Conqueror of the Time Apocalypse

Chapter 5. Steel Bond: Oath of Loyalty

“Johan, remember your objective! Stay fifty meters away from the main battle line! And yell as loud as you can!”

Viana Enderson spoke through the primitive walkie-talkie that Maxwell had somehow acquired. He was hiding on the second floor of a partially collapsed office building, gripping the small pistol Maxwell gave him with a focused gaze. Below, smoke billowed from behind the market ruins, a sign that Johan had successfully blown up the generator.

“Understood, Mr. Viana! I’m set in position! That spider monster is close!” Johan’s voice sounded shaky yet excited.

“Don’t waver. Remember our objective: they must be destroyed by their own greed,” Viana replied firmly, glancing across the road at the restaurant still occupied by thirteen red dots on the HUD that only he could see—an interface somehow synchronized with him through Maxwell’s Absolute Knowledge. “Focus on the market area. After this, leave it to the natural triggers.”

As if on cue, the ground around the market began to shake. A gigantic Corpse Spider with eight glowing red eyes emerged from behind the pile of debris, drawn by the generator explosion and Johan’s provocative screams.

“Monster! That damn Corpse Spider is back!” shouted a thug from inside the restaurant.

“It appeared faster than I expected,” Viana muttered, his finger tapping the pistol grip.

The “Awakened” and thugs inside the restaurant panicked. Five people ran out, pointing rifles and shotguns at the monster. The others seemed reluctant to move, exchanging glances. Clearly, their unity was very fragile.

“Absolute Knowledge, have these losers seen our ‘treasure’ bait?” Viana asked in his mind, feeling the information immediately imprint itself on his consciousness.

Five targets detected approaching an open backpack containing imitation jewelry. Eight other targets were still hiding inside the restaurant, waiting for the fight to subside. Possibility of internal fighting 70% within thirty seconds, the system responded instantly.

“Seventy percent is enough,” Viana whispered.

As expected, the Corpse Spider, having just taken a few bullets and kicks from the first five Awakened, diverted its attention. Its massive body moved nimbly, spraying sticky acid webs.

“AAARRRGGH! It burns! My eyes! Help me!” screamed an Awakened, his hand foaming from the acid web.

“Look at that! A backpack fell over! The gold is scattered everywhere!” shouted one of the greedier thugs, seeing the contents of the backpack that Johan had "dropped."

Instantly, five thugs and two Awakened who had been hiding in the restaurant poured out like ants. Instead of helping their colleague attacked by the Corpse Spider, they rushed toward the backpack, shoving each other.

“You idiot! That’s mine!”

“Get lost, I grabbed it first!”

Fierce chaos erupted in the middle of the street. They fought over the imitation jewelry, completely blind to the far greater danger surrounding them. Two of them even shot each other in the leg. Meanwhile, the Corpse Spider, feeling provoked by the movement and noise nearby, began spraying more acid at those who were fighting.

“Ckinggg!” The giant spider screamed angrily, one of its shots missing and hitting the restaurant wall, causing a small collapse that fell on several Awakened.

“See, Johan. That’s how it works,” Viana whispered into the walkie-talkie. “Sometimes, our worst enemy is ourselves.”

“I-I understand, Mr. Viana! They’re completely wiped out!” Johan exclaimed excitedly. “I’ll go down and finish off the rest!”

“Not yet. They’ll finish killing each other first. Those humans are too confident in their numbers. Let the Corpse Spider do our dirty work a little longer. We need to preserve your energy and ammunition for greater threats,” Viana warned, looking at the spider webs covering the exit. “And stay vigilant against the Corpse Spider. Its main weak point is the blue eye on its head, don’t forget.”

The brutal battle below continued. The first five Awakened and thugs died torn apart or melted by the monster’s acid. Then three others who were greedily fighting over the treasure also fell victim to the Corpse Spider’s attack, their bodies scorched. The seven people remaining in the restaurant were now in an even more panicked and confused state.

“We have to get out of here! That monster is getting more aggressive!” shouted a skinny Awakened.

“But where are we supposed to run? That damned Maxwell Sullivan spread traps! We’re also surrounded by Scavenger Dogs from the east!” another Awakened snapped.

A debate ensued. Fear and despair crept through the impromptu faction. Within seconds, instead of uniting, they began pointing fingers and even drawing weapons on each other. It was exactly as Maxwell predicted—traitors would always find a scapegoat for their own failures.

