Road to Mastery: A LitRPG Apocalypse

Jack stood tall in space. His cloak fluttered. His fists were relaxed, not yet ready to smash. His gaze crossed space, falling onto the crowd of powerhouses and piercing them all. There was only one person he cared about.

Artus Emberheart.

Jack’s heart was awash with hatred. As he saw this man again, he was suddenly struck by a flood of memories. He saw himself, helpless and losing, forced to retreat. He saw Artus appear—just a clown back then—and reveal Eric. He saw the boy’s unyielding expression and his body destroyed.

This was the killer of his son.

Jack thought he’d had things under control. Suddenly, however, a dark fire blazed inside him, one which threatened to swallow everything. Only his immense willpower managed to keep it in check—that, and the knowledge that he’d come here precisely for Artus.

Artus Emberheart was also filled with hatred. He was facing the man who ruined his life, the one who publicly humiliated him several times and had him exiled from his home faction. Moreover, Jack had also killed Artus’s son—Rufus Emberheart—back during the Integration Tournament of Earth.

These two men were connected by lakes of black blood. They hated each other with every fiber of their being. Today, there would be no peaceful resolution, only war. The difference was that, between the two of them, one had come alone and the other had brought an army.

Eva Solvig was speaking, but Jack wasn’t listening. His mouth formed a snarl. “Artus Emberheart,” he said, interrupting the speaker he didn’t care about. “We finally meet again.”

“Jack Rust,” Artus replied, the derision evident in his voice. “You finally made a mistake. Your impatience threw away your life.”

“But you are also not as strong as my army.”

Declaring this assembly “his” army was definitely a stretch. The only reason he’d said it was that Artus’s sanity was beginning to crack. The moment those words echoed, the Supreme Ancestor of the Emberheart family snorted.

“Shut your mouth,” he commanded. A wisp of his aura suffocated Artus, making him unable to speak.

Jack finally glanced at the Supreme Ancestor. “Who are you?”

“Perilus Emberheart. Founder of the Animal Kingdom, pioneer of the Milky Way galaxy, and the end of my enemies.” He chuckled, his dried-up skin cracking. “When they awakened me to chase after a mere C-Grade pup, I thought they were mistaken. Who would have thought this pup would soon challenge not just me, but another two late B-Grades? Truly, the world is endless. I admire your talent and resolve. However, since you are an enemy, I must kill you.”

Jack shook his head. “You spout a lot of shit for someone who’s half-dead. All I heard was your last name: Emberheart. To avenge my son, you are one of those who must die.”

The Supreme Ancestor’s eyes darkened. “Try me, pup.”

“In the name of the Hand of God,” Eva Solvig said, her pure white hair fluttering, “you are condemned for treason, resistance, piracy, mass murder, genocide, and colluding with terrorists. You are hereby sentenced to death.”

Jack laughed. “You are a late B-Grade, yet your words hold less weight than a fart. What does it matter? There is no justice between enemies. I also sentence you to death for all those things.”

“Then I guess we must fight.”

“That’s why I’m here.”

Jack released his aura. It blasted outward like a physical force. The fabric of reality shook, spacetime rippled. Under his might, the stars lost their luster and all life bowed to him.

The crowd of powerhouses frowned as they were struck by his aura. It was like a group of mortals facing a strong wind. Their hair and clothes billowed backward, revealing a scene like they were pressured. The B-Grades were fine, but the C-Grades had to anchor themselves onto space to avoid getting blown away.

The Grand Elder of the Animal Kingdom, a peak C-Grade, gaped as he witnessed such power. This was already almost enough to capsize him and it was only Jack Rust’s aura. Was this really the power of a C-Grade? Just how far ahead of everybody else was that man!?

Of the three late B-Grades present, the white-cloaked, scholarly man who hadn’t met Jack before was stunned. Hearing was one thing and seeing was another. He’d never truly accepted in his heart that a late C-Grade existed who could face him. It was a thought as ridiculous as an ant fighting a human.

