Apocalypse Baby

Chapter 102 - 102: Grim Crossing

A group of twelve players huddled at the base of a foreboding mountain, snow drifting steadily around them.

The icy breeze cut through their clothes, making even their strongest members shiver.

Ahead of them loomed a towering armored statue, its massive axe planted firmly in the ground. Frost clung to the edges of its armor, and pressure radiated from it.

"Are we... supposed to fight that?" one male player stammered, his voice shaking almost as much as his knees.

The immense presence of the statue seemed to bear down on them, sapping their courage.

From within the group, a figure in gleaming armor stepped forward.

A cape flared behind him, rippling dramatically in the wind as if it had a life of its own.

His stride was deliberate, every step crunching against the snow with quiet confidence.

"No," the armored figure said firmly. "We don't fight it."

He stopped, turning to face the others.

"We just have to walk between its legs. If we have enough Nightmare Points, it'll let us through. If not..." His gaze darkened, and his voice dropped ominously.

"...then you die."

The group exchanged uneasy glances, some clutching their weapons tightly, others taking a step back.

The tension in the air was suffocating.

Ezekiel, the leader of the group, stood unmoving, his face calm yet unreadable.

Ezekiel had spent five harrowing days in this nightmare,

"This is why I told all of you to make sure your points were nothing less than a thousand before we begin. I've repeated it again and again!"

A smug laugh cut through the tense atmosphere, drawing everyone's attention to a young man at the back of the group.

He leaned casually against a jagged boulder, a grin plastered on his face that didn't match the dire situation.

"Well," he said, his tone dripping with mockery, "it seemed like she had her ears plugged. Or maybe you just weren't loud enough, fearless leader."

The group turned on him, their eyes filled with thinly veiled hostility.

Ezekiel's glare darkened, but he kept his composure.

He studied the young man—cocky, unbothered, and radiating confidence. He was their newest recruit, someone who had only joined the group a day ago.

Yet, in that short time, he had managed to accumulate over a thousand Nightmare Points—a feat that had taken the others days, of grueling effort.

Ezekiel knew this teen wasn't ordinary.

His speed, his ruthlessness, and his ability to adapt to the Nightmare world were far beyond average.

That was why Ezekiel had invited him to join the group.

But the others didn't share Ezekiel's sentiments.

They weren't fans of his methods—the violence, the recklessness.

It was already hard enough surviving in this hellish world without someone making enemies everywhere they went.

And now, after watching one of their own die, thanks in part to the tension the new recruit brought, resentment bubbled just beneath the surface.

Ezekiel sighed deeply, his breath fogging in the cold air.

His voice was steady but carried a cold edge as he addressed the group.

"She should've kept checking her Nightmare Points, but she didn't. Her death is on her. We keep moving."

The weight of his words settled over the group like a heavy blanket, but no one dared argue.

With grim expression, they followed Ezekiel into the dark entrance of the mountain.

As they crossed the threshold, their system notifications chimed simultaneously.

[Welcome to the first floor of the Nightmare Trial.]

[Objective: Pass the first of five trials.]

[Rewards:]

- 2,000 Nightmare Points

- 20 Upgrade Stones

Suddenly, the dim chamber they entered burst into life.

Bright lightning streaked across the walls, illuminating ancient carvings etched into the stone.

With a loud whoosh, torches mounted along the walls flared to life, their flames crackling and dancing in the cold air.

The room was enormous, the ceiling towering so high above that it disappeared into shadows.

At the far end, something—or someone—sat motionless.

The group froze, their breaths hitching as they took in the sight.

At the end of the room, illuminated by the flickering torchlight, was a furry creature, its back turned to them.

It looked like an orangutan and it sat in a lotus position, its massive frame strangely serene, but the blood-red aura radiating from its body sent a clear message that this was no ordinary beast.

Ezekiel narrowed his eyes, studying the creature.

The creature didn't move, didn't even acknowledge their presence.

Yet the oppressive energy it exuded made it clear that it was far from friendly.