The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse Chapter 1456 1456: The Paragon, the Hunter, and the Criminal (End Of Volume 9)

Maybe because she was at last liberated from the heavens' grasp, Lady Nivara—insisting on that title now—stepped into the kitchen alongside some of Klaus' wives right after their return to Planet Caelmir.

The five versions of Klaus merged back into one. Following dinner, each body would resume its separate path, launching the missions assigned to them.

Prior to that, all five explored the planet, heading off in distinct directions. When dinner was set, they had covered everything worth seeing.

Lady Danika had awakened too, joining the group as Klaus arrived at the Royal Estate for the meal.

Quickly, everyone settled in and prepared to dine.

Watching Klaus occupy seats with all five bodies, poised to feast, left everyone feeling strange.

Klaus had plainly stated that all five were identical to him. If so, why bother feeding every body when one meal could satisfy them all?

As if catching their doubts, Klaus grinned... "Better not to apply common sense to my existence. None of me follows logic, so spare yourselves the confusion."

His existence truly defies all reason. There was

Ultimately, they embraced his explanation, which calmed their thoughts. Klaus grinned and faced his four bodies.

"Let's each pick a different dish to sample every flavor."

"Solid idea," Kaden agreed with a nod.

"Count me in," Rhazor chimed in approvingly.

"Pasta's mine," Orion declared with a grin, piling it onto his plate. The other four bodies tsked but stayed silent.

Before long, they dished out their choices and dug in. Knowing Klaus's massive appetite, no one batted an eye as he and his bodies demolished the spread.

Fortunately, Lady Nivara had cooked plenty, warned in advance about her grandson's voracious hunger.

The dinner buzzed with energy.

Queen Leah attended with her kids—Lista, Rania, and Steven (her son, a demigod too)—along with her mother, Supreme Elder Narcisa, and her elder sister, Supreme Elder Idalie.

Besides them, the two gods from the initial dinner showed up, plus one more key figure sitting next to Orion.

This was Klaus's uncle, a monk, who had been in seclusion upon arrival. Now, having forged his law core, he edged closer to demigod status.

Reuniting with Klaus soothed his worries and boosted his joy. The troublesome kid from the renegade era, who plagued him and fellow monks, had come back under his wing.

Lots to discuss later. For the moment, they reveled in a festive dinner honoring Lady Nivara's descent to mortality and Klaus's rise to True Immortality.

***

Meanwhile, across the cosmos, a post began circulating on Uniweb, gradually drawing widespread notice.

Posted by an unknown figure, it inexplicably ignited a viral trend.

Titled "The Emergence of the Three-Body Problem - The Start of a New Era," the post gained traction despite its outlandish claims, as its details rang true to many.

It highlighted the abrupt rise of the Renegade Hunter, the Criminal of the Underworld, and the Paragon.

Unlike Supreme Elder Juo's evasive approach, it directly suggested a vast conspiracy poised to engulf the universe.

The post asserted that the universe's shadowy powers had mobilized at last. It argued the timing of events wasn't mere chance but deliberate orchestration.

The Renegade Hunter, per the post, stemmed from the Righteous Faction's machinations, unleashed to rehabilitate their image. As it put it, "There is nothing righteous about the righteous faction."

The faction's name and purpose had been sullied, demanding cleansing. The Renegade Hunter embodied that purge, reshaping the universe in his vision.

Regarding the Criminal of the Underworld, the post pinned him on the demons, given the Underworld's base in the Demon Universe, aimed at sowing dark corruption.

Though some saw him countering the Righteous Faction's light, others figured the Underworld just sought influence.

These debates exploded on Uniweb and Dark Space alike, as people grappled for answers—thwarted by the enigmatic third element: the Paragon.

The biggest puzzle remained the Paragon's role in this tangled web.

Countless people claimed he despised the Righteous Faction, a belief hammered into them through relentless brainwashing. As the Paragon of the Nine Stars, labeled the foe of the heavens, he was viewed as the Righteous Faction's enemy too.

That held some truth, yet the writers laid out a terrifying case that set flames alight in every reader's chest.

Their article proclaimed, "Though the Paragon stands as a true enemy of the heavens, he opposes the Dark Faction just as fiercely. He loathes them down to his very core for reasons we can't quite remember or fathom. If that's so, can we truly call the Paragon a foe of the heavens? Even if he is, the demons fall under the heavens as well—so what becomes of them?"

This publication detonated right in the midst of every Heaven's Court zealot. Suddenly, they caught themselves doubting if the Paragon really was the threat they'd been told.

A figure they branded as hating all things righteous had waged war against the very demons now ravaging the innocent souls of the Righteous Faction.

Whispers even spread that his brutal clashes with those demons had gifted the Righteous Faction fleeting eras of calm. Add to that the heavens' current desperate struggle to contain them, and suspicions arose that Heaven's Court was burying dark secrets.

Layered atop the flood of info everywhere depicting the Paragon as the ultimate villain, this sparked a debate that echoed through the coming thousand years.

"Is the Paragon truly the monster the heavens paint him as?"

---

[A/N: Conclusion of Volume IX: The Paragon, the Hunter, and the Criminal. Like always, it's been an epic, revealing ride. We finally witnessed Klaus burst into the universe, seize the spotlight, and catch a glimpse of the Paragon's dramatic return.

Though the Paragon showed just a hint, he's set to unleash havoc in the upcoming volume, joined by the Renegade Hunter and the Criminal of the Underworld.

Building on this, note that we've hit the story's midpoint. The second half promises mayhem from all angles.

Hey, now we've got the Paragon, Renegade Hunter, and Criminal stepping up. They'll drive the tale, but the engine has plenty of gears—chill and anticipate the rest. I swear, Volume X will leave you craving more.

Next Volume ↠ Volume X: The Dreadful Life of a Hunter, Paragon, Criminal]