As he experienced the force of Jack’s aura, as he gazed upon its unplumbed depths, as he sensed the spacetime, life, and death contained inside, he suddenly felt as if his entire life so far had been a lie. He was just a crook. This was what cultivators were supposed to be.

And he was facing such a man.

One thought dominated the white-cloaked man’s mind. There was no mercy or holding back, no consideration for face. Since they were enemies, Jack Rust had to absolutely die.

The Supreme Ancestor was in a similar state of mind. “You do possess power,” he said. “I admit that, if I was alone, you could probably defeat me. But all of us together? Impossible! You’ve signed your own death!”

Jack smiled. “Careful with your words, old man. Otherwise, you won’t be just dead when I’m done, but also humiliated.”

The Supreme Ancestor smiled. “Well spoken! Then, bring it on!” He could no longer hold back. The battle craziness which had slumbered inside him for hundreds of thousands of years was set aflame. He was the first to charge, lifting the curtain on what would become the Milky Way Galaxy’s most famous battle.

The other B-Grades followed him, and so did the C-Grade Elders. The only exception was Artus Emberheart. He knew he couldn’t win, and also that Jack would target him. Instead of throwing his life away, he hatefully stayed back, letting others fight for him.

Stolen novel; please report.

The B-Grades didn’t care about this—one extra C-Grade would make no difference in this battle.

Facing their entire line-up, Jack puffed out his chest. His eyes widened. His fists finally clenched. Space warped around them, forming the image of a massive colosseum surrounding them for hundreds of miles. Billions of people roared from the stands. The ground was covered in blood-stained sand, the sky was clear, and the sun shone down on them all.

Suddenly, Jack was a gladiator standing proudly in the sky, a single man facing an army. He was clearly the hero. The roars of the crowd shook the world with his name. His glory and majesty were clear for all to see. As for his enemies, they were relegated to a wicked mob shunned by all.

They knew it was so, and it hurt their pride, but there was nothing they could do. At the end of the day, they were the ones using numbers to bully one young hero. This shame was something they had to live with.

Jack’s body began to grow. He became one foot taller, and two extra arms appeared below his armpits. His power climbed yet again. His body was so powerful that it seemed more solid than everything around it, as if he was the true core of existence. Waves of palpable power rolled off from inside him.

“All of you,” he said, grinning, unable to help his inner battle lust, “bring it on!”

***

Animal Planet was of similar size to Earth, except with more land than water, and it also possessed two moons: one was the property of the Lonihor family, and the other of the Emberheart family.

The battle wasn’t taking place too far away from the planet. On its surface and on both its moons, many people could catch glimpses of what was happening. They held their breath—no matter how disproportionate this match-up seemed, it remained a battle which determined their future. Moreover, the legend of Jack Rust had long seeped into their hearts. They couldn’t help feeling that, no matter what the odds, he would always prevail.

Their chests were clenched. Their hands were cupped. They stopped everything they were doing and waited for the conclusion of the battle with bated breath, only wishing they could spectate it more closely.

Their wishes were heard. At some point, screens began to flare up in major cities. They depicted the battle scene from up-close, captured by a highly-specialized projection stone with extreme zooming capabilities. The angle was odd—it didn’t come from Animal Planet, but from the opposite direction. There was someone broadcasting this battle from Jack Rust’s side. The Animal Planet people had only detected the signal and projected it on their screens.

That someone was naturally the Trampling Ram. Bomn had procured a high-end projection stone which could broadcast the battle across the constellation. Brock had already spoken with the rebel leaders, who’d ensured everyone was waiting to receive it. Within the first minute of broadcasting, before the battle even began, business-minded individuals of the Merchant Union retransmitted the signal for a price, making sure it spread around the whole galaxy.

The entire Milky Way was caught off-guard. The projection quickly appeared in most major cities. It was similar to Jack’s previous battle against the planetary overseer but on a much grander scale. Everyone saw him, a single late C-Grade man, face down an army where the weakest people wore the clothing of Animal Kingdom Elders.

“Jack Rust is assaulting Animal Planet by himself!?” Some knowledgeable people connected the dots. “How!? What the hell is happening?”

