Apocalyse: Marked by Chaos
Chapter 121 - 120 A Deal of Survival

Chapter 121: Chapter 120 A Deal of Survival

The air in Michael’s office remained heavy after Olivia’s bold words. The silence stretched long enough to feel suffocating.

Michael’s cold eyes narrowed. He didn’t say anything for a moment, rather he simply turned away, walking back to his desk, his hands clasped behind his back.

"You’re reckless, Olivia. Arrogant, even. But maybe that arrogance can be used for something useful," he finally said.

Her brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Without looking at her, he continued, "You caused damage worth more than three fortresses combined. And yet here you are, blaming others. What happened to your friend is tragic, yes. But you’re not the only one who has lost someone. You’re not special."

His words struck hard. Olivia lowered her gaze, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from snapping again.

"So here’s the deal," he said, turning around. His blue eyes were unreadable. "I will give you a chance to prove yourself."

She lifted her head, suspicious. "A chance?"

"You’ll be dropped into the lower chamber. There’s a monster we recently captured. If you can kill it and extract its core, your punishment will be considered... fulfilled. But if you fail..." he leaned forward, voice turning sharp, "...you die."

Olivia’s heart skipped. "So I’m supposed to wrestle a monster for survival?"

"Yes," he said simply. "You want to prove your strength, don’t you? Then prove it."

Her stomach churned, but she refused to back down, even when her mind was screaming at her to not take the offer. "Fine. I’ll do it."

Michael gave a small nod and pressed a button on his desk. Within seconds, two guards entered the room.

"Escort her to the training chamber. Alert the staff, level 12 suppression."

"Yes, sir."

They grabbed Olivia by the arms, but she shook them off. "I can walk," she said coldly.

The guards didn’t protest, they led her out of the office, down the long hallway that led beneath the fortress. Every step she took made her injuries ache, but she clenched her jaw, pushing forward. She refused to look weak.

They finally arrived at the underground chamber.

It was darker than she imagined, stone walls, metal beams, and an enormous circular pit at the center. A high platform circled the pit where a few teachers and elite students had gathered, all watching with curious, hungry eyes.

Whispers echoed.

"Isn’t that the girl from section 27?"

"She caused the forest fire."

"She’s the one who awakened that strange system..."

"She’s doomed."

Olivia didn’t pay them any attention.

At the edge of the pit, a soldier stood by a panel. He looked at her with blank eyes. "You’ll be fighting a Level 12 beast. It was weakened during capture, but it’s still lethal. You have five minutes. If you’re alive after that, you win."

"Five minutes?" she muttered, surprised at the short amount of time given.

"That’s generous," he replied.

She glanced at the weapon which was hanging at the entrance of the battle pit, she took a twin blade from the rack.

With a loud creak, the gates of the pit groaned open.

A heavy chain rattled in the distance. Olivia’s grip tightened on her twin blades.

The creature that emerged was something between a bear and a lizard. Its body was covered in jagged grey scales, with four muscular limbs and claws that looked like metal spears. Its eyes glowed red, and a foul stench filled the air as it stepped forward, sniffing for blood.

Olivia jumped into the pit without hesitation.

The ground shook slightly under her feet as the beast growled.

Her heart pounded wildly.

’Focus. You’ve fought monsters before.’

But not like this, not while wounded, and definitely not with an audience waiting to see her die.

The beast roared and charged.

She rolled to the side, barely dodging its claws. The force of its charge cracked the wall behind her. Leaving an angry mark on it.

She tried to swing her blade, but her back flared with pain, slowing her.

The beast turned fast, incredibly too fast.

Before she could regain her balance, it slashed at her leg, and she screamed as her skin tore open. Blood soaked her pants.

Her breathing grew ragged, unintentionally she dropped one of her blades.

"Get up!" she muttered to herself, dragging her body backward. "Get up, Olivia!"

The monster came again, but this time, she ducked under its swing, slashing her remaining blade across its front leg.

It hissed, blood dripping from the wound, although it was not fatal, it was something.

She kept moving, using the space around her. She couldn’t overpower it, but maybe she could outlast it.

"You’ve lasted two minutes," a voice echoed from the speakers above.

’Only two?’ Her thought crashed at the back of her mind, she was even too weak to use her powers right now. Although the monster had been weakened, it was still not something she could outlast easily.

Cold sweat dripped from her face, the two minutes were already like hours of fighting. But this was not the time to be afraid, her life was on the line.

The monster growled again. It slammed its claw down, but she managed to roll sideways, barely escaping again.

Her strength was draining fast. Suddenly, she remembered she had one of the twin blades in her hand.

’One chance.’

She threw it, aiming for the creature’s mouth, and then the blade hit its eyes. The beast roared in pain, shaking its head.

"Three minutes."

Olivia ran toward the beast now, surprising everyone. She slid under it, grabbing the other sword, before slicing its back leg from underneath.

The creature stumbled.

She leapt onto its back, grabbing the hilt of her blade with both hands. With all her strength, she drove it into the back of its neck.

The creature roared, flailing violently. She held on, tightening her grip, refusing to fall.

Its body began to shake uncontrollably. Black blood sprayed around her.

"Four minutes and thirty seconds," the speaker boomed.

The monster collapsed with a final roar, shaking the pit as it crashed to the ground.