Road to Mastery: A LitRPG Apocalypse

Jack’s Meteor Punch clashed against Rufus’s attack in front of his balcony, releasing a ring-shaped shockwave. Both attacks carried a hint of unyieldiness—supremacy and indomitable will—and both refused to give an inch. Therefore, the shockwave had no choice but to escape sideways, forming a ring of pure force that slammed into the unfortunate people below.

Chairs were crushed, screams pierced the venue, hats went flying. From one moment to the next, the auction was turned on its head. People ran left and right as the two attacks extinguished each other, leaving the air shimmering with force.

Rufus Emberheart was boiling. His golden mane danced in the gale of his Dao, which had pushed the tables and chairs on his balcony aside. A brown stain was clear on his silken chestpiece, though Brock’s poop itself had already evaporated. His eyes burned with yellow light as his gaze crossed the venue to land in Jack’s eyes.

Jack stood tall on the edge of his balcony, shielding Brock, who had fallen back from fear. His white shirt was taut as his muscles bulged, and his eyes were wide and filled with fury. His fists were clenched.

He was boiling too.

If he had acted just a moment later, Brock would have died. Brock. His little bro. Harambe’s son, whom he had sworn to protect with his life.

“How dare you?” he thundered.

Jack’s dao erupted, too. The air moved away from him, creating a gale that raised cups and chairs. Behind him, Edgar grabbed Brock and moved back.

The gazes of Jack and Rufus collided in mid-air, and so did their Daos. Sparks flew. None would budge. Everyone on the balconies stood, ready to battle. The scions and the Ice Peak stared down the Flame River, the Sage, and Dorman, who only had a smirk on his lips as he twirled a dagger. The people below almost stampeded each other to get away faster.

Robotic dog guards streamed into the venue. Three of them jumped at each balcony, landing next Jack and Rufus with heavy bangs that shook the wood.

The ones on Rufus’s balcony stood straight and stared coldly, chests puffed out as they met his gaze. Red dots of light shone behind their slick sunglasses, and they bared their fangs. Rufus stood at the same height as them—six and a half feet—and looked straight ahead, his gaze boring through them to reach Jack.

Jack stared back. Two dog guards flanked him and one was behind him as he stood on the balcony’s railing. His stare intensified. He wouldn’t do anything stupid, but he would damned if he looked away first.

“Enough.”

The sound ruptured Jack’s eardrums. It bore into his head and sought to crush his brain, making him grimace. He fell back, landing on the table and breaking it.

“Jack!” Edgar shouted, but Jack couldn't hear him. He blinked furiously to clear his vision, which was filled with static. When he refocused, the three dog guards loomed above him with fangs bared. He stayed still.

“Easy,” he said. “I’m subdued.”

They did not cease their staring. Jack slowly tried to stand, and they let him.

On the opposite balcony, Rufus was still standing, though he had retreated until his back met the wall. He was barely visible between the three dog guards who were ready to gang up on him.

Jack looked down.

Vocrich stood in the middle of the stage. His black suit and cape were flowing in a non-existent wind, and his still body hid a threat that made even Jack think twice. When he looked into the vampire’s eyes, they were so dark and sinister it was like facing twin black holes, and all nearby light seemed to be sucked into them, creating a red and black torrent around his pale face.

His Dao was rolling out in great waves, and it slightly reminded Jack of the second black wolf he’d killed, the one with the Dao Root of Darkness. However, Vocrich’s was on a completely different level.

His aura washed over Jack, who felt like he was facing the open maw of a gargantuan beast. The darkness got in his head again, stealing all of his senses. His Dao Root attempted to resist, to punch through the darkness, but it was as ineffective as someone punching the night. It was easily swept away and made to bow like hay in a storm.

Only a single sound remained in Jack’s perception, and it was an irresistible voice that commanded, “Enough.”

Though he couldn’t feel it, Jack was sure that he was drenched in sweat. His world disappeared for a few moments. He even lost his perception of time, alone in a cold, boundless night.

When the darkness receded, Jack found himself on the floor of his balcony, looking up at Edgar and Brock’s worried faces.

“The Hand of God will not tolerate this disrespect,” Vocrich’s voice commanded. It wasn’t infused with the Dao this time, but nobody dared take it lightly. “Jack Rust and Rufus Emberheart, you are both held responsible. All your further winnings in this tournament will be confiscated by the Hand of God. Additionally, you will each owe us one million credits in compensation, and you will be blacklisted from all our events for one galactic year. Am I clear?”

Jack raised his upper body. The auction was calmer now. The people who had run away earlier were returning to watch the show, gloating in the misfortune of the tournament’s top dogs, and the dog guards had disappeared, too. Of course they had. With Vocrich here, they were completely unnecessary.

