The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

In the days following the city selection exams, Klaus\'s performance became the talk of the town. News outlets, forums, and social media were flooded with discussions about him.

His ability to defeat so many monsters, especially the Tier 6 Zombies, amazed people. His speed and skill were unmatched, and videos of his battle were shared everywhere. People marveled at his strength and determination.

The media praised him as a prodigy and a rising star. Headlines such as "Klaus\'s Unbelievable Triumph" and "The New Legend of the Trials" were everywhere. His performance was described as a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Many saw Klaus as an inspiration. Young warriors and aspiring fighters looked up to him. They admired his dedication and hard work. Some even started training harder, hoping to achieve similar feats.

However, not everyone was pleased with Klaus\'s success. Some people felt threatened by his rapid rise. They worried that his strength might overshadow their own. There were whispers of jealousy and unease.

Certain influential figures were concerned. They feared that Klaus\'s growth could disrupt the balance of power. Discussions among the elite included how to handle such a formidable talent.

Just a day ago, news began circulating that Klaus had cheated during the selection trial. The rumors quickly spread, fueled by some who wanted to discredit him. It was clear to many that this was just a smear campaign orchestrated by those threatened by Klaus\'s rising fame.

The media houses behind the false reports were quick to spread the story. They claimed that Klaus had colluded with the creators of Oracle to manipulate the trials. The aim was to tarnish his reputation and undermine his achievements.

However, this backfired spectacularly. The Oracle creators responded firmly to these accusations. They clarified that there was no cheating involved and that Klaus had performed exceptionally within the rules. This revelation caused an uproar among the powerful figures who had supported the smear campaign.

The backlash was swift and severe. Many media houses that had spread the false information found themselves facing severe consequences. Some lost their licenses, while others faced heavy fines. The power of the Oracle creator\'s statement was undeniable.

The media houses that had been affected were in disarray. Desperate to recover their lost credibility, some even sought out Klaus, hoping he could help them regain their licenses. However, Klaus remained indifferent to their pleas and focused on his own priorities.

While the media drama unfolded, Klaus spent the past three days trying to convince his mother to use the Mountain Dew Essence. He was determined to see her benefit from it, despite her reluctance.

"Mom, I\'ve already said I don\'t need this. It\'s of no use to me. My Talent and abilities don\'t have any affinity with this essence. I want you to have it," Klaus said earnestly.

His mother shook her head, still hesitant. "But you\'re the one who needs it more than I do. You\'re on a path that requires constant growth and improvement."

Klaus took her hands gently. "Mom, you\'ve always been there for me. Now, I want to help you. The essence will restore your youth and help you regain some of what you\'ve lost. It\'s important to me that you use it."

She looked at him, her eyes filled with a mix of love and concern. "You\'ve already done so much for me. I don\'t want to take away from your future."

Klaus smiled reassuringly. "It\'s not taking away from me. It\'s about making sure you\'re okay. I need you to be healthy and happy. That\'s more important than anything else."

Reluctantly, she agreed to use the essence. Klaus was relieved and hopeful that it would improve her well-being. He knew that her happiness was essential to his own.

"Fine, but don\'t think I will always accept everything you give me. You now have a girlfriend; spend more on her. I am your mother, and she is your girlfriend; she can offer more than I can," his mother said with a slightly bashful smile.

"You..." Klaus choked on his words, then quickly recovered. "You\'re overthinking things. And well, Lucy rejected the essence before I even had the chance to offer it to her, so take that," Klaus teased, a grin spreading across his face.

His mother laughed softly, shaking her head. "You\'re impossible. Alright, if you\'re so insistent, I\'ll use the essence. Just promise me you\'ll take care of yourself too."

Klaus nodded, his expression serious now. "I promise. I\'m focused on improving and getting stronger. And I\'m doing all this because I want to make sure we have a better future."

His mother\'s eyes softened. "I know my love. And I\'m proud of you. Just remember to take time for yourself, too. You work so hard."

"I will," Klaus assured her, giving her a warm hug. "And thanks for agreeing to use the essence. It means a lot to me."

"I look forward to seeing a more youthful mother. I promise not to tease you then," Klaus said before handing the parcel containing Mountain Dew to his mother. After leading her to the training room, he left, allowing her privacy.

Per the instruction given, one will have to remove most of their cloth before using it, giving way for the impurities to come out. After leaving, Klaus went to his room to call Ohema, who he had teased so intently the last time, into hanging up.

"Hello Suger Mommy," Klaus said immediately Ohema appeared on his phone screen.

Klaus smiled as he watched Ohema\'s reaction to his greeting. Her eyes widened slightly before she rolled them in playful exasperation.

"Hello, Klaus," she replied with a smirk. "I see you\'re still as charming as ever."

"Of course," Klaus said, leaning back in his chair. "I\'m just checking in to see how things are going. Thought I\'d call since I haven\'t heard from you in a while."

Ohema\'s expression softened. "Things have been busy but good. I heard about the chaos surrounding you. Are you handling everything alright?"

Klaus nodded. "Yeah, I\'m managing. My mother\'s using Mountain Dew now, so I\'m hoping that helps her. I\'m just focusing on my training and making sure everything is on track."

"That\'s good to hear," Ohema said. "I know you\'ve been through a lot recently. Just remember to take care of yourself too. You have a lot on your plate."

"You seem concerned about my health," Klaus said with a cheeky wink. "Just so happens, I\'m having some body pains. Shouldn\'t you come and give me a massage?"

Ohema\'s face turned a deep shade of red. "Klaus, you\'re impossible. Don\'t tease me like that."

Klaus leaned closer to the camera, his grin widening. "Oh, come on. I\'m just playing around. I thought maybe you\'d like to help me out."

Ohema tried to maintain her stern look, but her blush deepened. "Really, Klaus? Is that the best you\'ve got?"

"It\'s all in good fun," Klaus said, chuckling. "I just thought it would be nice to see you come over and take care of me. I\'m sure you\'d give a fantastic massage."

Ohema covered her face with her hand, clearly flustered. "You know, if you keep this up, I might have to get you back for all this teasing."

Klaus laughed. "I\'ll be looking forward to it. But seriously, it would be nice to have you around."

Ohema tried to regain her composure. "Well, if you keep making me blush like this, I might just have to come over and give you a proper spanking."

"Sounds like a plan," Klaus said with a wink. "I promise I\'ll be on my best behavior and best shorts."

Ohema shook her head, still blushing. "You\'re impossible, Klaus. But I guess I\'ll see you soon enough."

Klaus\'s teasing left Ohema with a bright red face and a smile she couldn\'t hide. "I\'ve sent you a gift, and I\'ll tell your girlfriend you\'re flirting with other girls. Bye," Ohema said before ending the call, not wanting to let the charming young man get the best of her with just words.

Klaus smiled and lay down on his bed, planning to catch some sleep before his mother woke up. Just as he was about to drift off, his phone rang. The caller was none other than Danny of the Daniel brothers.

"Danny, what\'s up?" Klaus answered.

"Klaus, have you seen the news? The Devil Archer has challenged you to a duel. It\'s all over the headlines!" Danny said urgently.

"The Devil Archer? Who\'s that Clown?" Klaus asked with a frown.

"He\'s one of the three legacies in the Northern Union," Danny replied.