Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 497: Level 20!

Chapter 497: Level 20!

Vlad and Freya soared through the sky atop Fafnir’s colossal, flame-wreathed head. The biting wind whipped away by walls of heat dancing around them. Yet in spite of the majestic display—crimson fire blazing against the heavens—the atmosphere between them was hushed and tender.

They clasped hands silently, standing close as if neither required lofty proclamations nor grand gestures. It was enough simply to be together. Weeks or months earlier, they had endured the crucible of war, driving themselves to the point where every breath was a roar of power and desperation. Now that the Leviathan threat had subsided, tranquility felt like a luxury of immense value.

For a long while, neither Vlad nor Freya said a word. Fafnir, gliding with wide sweeps of his wings, focused on the distant horizon, determinedly scanning the clouds and land below. At last, the massive fire dragon’s gaze flicked back to the duo, his curiosity clearly piqued.

"You two are in love?"

His blunt question broke the silence like a hammer striking an anvil. The two warriors—who had faced endless waves of enemies and monstrous abominations—instantly found themselves blushing, as though they were inexperienced youths caught in an intimate moment.

Vlad recognized at once that Fafnir was not trying to embarrass them; he was an inquisitive newborn life form striving to understand the complexities of people’s hearts.

After several seconds in which neither Vlad nor Freya could find words, Vlad ultimately let out a small laugh, turning his gaze toward Freya with a calm and honest smile.

"Yes, we are."

Those simple words carried astonishing weight. Freya’s eyes glowed with warmth, love, and relief. She leaned her head against Vlad’s shoulder as a rush of affection passed between them.

However, the serenity of that tender scene lasted only a heartbeat before Fafnir’s next question arrived. "So when are you going to start making babies?"

Freya and Vlad practically choked on their own breath. They had only just formally acknowledged their mutual love moments ago—now the towering draconic figure was inquiring about procreation, an enormous leap forward.

"What is wrong?" Fafnir’s brows creased as if he found their reactions bewildering. "I thought those in love normally procreate, following the natural order of the world."

It took Vlad a few seconds to steady his racing pulse. The whole situation was so abrupt and unexpected. Exhaling slowly, he tried to clarify matters.

"Hahaha, you’re right in a sense," he admitted, "but a relationship isn’t a sprint. We don’t skip ahead from one stage to the next in an instant. It’s a process—step by step."

Freya nodded with a fond smile, turning her gentle reassurance toward Fafnir. "Indeed, young Depravita. Besides, in my case, I can’t engage in, ah, relations until I turn twenty years old."

"Wait, what?" The Depravita of Wrath nearly yelped in surprise, jerking his head to stare at Freya, bewilderment etched across his face.

Freya gazed back at him and elaborated, "According to Viking tradition, passed down through Odinvaldr, a Viking princess must remain a virgin until her body and mind fully develop."

"Oh... I see. Good, good..." Vlad forced a small laugh, though an unspoken frustration churned in his thoughts. ’Damn old man,’ he mused inwardly, recalling how the ancient viking god’s rules now stood in the way of young lovers in their prime.

During the horrifying war against the Leviathan Race, Vlad had never spared a moment for desires of the flesh; his mind was consumed with leading armies and seeking new wells of strength. Only now, when the conflict was over, had he begun to consider what it meant to have a normal life—or as close to one as he could manage in this war-scarred world.

Yet, ironically, even with the war behind them, tradition demanded patience. Naturally, no one would discover if he and Freya chose to do otherwise, but he knew Freya’s moral convictions were as strong as her sword arm. Pressuring her to break that vow would risk losing the very bond they had formed.

’Guess I’ll have to wait,’ Vlad thought, somewhat ruefully, although he concealed his disappointment behind a soft grin. Without another word, he drew Freya closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders while Fafnir continued his flight. The warmth of her nearness eased the sting of delayed passion, reminding him that the future was theirs to shape, even if it required a measure of restraint.

The moment soon shifted from romantic tension to introspection as Vlad felt a renewed sense of curiosity about his own body. He had been reforged within the obsidian obelisk, and the difference in his strength and endurance was unmistakable. He felt new power surging through his veins, brimming beneath the surface of his skin.

"A.I. Chip, scan me," he silently commanded, and soon a mechanical hum rippled through his mind.

[Beep! Scanning the Host...

...

Name: Vlad Xaos

Race: Human/Depravita

Class: Warrior/Demon Soul Master

Level (Energy): 15

Level (Body): 18 → 20

Lineage: Thunder Lord (Guardian Tier)

Life Level: Sage Tier

...

Stats:

Strength: 782.9 → 1900.2

Agility: 420.1 → 924.5

Vitality: 897.6 → 2500.2

Energy Pool (Force): 37.7 → 45.4

...

Racial Skills:

Heart of Wrath

Burning Eyes of Fury

Bloodline Ability: Lightning Forged Charge

...

Gift: Samsara Typhoon

...

Depravita Aura: 3/3 Waves.

...

Note: Host’s flesh has been altered with a unique component similar to that found in the Leviathan King’s body, exponentially enhancing endurance and resilience to both physical and spell-based attacks.]

Vlad’s eyes widened as he read the results, pure thrill coursing through his heart. His energy pool remained the same as when he had entered the obelisk, but his body had ascended to an entirely new realm. Not only had it hit Level 19—equivalent to a Sage Tier life form—but it had then breached Level 20! Even more remarkable was the transformation of his flesh, which now mirrored the Leviathan King’s near-invincible hide. That monstrous being had once shrugged off Guardian Tier strikes; if Vlad now possessed a similar durability, his potential in a world of conflict was boundless.