The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

Aurelia walked gracefully to the Pillar and gently placed her hands on it. The Pillar hummed, and then the colors began to light up.

The blue segment lit up almost instantly, followed by the green. The third level glowed yellow, and everyone held their breath, waiting for the next level. Just as they hoped, the fourth level lit up, shining violet.

Then, in an instant, the fifth level also glowed pink. The crowd gasped, their eyes wide with excitement, watching the soft pink light radiating from the Pillar.

"Look! The sixth level is lighting up!" a young lady suddenly shouted. All eyes turned to the Pillar, where the sixth level shone bright red.

As soon as it did, the crowd erupted in cheers. Though they were all there for their own awakening, they couldn't help but celebrate someone reaching such a high level. Fruity was the loudest, his cheers echoing above everyone else's, filled with joy for his friend.

Aurelia stood before the glowing Pillar, her face calm but her eyes sparkling, clearly, she was happy with her gains.

The light stopped at level six. It was the most incredible thing they had seen so far, even though not everyone had finished their turn yet. Aurelia's achievement was already the best.

"Aurelia, you are awesome!" Fruity shouted, jumping up with excitement.

Aurelia smiled from the altar, pleased with herself. Before she could join Fruity, an elder approached and guided her away, probably to take down some information about her results.

The testing continued, but none of the others could match Aurelia's performance. No one reached beyond level four after her. A little later, a young woman managed to impress the crowd by hitting level five, earning some recognition.

Fruity, who had long since finished his candy, stood eagerly waiting for his turn. He was curious about how he would perform. He fidgeted in place, excited and nervous at the same time. After a short wait, Aurelia returned and stood beside him.

"That was amazing, Aurelia," Fruity said, placing a hand on her shoulder without a second thought.

"Really?" Aurelia asked, her face turning slightly pink. Fruity, innocent as ever, didn't notice that his hand on her shoulder was making her blush.

"Of course! You were great! Look, you're even glowing on your cheeks," Fruity added, completely unaware of her growing embarrassment.

Aurelia, feeling shy, turned her face away. Her cheeks grew warmer, and she hoped the Violet-Haired Monk wouldn't notice her blushing.

Fruity, still oblivious, wondered why she had turned away. He wanted to ask her more questions about what it felt like to reach level six. But just then, he heard his name being called.

"Fruity!" The elder's voice echoed across the room, though there was a slight hesitation in the way he said it. The name felt a bit odd, and the elder couldn't help but think, Who would name their child Fruity? It seemed like an unusual choice.

Still, Fruity didn't mind. He smiled widely and walked forward with confidence. His heart raced, but he didn't let the strange looks from the crowd bother him. He had been waiting for this moment.

As he approached the altar, he glanced at Aurelia one more time. She gave him an encouraging nod, and his nerves calmed down a little.

"Let's show them what monks are capable of," Fruity thought to himself, determination in his eyes. He pressed his hand firmly against the pillar.

The moment he made contact, the pillar hummed with energy. Suddenly, the first three levels lit up in rapid succession, stunning everyone around.

Gasps filled the room as the lights flared to life. Fruity, with his hand still on the pillar, felt something strange happen. His mind went blank, his vision became blurry, and then he felt it—a deep, unfamiliar sensation coursing through him.

His consciousness expanded as if a switch had been flipped inside him. He sensed something powerful awakening within. The world around him darkened further until he felt as though his entire being had been pulled out of his body like he was no longer standing there but somewhere else entirely.

He opened his eyes, startled. He found himself in a place that was the very embodiment of darkness and pain—a desolate, cold space where not a shred of light existed. It was eerie and oppressive like all hope had been stripped away.

But as his eyes adjusted, Fruity noticed something odd beneath him. He was standing on a large stone tablet.

Suddenly, the tablet began to glow. At first, it was faint, but it grew brighter until it shimmered with a soft golden light. Then, like foam dissolving in water, the tablet disintegrated and transformed into a radiant orb of golden energy. The orb shot toward him and merged with his forehead, filling him with warmth and a sense of power he had never felt before.

Back in the real world, Fruity's hand remained pressed against the pillar. As his body stood there, the light at level four blinked into existence. The onlookers, who had been watching in awe, were shocked to see the light climbing higher. Without hesitation, the fifth level lit up, casting a bright glow around the room.

But it didn't stop there. To everyone's astonishment, the sixth level was also illuminated, glowing red and casting a fiery hue across the entire space. The air grew tense with excitement and disbelief as people exchanged shocked glances.

Then, just when the crowd thought they had seen it all, another miracle occurred. A brilliant white light flared into existence, signaling that the seventh level had been unlocked. The entire place was bathed in the blinding radiance of the seventh light, something no one had ever witnessed before.

The audience fell into stunned silence. They could hardly believe what they were seeing. Reaching the seventh level was unheard of, even among the most powerful individuals. Murmurs rippled through the crowd, as they tried to process what was happening.

Fruity, still unaware of the chaos he was causing outside, stood in the dark, desolate space. But now, something had changed. The golden orb that merged with his forehead seemed to unlock something deep within him.

A surge of energy coursed through Fruity's veins, making him feel invincible. It was like he had tapped into something far away—something unfamiliar, yet strangely familiar at the same time.

Out of nowhere, a blinding light descended from above, merging with Fruity's body. At that moment, the eight levels of the testing pillar outside lit up. As if that wasn't enough, the ninth level lit up too.

Everyone stood frozen, jaws dropped. Even his Uncle Monk, usually calm and composed, stared in disbelief. The Saint who had welcomed them earlier stood motionless, eyes fixed on the pillar now glowing with golden light.

Suddenly, the sky began to darken. Thick clouds swirled overhead as the rumble of thunder echoed through the heavens. The tension grew, and everyone looked up in fear, sensing something extraordinary about to happen.

All over Hammon City, people stopped in their tracks, staring at the sky. Even those far from the testing grounds turned their gaze toward the dark clouds forming above them.

Then, the pillar began to hum, its vibrations growing stronger with each passing second. Suddenly, the tenth and final level of the pillar lit up, glowing in a brilliant violet-gold hue.

As soon as it did, a beam of light shot from the top of the pillar, piercing the sky. The entire area was bathed in its radiance, casting a golden glow across the city.

Gasps and whispers filled the air. No one had ever seen the tenth level light up before. It was an achievement beyond anyone's wildest dreams.

"What… is this?" someone murmured from the crowd, eyes wide with amazement.

Fruity, still standing in the strange place, felt the power within him growing stronger by the second. He could barely comprehend what was happening, but his body hummed with newfound energy. He felt connected to the very fabric of the world around him, as though he had become one with the universe.

Suddenly, the space cracked and seven figures walked through. Immediately they appeared, Everyone watching bowed.