Reborn in the Apocalypse :The son In-law's revenge

Chapter 12:The Sovereign and the Pretender

The subway tunnels beneath the city were a graveyard of steel and bone.

Leo moved through the darkness, his new Apex Carapace armor silent. Behind him, Natasha and Mia flanked his sides. Lily stayed at the rear, her hands already glowing with healing magic.

[System Alert: Tier 4 Dungeon – The Abyss Tunnels. Boss: Mutated Behemoth. Level 24.]

"We're close," Elara said through the comms. She was back at the base, monitoring their vitals and the system map. "The boss is in the central station. But be careful. The system map is showing... interference. Something is disrupting the signal."

"Interference?" Leo asked. "From what?"

"I don't know," Elara admitted. "It's not natural."

They reached the central station. It was a massive cavern of shattered tiles and twisted train cars. In the center, a hulking beast slept—a Mutated Behemoth, its body covered in thick, bone-like plates.

But it wasn't alone.

Standing on top of a derailed train car was a man.

He was tall, with flowing blonde hair and wearing pristine white armor that glowed with a faint golden light. He held a massive broadsword, resting it casually on his shoulder. He looked like a prince from a fantasy novel.

[System Alert: SSS-Class Detected. Name: Lucian. Class: Sovereign Blade. Level: 26.]

Leo froze. Another SSS-Class.

Lucian looked down at Leo and smiled. "Ah. The Son-in-Law. I was wondering when we would meet."

"Who are you?" Leo asked, his hand resting on the Hive Reaper.

"I am Lucian," the man said, his voice smooth and arrogant. "The chosen one. The system chose me to lead humanity to salvation. But there can only be one SSS-Class. It's a flawed design. So, I'm here to fix it."

He jumped down from the train, landing gracefully. The Behemoth stirred, awakened by the noise.

"You see," Lucian said, "I've been tracking you. You're strong. But you're messy. You don't have the grace, the nobility, required to lead. Join my faction, bow to me, and I'll let you live. Refuse, and I'll kill you and take your class."

Leo laughed. A cold, dark laugh.

"Bow?" Leo said. "I've spent three years bowing to people who thought they were better than me. I'm done with that."

Lucian sighed. "I was hoping you'd say that."

The Behemoth roared and charged.

But it didn't attack Leo. It attacked Lucian.

The beast swung a massive claw at the blonde man. Lucian didn't even look. He swung his broadsword, and a wave of golden energy sliced the Behemoth in half.

[System Alert: Mutated Behemoth defeated. XP granted to Lucian.]

The beast collapsed, dead in a single hit.

Leo's eyes widened. That was a Tier 4 boss.

"I told you," Lucian said, walking toward Leo. "I am the chosen one. The system gave me the power to rule. Now, let's see what it gave you."

He lunged.

Leo barely got his glaive up in time. The impact sent shockwaves through the tunnel. Lucian's strength was overwhelming. He was faster, stronger, and clearly more experienced.

[System Alert: Lucian has activated Skill: Sovereign's Strike.]

Leo was thrown backward into a pillar.

[Critical Hit! HP: 80/220.]

"Leo!" Natasha roared, charging at Lucian with her warhammer.

Lucian parried her blow effortlessly, kicking her in the chest and sending her crashing into a train car. Mia appeared behind him, her blade aimed at his neck. Lucian spun, catching her wrist and throwing her into the darkness.

"Pathetic," Lucian said. "Your sidekicks are weak. My harem—the Blades of Dawn—are all Level 20. You're outclassed."

Leo pushed himself up. Blood dripped from his mouth. His team was down. He was outmatched.

But he wasn't out of tricks.

He activated [Tyrant's Roar].

The S-Rank skill from the Harbinger exploded outward. A deafening, paralyzing screech filled the tunnel. Lucian froze, his eyes widening in shock.

Leo activated [Rally]. He felt his strength surge. He activated [Power Strike].

He charged, driving the Hive Reaper straight into Lucian's chest.

The blade pierced the golden armor. Lucian screamed, his paralysis breaking as he swung his sword wildly. Leo dodged, but the blade grazed his side.

[HP: 60/220.]

Leo jumped back, gasping.

Lucian clutched his chest. Blood seeped through his fingers. He looked at Leo with pure hatred.

"You... you actually hurt me," Lucian snarled. "No one has ever hurt me."

"Get used to it," Leo said.

Lucian raised his sword. Golden light gathered around him. But before he could strike, a massive shadow fell over the station.

The ceiling cracked. A creature—something far larger and more terrifying than the Behemoth—was descending.

[System Alert: World Boss Detected. The Devourer. Level 40.]

Lucian looked up, his eyes wide. "Not yet... it's too early!"

He looked back at Leo. "This isn't over, Son-in-Law. I will find you. And I will take what's yours."

He vanished in a flash of golden light.

Leo was left standing in the ruined station, his team groaning on the floor, and a Level 40 World Boss crashing through the ceiling above them.

"Elara," Leo said, his voice hoarse. "I need an exit. Now."

"Working on it!" Elara shouted. "There's a maintenance shaft to your left! Go!"

Leo grabbed Natasha, pulling her to her feet. Mia appeared beside him, bleeding but alive. Lily stumbled toward them, her hands glowing.

"Move!" Leo roared.

They ran into the shaft just as the Devourer crashed into the station.

---

Back at the base, Leo sat in the medical bay as Lily stitched a gash on his arm.

"He was toying with me," Leo said quietly. "Lucian. He could have killed me if he wanted to."

"He's SSS-Class," Lily said softly. "Like you. But he's been leveling up longer."

"He's a problem," Natasha said, leaning against the wall. "We need to deal with him before we go to the Citadel."

"We will," Leo said. "But first, we need to get stronger. And we need to find out what that World Boss was doing in our dungeon."

Elara walked in, her tablet in hand. "I have good news and bad news. The good news is that your fight with Lucian leveled you up. You're Level 25 now."

[Level Up! You are now Level 25.]

[Level Up! You are now Level 26.]

"And the bad news?" Leo asked.

Elara turned the tablet around. A global announcement was plastered across the screen.

[Global Announcement: World Boss 'The Devourer' is active. All survivors are advised to evacuate the city. The Devourer will consume everything in its path.]

"The World Boss is coming here," Elara said grimly. "And Lucian is waiting for us to fight it so he can swoop in and take the credit."

Leo stood up, pulling his armor back on.

"Then we don't fight it," Leo said. "We tame it."

Natasha blinked. "What?"

Leo looked at the Hive Reaper. "The system said I can Devour anything. It didn't say I had to kill it first."