Jack looked at the vampire and shivered. He had hid his aura again and resembled just a man in a suit, but the power he had displayed was the greatest Jack had felt so far. He had never before received an E-Grade cultivator’s attack, and Vocrich wasn’t even a normal E-Grade. He scanned the man.

Vampire, Level ??? (E-Grade)

Faction: Hand of God (B-Grade)

Three question marks… They are not for show, he thought, shivering again. Merchant my ass.

On the opposite balcony, Rufus Emberheart was shaking. Who knew what he was feeling. Wordlessly, he stood up and disappeared into the corridor that connected the balconies, then appeared briefly in the venue’s entrance before walking out into the night. He did not forget to shoot Jack a hateful glare; he would not forget this. Shard Presht and Gan Salin followed him, though the latter threw an amused glance at Jack. It didn’t hide animosity, this time; it was like Gan Salin welcome this insane turn of events.

“I understand, sir,” Jack spoke up, bowing his head slightly at the vampire. “I apologize. It will not happen again.”

“Of course. Now get out. You do not get to hear the auction’s closing words.”

Jack nodded and turned around, only to find a vampire assistant at the entrance of his balcony. She held a palm-sized dark cube. “The Rainbow Dao Pill, sir,” she said evenly. “Could you pay the six million seven hundred?”

Jack went beet-red. “One moment, please,” he muttered, then quickly looked around the balconies. He didn’t dare meet Vocrich’s persistent stare.

Thankfully, the Sage and Brother Tao arrived by themselves, and the Flame River had already transferred their funds to Jack. He received all the credits, thanked everyone, paid the assistant, and put the dark cube in his suit’s inner pocket.

“An impressive stunt,” the Sage said with a smile. “You should be careful, though. Our flame girl did not enjoy this.”

Jack raised his brows, then looked across the venue, where Vivi stood. Her glare told him everything he needed to know.

“I’ll be careful,” he promised. “Let’s go, Brock. We have some things to talk about.”

The ape shrunk back, then walked beside Jack with small steps. He knew he’d messed up. Jack bid goodbye to everyone and exited the venue, walking towards his home.

“What the hell was that?” he asked, glaring at Brock. “Do you understand how much trouble you created?”

Brock looked down.

“Don’t think you can get away with this,” Jack said strictly. The passers-by looked at them with curiosity, but he ignored them. “If I was just a moment slower, or if Rufus was slightly stronger, you would be dead, Brock. Dead. What would I tell your father, then? Who would lift dumbbells with me all day long?” His voice mellowed slightly. “You are my little bro, Brock, but I can’t always protect you. You must learn to protect yourself. You cannot afford to act like a kid anymore.”

Jack’s words were strict and spoken harshly. Brock had thick tears in his eyes, but he was clenching his little face as hard as he could to keep them from falling. Jack’s heart almost wavered, but he maintained a stony expression. This was important. Brock was still a child, and he had to learn.

“You cannot do stupid shit like that, Brock,” Jack said. “You are a bro now. Would a bro throw poop for fun? Would a bro put himself in danger for no reason and hope that his other bros would save him? Would a bro create trouble for his big bro? What you did was incredibly stupid. Never do it again.”

Brock’s face spasmed as the salty tears fell, but he pretended not to feel them. He sniffed and wiped his nose, then used both hands to wipe his eyes. Finally, he sat on the ground and looked away from Jack. A girl who was passing by almost cried too.

Jack’s heart melted a little.

“Tsk. Come here, you,” he said, lifting Bro and hugging him to his chest. “I know you are a good boy, alright? A good bro. You just have to be careful, okay? Don’t do that shit again.”

Brock looked up at Jack and nodded tearfully, then hid his face into Jack’s chest and cried a little more, wiping tears and snot on the pristine white shirt.

“It’s alright, Brock, it’s okay,” Jack said, patting Brock’s little head. “We all make mistakes. Now you know, right?”

Brock looked up again and nodded. By this point, he was too cute for Jack to resist. With a big smile, he rubbed Brock’s head and said, “You were very brave for trying to protect me, Brock. I’m proud of you. Now, who wants some meat skewers?”

Brock raised a shaky hand. Jack laughed, then placed him on the ground and grabbed his hand. “Well then, let’s go. The meat won’t eat itself.”

“Uu-uu-aah!”

Brock responded hesitantly, raising a fist despite his tears. His nose twitched and he pointed in a direction.

“That way? Okay!”

And so, while all the surrounding pedestrians watched and nodded, Jack grabbed Brock by the hand and led him away towards very delicious food.