“I see four Scavenger Dogs approaching from the garbage route to the south!” Johan reported in a calmer voice.

“Right on target,” Viana murmured. “They’re attracted by the smell of blood and fear. Let the Awakened inside the restaurant know about their arrival. You can make it sound like a distress signal, or perhaps detonate a small gas canister in the alleyway.”

“Brilliant idea, Mr. Viana! I’ll carry it out!” Johan moved deftly toward the alleyway.

Viana simply waited. Impatience had been his biggest enemy in the previous timeline, leading him to make impulsive decisions and fall into ruin. But this time, under Maxwell’s guidance (or supervision), he was learning to be colder and more calculating. He observed. He sought out every weakness. He weighed every step. His brain, which used to manage large corporate numbers, now managed the dynamics of death.

The sound of a small gas canister exploding echoed at the end of the alley where the Awakened were located. Instantly, panic struck among those remaining.

“New monsters are coming! There are so many of them!” shouted a man.

“This is all your fault! Disperse quickly! Every man for himself!” shouted their leader, who ended up being the first to flee, only to stumble and fall right into a hidden Scavenger Dog nest.

The sound of tearing flesh and Scavenger Dog howls added to the horror. The seven Awakened who had been hiding now ran toward the Corpse Spider, which was spraying acid blindly. There was no hope. Only survival instincts that ultimately led to their destruction.

Viana looked at his HUD map. All red dots in the restaurant had gone out. The Corpse Spider itself seemed slightly exhausted and its movements slowed, after eliminating nearly fifteen targets on its own. The Scavenger Dogs were feeding on the Awakened carcasses in the area.

“Okay, Johan, the Corpse Spider is on the restaurant’s garbage disposal path. It’s moving slowly and is partially obscured by the blood mist from the generator explosion. We must act now before bigger monsters arrive,” Viana said, giving final instructions.

“How should I do it, Mr. Viana? With all that mist, it’s difficult to aim for its central eye!” Johan complained.

“No direct aim needed. I’ll fire to create an opening. You’ll jump. Your target is the nerve behind its head, where the blue eye connects. One direct hit to that nerve should incapacitate it,” Viana instructed. “Don’t go for the head. The shell is too tough. Focus on the neck, from behind.”

“Understood, Mr. Viana! But… will you protect me?”

Viana sighed. He was actually very unaccustomed to taking this risk, but Maxwell’s voice echoed in his head: ‘Failure is not an option.’And she was the Absolute King’s “steel shield.”

“Yes, Johan. I'll shoot the distraction on the left side of its head. When it turns, jump from the right and deliver the fatal blow. My absolute confidence isn't just empty talk,” Viana replied. She knew the risk involved. But in this new world, every decision had to be as sharp as a god's blade. She had to become what Maxwell required.

She took her firing stance. The wind, the mist, even small droplets of blood—everything integrated into her synchronized field of vision. She held her small pistol, her hand steady despite her racing heart. The target Corpse Spider was close, just around the corner of the restaurant building.

Bang!

A bullet launched with terrible precision. The small pistol made a tremendous sound. The bullet wasn't meant to kill, but to distract, just as Viana had intended. It struck the left side of the Corpse Spider's head. The carapace cracked, and the monster shrieked furiously, turning toward Viana's shot.

Swish! Swish! Boom!

As the Corpse Spider's head turned, Johan moved like lightning. He leaped from the wreckage of a destroyed car, landing on top of the giant head. The axe in his hand glowed faintly as he swung it with all his strength.

Clang! Krrkkk!

The monster's central blue eye flickered, then completely dimmed as the axe handle penetrated its tough hide, striking its vital nerve. The massive Corpse Spider's body trembled violently, its legs stiffened, then collapsed with a heavy crash that shook the entire area.

“M-Mr. Viana! I did it! The monster is dead!” Johan shouted, his voice brimming with overflowing joy and pride.

Viana took a deep breath, firing the remaining spare bullets to wipe out two Scavenger Dogs that were attempting to flee to the east. She then descended from her position, her face revealing a level of exhaustion she had never felt before. But in her eyes, there was satisfaction. She had designed and executed the plan.

She walked over to Johan, who stood proudly atop the Corpse Spider's carcass. The ground was soaked in blood. The scent of iron, acid, and sulfur was pungent. Viana almost smiled. “Good job, Johan. Now, extract the core stone.” “Ready, Mr. Viana!” Johan immediately began dismantling the carcass with his axe. A bluish-black crystal core the size of a fist was extracted.

