Apocalypse Baby-Chapter 37: Goddess Who?
Alex tilted his head back and downed the yolk in one go, ignoring the slimy texture as it slid down his throat:
’Consume everything,’ he said to himself inwardly.
’Leave nothing left.’
He slurped at the egg with an intensity that could only be described as desperate.
It wasn’t elegant.
It was primal like a starved beast finally finding sustenance.
He was gulping it down as if his very survival depended on it, and to some extent, it did.
The taste was unlike anything he’d ever experienced—rich, invigorating, and oddly satisfying.
The yolk coated his mouth with warmth, and the whites, though slimy, left a tingling sensation that coursed through his body. It felt as though every sip was pumping raw energy into his veins.
His senses sharpened, his muscles tightened, and his mind became razor-focused.
Then, it happened.
Ding!
A familiar notification echoed in his mind, and Alex froze momentarily.
[You have killed the Cockatrice King’s offspring.]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have received 10 stat points.]
[You have received 2 Powerstones.]
[You have received Gaia’s Blessing:]
+5 to all stats, new skill: [Stone Face]
[Stone Face]: You can transform your foes into rock by maintaining eye contact for 5 uninterrupted seconds. Returning them to normal requires the same condition.
Alex wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, his lips curling into a smug grin as the notifications filled his vision.
Cracking and consuming the egg had paid off big time in ways he hadn’t imagine.
A smirk formed on Alex’s face as he realized the enormity of what had just happened. Not only had he leveled up twice, but he’d also gained stat boosts comparable to when he ranked up to D-rank and an ability that practically made him Medusa.
"This is insane," he muttered, clenching and unclenching his fists as raw energy coursed through him.
But just as he was basking in his newfound power, another notification popped up.
Ding!
[Apocalypse Baby kicking in...]
[You have received an additional 10 stat points.]
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[You have received 2 Powerstones.]
[Additional +5 to all stats.]
Alex froze, his smirk widening into a grin.
This couldn’t be real.
He was getting another boost? It felt like Christmas morning.
"This just keeps getting better," he said, flexing his arms as his body adapted to the exponential growth in strength.
Then, another notification appeared, and his excitement peaked.
[Apocalypse Baby demands another ability from Gaia.]
[Gaia refuses...]
"What?" Alex blinked, his grin faltering. "That’s... was new."
The next notification sent a chill down his spine.
[Apocalypse Baby threatens Gaia.]
Alex’s eyes widened.
"Eh yo...what the hell?! Don’t force her!" he exclaimed.
The last thing he wanted was to provoke the wrath of a deity.
Another notification followed, and Alex could almost feel the tension in the air.
[Gaia has no choice.]
[Gaia unwillingly accepts.]
Alex ran a hand through his hair, muttering under his breath:
"This isn’t good. This isn’t good at all..."
Finally, the last notification arrived, and Alex let out a nervous laugh.
[You have received the skill Earth Dive.]
[Skill: You can swim through the earth like water and remain submerged for 20 seconds.]
Alex froze, his mind racing.
He wasn’t sure if he should feel thrilled or terrified about this new skill.
The realization had hit him like a thunderbolt. His title—Apocalypse Baby—had just picked a fight with a literal god and won.
His eyes narrowed as questions flooded his mind:
"What even is this title? Is it just a name? A position? Or some kind of entity with its own will?"
He shook his head, frustration bubbling under the surface as he had no answer.
Whatever it was, it had gone head-to-head with Gaia and forced her to comply.
And that--though cool--Alex thought grimly, was not a good thing for him.
This Gaia lady’s eyes will certainly be set on him for sure from now on, if it isn’t already is.
And Alex knew there will be repercussions for it. It it would most likely be bad.
As gods were known to have an ego. At least the gods he read about.
"Shit!"
Alex cursed but then the cockatrice king voice sharp voice snapped him out of his thoughts:
"You bastard!"
Turning, Alex caught sight of the enraged cockatrice.
Its burning eyes locked onto him, radiating pure hatred.
The feathers on its body bristled, some still smoldering from earlier explosions. Alex could almost feel the murderous intent radiating from the beast.