A tragically old-looking man in the projection spoke up. “You do possess power,” he said. “I admit that, if I was alone, you could probably defeat me. But all of us together? Impossible! You’ve signed your own death!”

The Elders of the various major factions recognized him as a Supreme Ancestor and were tongue-tied. Their eyes widened, realizing they were watching a once-in-a-lifetime, unprecedented, world-changing battle!

However, facing that old man, Jack Rust’s reply was even more exaggerated!

“Careful with your words, old man. Otherwise, you won’t be just dead when I’m done, but also humiliated.”

What heroism! What bravado! Let alone everyone else, even the cultivators of the Animal Kingdom felt a deep respect for Jack Rust. To dare assault a major faction by himself and still have the mind to say such words—what couldn’t he do?

This man wasn’t just a hero. He was a sensation!

Every eye in the Milky Way was glued onto this battle which would decide the fate of the galaxy.

***

Jack’s colosseum was a projection visible only to the people participating in the battle. The spectators across the galaxy couldn’t see it, but to those inside it, it was indistinguishable from reality. In a sense, it was reality.

This arena was precisely the reason why Jack dared to arrive here and challenge everyone—not only because it greatly enhanced his power in such a scenario, but also because it isolated everyone inside. It hid the fact that, in reality, he wasn’t alone.

A brorilla flashed into existence outside the arena. The reason Jack had released his aura so powerfully before was to prevent the enemies from detecting Brock. Now that they were trapped in Jack’s arena, even if they realized he was there, exiting to attack him would be difficult. Only like this could Brock do his thing.

He was also outside the scope of the projection stone. Nobody knew he was there.

Brock brought his hands together. A large book appeared between them, dark with golden letters. It radiated a certain majesty, a completeness, as if whoever mastered it had mastered the world. The book flipped to a page somewhere in the middle. Golden images appeared—endless creatures raising their hands, warriors of all species and appearances, of all levels of power. Only one thing united them all—the fervor with which their eyes desired freedom.

Brock let go of the book, which hovered before him in space, radiating an increasingly powerful golden energy. He raised his hands. “Bros of the world,” he said, letting his voice echo across the universe, “lend us your power!”

A wave of brohood spread everywhere instantly. Every bro was called to action. A pack of stray dogs on Earth howled to the sky. The blue crabs and various beasts of Trial Planet followed. Every member of the bro army of the Exploding Sun, which was now scattered around the galaxy, felt a desire to raise their hands and lend their power to whoever was calling.

But it wasn’t just them. All across the universe, inside and outside System space, many Church cultivators raised their hands to the sky—they were the bros Brock had made on the Cathedral. The cultivators of Earth did the same, including Vivi and the professor, and so did every single warrior in the rebel armies of the Animal Kingdom constellation.

Millions of people responded to Brock’s call. Billions. A tremendous amount of power converged from all over the universe, gathering into a massive ball of energy hovering over Brock’s hands. He pushed his own energy into it, as much as he could muster. The Bro Code shone like the sun, illuminating the dark space and being clearly visible from Animal Planet. So bright was its light that many weaker cultivators had to look away, wondering what it was.

All that energy was so great that the Bro Code could barely handle it. Brock roared and grabbed it again, ignoring the heat which burned his hands and eyes. “BIG BRO!” he roared. “WIN FOR US!”

A massive beam of golden light speared out, piercing space and landing onto the body of Jack. He lost his breath. The power that filled him was overwhelming; he had to let it out.

Jack couldn’t win this battle alone. He’d barely defeated the previous Supreme Ancestors—one extra fruit wouldn’t let him face three opponents of that level and their army. However, he wasn’t alone this time. He had his bros. He had the world on his side. His greatest weakness had been the relatively small amount of energy he controlled—now, while the bro energy he received wasn’t anything world-shattering to him, it was enough to push his strength another step forward.

Like this, he could fight.

This was still the start of the battle. The enemies had almost reached him, but only now did Jack react. He laughed out loud, smashing his fists together. “Let’s go!” he shouted, then jumped into the fray.

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