, but Alex didn't wait around to see the aftermath.@@novelbin@@

He was already on the move.

His feet pounded the ground as he triggered a series of explosions he had strategically set up earlier.

Boom!

Boom!

The sound echoed through the cave, each blast closer than the last.

Alex's [Fast and Furious] skill flared to life, making him move at blistering speed, a blur of motion.

Though he had [Flame Immunity] now, protecting him from most fire-based attacks, Alex didn't want to test the limits.

He wasn't a masochist, after all.

And more importantly, he couldn't afford to get scorched, as he was still holding the cockatrice egg—his lifeline—and he'd be damned if it got damaged.

The explosions rumbled behind him like a relentless wave of destruction, but Alex was already out of the cave, his speed and skill keeping him just ahead of the blast radius.

As he reached the cave's edge, he leaped into the air, activating his [Glider Cloak].

In a flash, wings erupted from the cloak, stretching wide and catching the air.

Alex's descent turned into a controlled glide, and he dove down, putting distance between himself and the chaos he'd left behind.

He didn't believe for a second that the explosions would take down Murzok—after all, the cockatrice king was no ordinary creature.

But he hoped, at the very least, that it would slow him down, give him the opening he needed.

With the egg safely tucked under his arm, Alex sped toward the ground, praying the damage would be enough to make Murzok hesitate, even if just for a moment.

Raaarkh!!

The terrifying roar echoed behind Alex, sending a jolt of adrenaline through his veins.

Even though he was grinning, his heart hammered wildly in his chest.

He didn't need to look to know what was coming.

With a blast of wind and a shower of rocks, the cockatrice king shot out of the cave.

Some of its feathers were charred, but despite the scorch marks, the cockatrice was far from defeated—its wounds were minor, easily ignored.

The beast dove down, its massive wings cutting through the air with a shrill screech, a blur of fury and hatred.

Its eyes locked onto Alex with a burning intensity, and Alex could feel the murderous rage radiating from it.

The cockatrice king was determined to rip him to shreds.

Alex's senses flared, his instincts screaming at him.

He could feel the presence of the cockatrice drawing closer, the weight of its fury pressing down on him.

He gritted his teeth, his grip tightening on the egg.

It's coming fast. Too fast.

He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes locking onto the cockatrice as it closed the distance with terrifying speed.

"Human! Hand over what you stole right now!" the cockatrice roared, its voice booming through the air.

Alex smirked, his confidence flaring in the face of the oncoming threat:

"Quit wasting your breathe. You know I won't do that."

The cockatrice let out a shriek of pure rage:

"Then die!"

Without warning, the cockatrice king unleashed a deadly energy blade, slicing through the air toward Alex with a shriek.

The blade crackled with power, its destructive force unmistakable.

Alex's heart raced, but he didn't panic.

With a swift motion, he deactivated his [Glider Cloak] and snapped into action.

His body moved with fluid grace as he spun midair, twisting just out of the path of the energy blade.

The slash barely missed him, its power singing past his ear as it tore through the air with a deafening whoosh.

He then turned to face the cockatrice, holding the egg before him.

"Try firing another one of those blades, and I might just be tempted to use your baby as a meat shield," Alex taunted, his eyes narrowing.

The cockatrice king snarled, its eyes flashing with fury:

"You bastard."

Without warning, the beast let out a deafening howl, more powerful and guttural than anything Alex had ever heard from a cockatrice before.

The sheer force of the sound seemed to vibrate through the air, sending shivers down Alex's spine.

His instincts kicked in, and he activated his [Glider Cloak] and immediately dove forward, narrowly avoiding the blast wave that followed the howl.

The force of the cockatrice's cry tore through the air behind him, sending gusts of wind that whipped at his back.

He could feel the tremor of the wave, but he didn't let it slow him down.

As Alex hurtled toward the ground, he could feel the cockatrice king closing in, its monstrous wings flapping with terrifying speed.

The beast was getting closer, too close and Alex's mind raced.

With a swift motion, he reached into his pack, pulling out a few [Blastshards].

Without missing a beat, he hurled them backward, aiming for the cockatrice's path.

Boom!

The explosion rocked the air, a brilliant flash of light and sound as the blast hit the cockatrice directly.

The force of the impact sent the creature skidding backward, its massive body tumbling through the air for a brief moment.

The cockatrice screeched in pain and surprise, momentarily stunned by the blast.

As the cockatrice reeled from the explosion, Alex landed in the dense forest below, his boots crunching against the leaves.

He exhaled, the tension finally easing from his body.

"Finally land."

He was on solid ground now, but he knew this fight was far from over.

The cockatrice also king landed in front of Alex with a heavy thud, its claws digging into the forest floor.

Its eyes were burning with fury, its wings unfurling in a menacing display.

Alex then began to speak:

"This forest brings flashbacks, It's where I massacred a lot of your kin."

"You bast—" the cockatrice began, but Alex cut him off with a casual gesture.

"Hmm, hmm... calm down. You don't want to be the one to destroy everything you've built," Alex said rubbing the egg, his voice smooth, almost mocking.

The cockatrice's eyes flashed with outrage, and it lunged forward, wings flaring as it hissed: "I've had enough from you already. What's your plan, huh? You're not going to survive this."

Alex stood his ground, coolly watching the cockatrice's furious approach.

He dropped the egg to the ground and placed his foot on it.

The cockatrice flinched, its eyes wide with shock and fear.

"Hold on, give me a second," Alex muttered under his breath, a grin creeping across his face as he reached for his gear.

He slipped on his Fury Gauntlet, its weight familiar and comforting.

The gauntlet hummed with power, enhancing his physical strength.

He then pulled on a special coat he had taken from the cave that boosted his strength and speed by 10 points, adjusting it with practiced ease.

Next, he slipped on stat-boosting rings, feeling the surge of energy as it enhanced his stats.

As he finished dressing, Alex locked eyes with the cockatrice, his grin widening.

The cockatrice hissed, its feathers bristling:

"Using the items you stole from me to boost your strength? Pathetic."

He raised an eyebrow as he stared down the cockatrice, his eyes full of confidence:

"I have no choice, after all, I'm a weakling in another world. Which is why I need to play dirty," Alex said, his voice smooth as he lifted the egg with his foot, catching it in his hand with a swift motion.

The cockatrice's eyes narrowed, taking a step forward, clearly sensing the danger.

"You're right, Murzok. I'm really pathetic." Alex's tone was mocking his grip firm on the egg and the cockatrice could tell what Alex was about to do.

"Stop!" the cockatrice shouted, its voice tinged with panic. "Don't do...

"You said something about consuming the essence of my egg?" Alex cut him off with a cold smirk.

"I said stop!" Murzok yelled, desperation creeping into his voice. His wings flared, and his feathers rustled with rage.

"You shouldn't have."

"You bastard!!"

Without warning, the cockatrice dove at him, its claws extended, fury written across its face.

But Alex was ready.

He activated Aegis Arcane, a shimmering barrier of magic forming around him just in time.

The cockatrice's deadly energy blade slashed at Alex, but the barrier reflected the attack back.

The cockatrice shrieked in surprise as its own attack hit it square in the chest, sending it reeling back.

Alex grinned:

"It's been a while since I've eaten an egg. Though it might be raw, it'll do."

With a sudden movement, Alex crushed the egg in his fist, the shell cracking with a sharp crunch. The yolk and whites spilled out, and without hesitation, he lifted the mixture to his mouth and began to gulp it down.

The cockatrice watched in horror as Alex casually devoured the contents of its precious egg, a symbol of the creature's most prized possession, and possibly its last hope.