Just then, a figure emerged from behind the library ruins. Maxwell Sullivan. He was clean, with no bloodstains on his clothes. His expression was calm, barely changed. In his hand was an old tablet, as if he had just finished reading a novel in a cafe, not emerging from the hellscape of the apocalypse. Viana felt her heart start beating abnormally again upon seeing him. Maxwell’s aura of power was something that couldn't be ignored.

“Viana. Good job,” Maxwell said. It wasn't a question; it was a statement of recognition. His eyes swept over the messy yet efficiently managed battlefield. “No casualties on our side, no wasted resources, and all pests have been cleared out.”

“Everything according to plan, Mr. Maxwell,” Viana nodded, though her voice trembled slightly, as if Maxwell’s acknowledgment meant far more than any victory.

Maxwell tossed her a tablet. “Read it. There’s vital information regarding high-level monster weaknesses and a map of areas where arrogant Awakened tend to gather; we need to eliminate them quickly.” Viana caught the tablet. She looked at the data within, finding it incredibly detailed and precise. She glanced back at Maxwell. His eyes seemed to gaze into her depths.

“I saw fear and doubt in your eyes earlier, Viana. That’s natural for someone who’s never led during a collapse. But you overcame it. That’s enough for now,” Maxwell said, his voice low and calculating.

“I… I realize, Mr. Maxwell, that all my strategic knowledge from the old world—all that stuff about conglomerates and political negotiations—it’s useless here unless supported by someone with absolute vision and power like you,” Viana confessed, her voice softening.

“Your intelligence, Viana, is the key. Don’t underestimate yourself. You are the only one capable of understanding and implementing the complex strategies I can only provide in raw form. You have that strength. But you need a guide, and that is me,” Maxwell explained, his eyes conveying an undeniable truth.

Viana mused for a moment, processing his words. She remembered her desperation in the previous timeline, the collapse of her father’s empire, the destruction of her dreams and status. There, she was a lost princess. But here, Maxwell offered her a larger role. More brutal, yet real.

She knelt. Instantly. In a puddle of metallic-smelling blood, before the monster’s carcass.

“Mr. Maxwell Sullivan,” Viana said, her voice clear and unwavering, echoing among the ruins. “I swear. I, Viana Enderson, pledge my allegiance. Until the end of this world, until the very last destruction. I will be your shield and your sword, the brain that executes your plans, the right hand that manages every detail of this new kingdom of mine.”

“Every drop of blood flowing through my body will be dedicated to your victory. Every breath I take will be lived for your vision and glory. No doubts. No mercy for those who oppose you. Even if one day you become a devil treading upon the world, I will be proud to stand beside you.”

The oath was spoken. Firm, absolute, and pure.

Maxwell stared at Viana, an indefinable glint crossing his cold eyes. He extended his hand, not to help Viana rise, but to confirm the oath.

“Good. From now on, Viana Enderson, you are no longer a pathetic conglomerate princess,” Maxwell stated. “You are my right hand, Shadow Ruler, my first pillar of power. Prepare yourself. We still have much to destroy.”

As Viana grasped Maxwell’s hand, she felt a familiar energy surge through her body; it wasn't fear, but an energy of reinforcement and recognition. She was now a part of the Absolute King himself.

“Ready, Mr. Maxwell,” Viana replied, her gaze now as cold as Maxwell’s stare. “So, what’s the next plan for this steel shield?”

Maxwell released her hand. A thin, almost imperceptible smile curled on his lips. “First, clean the blood off your new shoes, Viana. Second, let’s prepare to confront the greedy individuals who will try to seize control of the Hidden Heaven Relic beneath the Night Lion Statue in City Center. They won't know that they have just stepped into the king's lair. We will eliminate the traitors and assemble the initial core of my kingdom.”

Maxwell turned and began walking away, the data tablet already tucked into his jacket pocket. Johan, stunned by Viana’s oath and Maxwell’s acceptance, scrambled to follow. Viana followed him as well, her steps firmer now, no longer like someone fleeing destiny, but like someone who would rewrite it. 

The sky above was still red, punctuated by distant screams and explosions. The apocalypse had just found its que

en. Maxwell Sullivan, the Absolute King, now had a chess piece that would never betray him. And this was only the beginning of everything.