Apocalypse Cheater

[: Daniel POV :]

I never expected that the final quest would lead me to a battle against this old man, but I couldn't afford to lose this opportunity.

The magnitude of power this Forgotten Irregular possessed was immense and I don't plan on losing it to the original owner. 

This was a battle I need to win and even if the old man is stronger than me, I won't simply give up on it. 

"Ho? You certainly appear confident in defeating me," the man remarked with a smirk.

In an instant, his earlier drunken demeanour vanished, and I found both of ourselves transported into a training hall.

"Don't be alarmed by our change of scenery. This place is designed to allow me to unleash my power fully. Let's find out how long you can last against me," he explained calmly, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

He moved his feet in a rhythmic pattern, perfectly synchronized with his breathing. As he inhaled deeply, he vanished from my sight.

"!?" I reacted quickly, dodging his attack as he aimed a kick towards me.

I wasn't surprised by his incredible speed, and the power of the light fruit allowed me to react to his lightning-fast movements.

"Oh? You're not bad at dodging my kick. Impressive, but it's far from over. Consider it just a warm-up," he remarked, his tone confident.

A confident grin stretched across his face as he clenched his fist, drawing mana around it.

With a mighty punch, the essence of his mana manifested into the howling form of a dragon.

In response, I called upon the powers of the Tattoo Karma, utilizing its Absorption and Amplification abilities.

Instantly, tattoos covered my entire body, and I faced his attack with my palms outstretched.

The moment his dragon-like attack met my outstretched palms, a shockwave rippled through the training hall.

The air trembled with raw energy, and for a brief moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.

Cracks formed on the floor beneath us, and the sheer force of our clash sent shockwaves in every direction.

With an unwavering gaze, I channelled the Tattoo Karma's power, feeling the surge of energy coursing through my veins.

The absorbed and amplified attack transformed into a devastating force that rocketed back toward the old man.

''Oh, not bad kid'' with a wry grin on his face, the old man evaded my attack with an almost casual ease.

But I hadn't overestimated him for a second.

Drawing upon the power of Absolute Frost, I moved my hand in a swift arc to the left.

A chilling shockwave radiated from my palm, freezing the ground in its path.

His feet, too, succumbed to the icy grip of my power.

However, there was no respite for the old man.

Without hesitation, I summoned the ethereal flames of both phoenix and dragon, their fiery essence swirling around me.

I directed this powerful amalgamation of elements into the frozen ground at the old man's feet.

What erupted from the icy prison was a towering pillar of flames, a searing inferno that embodied the very essence of these mythical creatures.

As the old man found himself encased in ice with the fiery maelstrom swirling around him, he could no longer dodge or evade with the same ease.

The battle had escalated into a spectacle of raw elemental power, a clash of forces that threatened to reshape the very arena of our battle.

As the towering pillar of flames stretched toward the ceiling, casting an awe-inspiring fiery glow across the training hall, I couldn't help but marvelled.

This was a sight to behold, but I knew deep down that it might not be enough to subdue my formidable opponent.

The silhouette of the old man remained unwavering amidst the searing inferno, an indomitable presence that commanded respect.

"What peculiar abilities you have, young man," the old man mused, his voice tinged with curiosity.

"The tattoo of karma...strange flames that consist of the aura of a phoenix and dragon...it's indeed strange, but still, it's not enough."

In the blink of an eye, he vanished once more, only to reappear above me with fists poised to strike.

Reacting swiftly, I crossed my arms, attempting to block the incoming blow. However, I soon realized that I had fallen into a trap.

He didn't aim to strike me down from above, but rather, he executed a rapid teleportation technique that placed him directly in front of me.

In an instant, his fist connected with my abdomen with a resounding boom.

The sheer force of his punch was excruciatingly painful, causing me to question the effectiveness of my buffs, passive skills, and even the protection offered by the forbidden fruits.

Something about this attack felt different, and I couldn't help but suspect that it was related to his unique class abilities.

I know too well that Forbidden Fruits aren't that invincible. There are many ways to counter these logic-defying powers, and one of them is called 'Will Hardening'. 

"If you're wondering why you're feeling pain despite your supposed resistance and abilities, let me reveal a secret about the Irregular Class, and I hope it motivates you to fight even harder," the old man said.

He continued, "The Irregular Class, as the name suggests, defies all fate and logic. It serves as a counter to the supposed resistances against attacks or, as you call them, the forbidden fruits."

"Mana is something that corresponds to reality, a mathematical fabric that adds equations to reality, and the outcome of those equations manifests as skills," he explained.

"However,'' He paused.

''The Irregular Class is like a virus or a hack that manipulates the data of reality using pure mana. It doesn't bend reality; rather, it allows you to freely control or manipulate mana to your will."

As he concluded his explanation, he demonstrated his control over mana, creating a swirling vortex of mana that gathered endlessly before us.

There were not just one, but a hundred swirling masses of mana.

I could sense the immense danger these five swirling mana represented.

To put their power into perspective, they were a hundred times more potent than a nuclear bomb. If he could negate my resistance, this was a dire situation.

Without hesitation, I unleashed the strongest skill I had. This was a chance to test how strong I had become against someone far more powerful than me.

With an exhilarating surge of power, I unleashed the might of True Blue Jakasaka (S).

In an instant, my body underwent a breathtaking transformation.

Glowing bluish wings erupted from my back, their fiery hue casting an ethereal light.

Twin horns, a striking fusion of red and blue, emerged from my forehead, adding to my newfound majesty.

My pupils sharpened, retaining their violet hue but now radiating with enhanced intensity.

Scales, an intricate blend of red and blue, encased me entirely, creating magnificent armour.

I grew larger, my form becoming that of a mythical hybrid between a dragon and a phoenix.

In comparison to my newfound grandeur, the old man appeared minuscule, like a mere speck in the vast expanse of my transformed existence.

"I never thought you could become a dragon...and a mix of a phoenix? Such a rare species. And you deserved praise for that, which is why I could finally use this ability."

Suddenly, a pair of majestic blue and red horns manifested on his forehead, and behind him, five Torn Fragments materialized in a breathtaking display of power.

The overwhelming threat emanating from him intensified dramatically.

Previously, it had been a mere hundred, but now, it surged to a staggering thousand.

"I don't know whether you can survive this, kid, but if you do, you're one hell of a guy."

The old man's smile widened as he gathered strange, otherworldly energies in his hands.

It was as if he was tapping into a forbidden well of power, and the room crackled with an ominous aura.

At that moment, survival was the only thought in my mind. I couldn't afford to lose; I had to push myself beyond my limits.

I summoned every ounce of strength and mana I possessed, focusing it into a final, desperate gambit.

*Boom!*

The collision of our powers sent shockwaves through the training hall, shattering the ground and walls around us.

The sheer force of the impact reverberated through my entire being, threatening to tear me apart.

As the smoke and debris cleared, I realized the cost of our clash.

My dragon-phoenix form was almost completely obliterated.

But I still stood, battered and bruised, but not defeated.

The old man's expression had changed from one of amusement to one of respect.

I couldn't help but smile, even in my battered state. 

Seconds later, my body grew back and I undid my transformation.

"Hahahaha, you passed the test kid!"

He laughed but I was baffled, I thought the quest was to defeat him.

"Don't look at me like that. The purpose is to fight not to defeat which meant I wanted to see how far can you last. And you exceeded my expectations"

He tapped on my shoulders and laughed.

[: 4th Final Chain Quest has been completed. You have obtained Irregular Class(Unique) and have received the following set of skills :]