Alex held back the urge to swallow hard.
He didn’t need to be a mind reader to know the cockatrice was seconds away from tearing him apart.
Steeling himself, Alex called out, "System, add 20 points to strength and 10 to vitality!"
He still had ten points as a reward for killing the cockatrice’s guarded Murzoks cave so he used them up all together.
The familiar chime of the system rang in his ears as the allocation took effect.
A wave of energy coursed through him.
The cockatrice king reared back, letting out an ear-piercing screech.
Its talons dug into the ground, and its wings flared wide.
"No... no, no, no, NO!"
Murzok let out a deafening scream, a mix of despair and rage that echoed through the forest like thunder.
"What... what did you do?" he roared, his voice trembling with disbelief.
Alex casually wiped the remnants of yolk off his lips, his expression a mix of fake guilt and amusement:
"I ate your kid, man. I’m sorry!"
The cockatrice’s eyes widened in shock before narrowing in unbridled fury: "No!"
Murzok screeched again, throwing his massive wings to the sky as he staggered backward, his body trembling with raw emotion.
Alex stood there nonchalantly, licking the remaining yolk off his fingers like it was the best thing he’d ever tasted.
He watched Murzok’s meltdown without an ounce of remorse.
In fact, he almost found it entertaining.
The giant bird flailed about, shaking its head violently as if trying to wake up from a nightmare.
It was a sight to behold—the once-mighty cockatrice king, brought to madness by grief.
Alex couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all.
Thinking if he were back in the real world right now, he’d totally be recording this, framing Murzok’s tantrum in the air in 4K and uploading it.
It would break the internet.
But then Alex’s grin faded slightly as he tried to feign some sincerity:
"Look, you kinda pushed me into it. It wasn’t intentional, okay?"
Murzok froze mid-stagger and slowly turned to face Alex, his glowing eyes burning with murderous intent. If looks could kill, Alex would’ve been reduced to ash on the spot.
"Wasn’t intentional?" Murzok’s voice dropped to a guttural growl, his talons digging deep into the dirt.
"Wasn’t intentional!"
"You don’t have to say it twice, my ears hurt."
"It was supposed to be me!" he bellowed, his voice shaking the ground. "It was supposed to be mine!"
Alex furrowed his brow, the cockatrice’s words gnawing at him.
Something about the statement felt rather odd.
’Supposed to be mine? What the hell was supposed to mean?’
"The blessing from Gaia was supposed to be mine! I worked so hard!" Murzok’s voice quivered with rage and desperation, his eyes wild.
Alex’s curiosity peaked, and he almost blurted out:
"What the hell do you mean by that?"
Murzok tone dripped with bitterness:
"I was going to wait. Wait until it hatched and then consume it for maximum harvest. The ultimate reward for all my efforts. But you…"
The cockatrice turned to Alex, his glare sharp enough to pierce steel:
"You...you ruined it all."
Alex’s eyes widened in shock, his mind racing to process what he’d just heard.
The reveal hitting him like a truck.
He hadn’t expected the twist at all.
"Wait, what? Wow." Alex couldn’t find the words.
He placed both hands on his waist:
"And here I thought you were some noble, protective father."
He let out a dry laugh, shaking his head:
"You just wanted to eat your kid? That’s… that’s disgusting man! You’re unbelievable!"
Murzok ignored the insult heck he wasn’t even listening. There was no point as Alex was a dead man in his eyes.
His talons scraped against the ground, his body trembling with fury:
"You... This forest will be your graveyard. I promise you that."
Alex’s lips curled into a smirk, his confidence overflowing:
"Nah, I’m not dying by your hand, you sick freak."
The cockatrice’s voice dropped into a menacing growl:
"We’ll see about that."
Murzok crouched low, his muscles coiled, preparing to strike.
But Alex struck first.
----
A/N
Hello readers, so I’m here today to get your opinion as to what numbers of chapters you would prefer. Would you rather you get two chapters of a shorter word count or a single one like this one which is the longer version. Let me know what you guys think in the comment. And also note that I would drop updates on uploading bonus chapters but that would depend on the support I get. So without stealing your attention for too long proceed with the reading.
