Apocalypse Baby-Chapter 82: Damn Monkey: Rank S

A chime echoed in Alex’s mind, accompanied by a glowing notification.

Ding!

[Would you like to use Upgrade Stone on a skill?]

"Yes!" Alex growled, his grip tightening around the upgrade stone as he sprinted.

[Select skill.]

"Exploding Touch," he muttered, narrowly dodging a black flame blast from the elder shaman.

The fiery attack slammed into a tree, reducing it to ash in seconds.

The intensity of the monkey’s onslaught had reached a dangerous peak, and Alex could feel the heat radiating against his skin.

[Would you like to use Upgrade Stone on Exploding Touch?]

"YES!" Alex shouted, his voice raw with frustration.

He leaped to the side as a flame dragon soared past him, the searing heat brushing dangerously close.

The attack smashed into a nearby tree, devouring it in a swirling inferno.

The pressure was suffocating.

The air around him felt like it was boiling, every breath coming with an ache.

Sweat dripped down Alex’s face, and his movements were becoming more desperate as the shaman’s relentless attacks forced him into a frantic dance of survival.

The Upgrade Stone in Alex’s hand glowed brilliantly before disintegrating into shimmering particles of light.

[Upgrade Successful.]

[Exploding Touch is now Rank B.]

Alex didn’t pause to celebrate.

He reached into his storage and gripped the second Upgrade Stone tightly, his focus unwavering despite the chaos around him.

[Would you like to use the Upgrade Stone on Exploding Touch?]

"Yes!" Alex barked, his eyes fixed on the elder shaman, who floated ominously above the battlefield, its staff radiating deadly energy.

The shaman snarled and waved its staff, sending a barrage of flame bolts toward Alex.

Alex barely ducked in time, the fiery beast missing him by inches as it scorched the ground in its path.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Alex leaped into the air, twisting his body to avoid the searing attacks.

He swung from tree branches like Tarzan, narrowly evading each deadly strike.

Ding!

[Exploding Touch is now Rank A.]

The elder shaman roared, sending another black flame dragon hurtling toward Alex.

The beast tore through the air, obliterating trees in its wake.

Alex’s heart raced as he grabbed the final Upgrade Stone.

He couldn’t afford to waste a second.

[Would you like to use the Upgrade Stone on Exploding Touch?]

"Yes!" he yelled, his voice cutting through the chaos.

Ding!

[Exploding Touch is now Rank S.]

Alex skidded to a halt, crouched low as the forest around him burned with the aftermath of the shaman’s relentless assault.

He clenched his fists, feeling the raw, overwhelming power surging through him.

A wicked grin spread across his face, his frustration melting into exhilaration.

"About time already," he muttered under his breath.

"It’s time to go on the offensive."

Though Alex didn’t know exactly how much stronger [Exploding Touch] had become, he figured the best way to find out was simple: use it and see the results firsthand.

He dove into the ground using {Earth Swim}, his body seamlessly merging with the earth as though it were water.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Multiple black flame projectiles struck the spot he had entered, scorching the ground and creating deep craters.

The goblin shaman clicked his teeth in irritation, clearly annoyed at Alex’s evasiveness.

Narrowing its glowing yellow eyes, it turned its attention downward, trying to sense Alex’s location through the earth.

Alex then reappeared a few meters behind the shaman, bursting out of the ground with a cocky grin on his face.

"Miss me?"

Alex taunted as he flung a handful of Blastshards toward the elder shaman.

The crystalline explosives spun through the air, glinting ominously in the fiery light of the battlefield.

But the goblin shaman scoffed, raising a shimmering barrier in front of itself.

"Puny tricks," the shaman sneered as the shards slammed into the barrier, scattering harmlessly against its protective field.

He expected an explosion but none came and he gave Alex a suspicious.

But Alex’s grin widened, his expression full of mischief.

"Puny? Oh, your barrier better be tough enough to handle those, because these Blastshards are definitely not puny."

The shaman’s smug confidence faltered for a moment as its ears twitched. "What are you talking about, human?"

The monkey shaman scoffed, stepping onto one of the shards with confidence.

"What are you talking about, human?" it sneered, clearly unimpressed.

Alex’s grin widened as he took a step back.

"Well… don’t say I didn’t warn you," he replied nonchalantly, and without waiting for a reaction, he snapped and activated [Fast and Furious], his body becoming a blur as he dashed away from the impending explosion that was going to rocket.

He wasn’t about to stick around to feel the full force of his own upgraded skill, especially when he cranked to its limit for massive damage.

The wind roared in Alex’s ears as he sprinted, his heart pounding with adrenaline.

He had briefly seen the effect of the skill and it was rather terrifying.

He glanced over his shoulder to check if the monkey shaman realized what was about to happen.

But the arrogant still floating atop the shards about to give a chase.

Alex smirked. "Good."

Then he pulled up the interface to inspect the details of his freshly upgraded skill once again before the blastshard exploded.

[Exploding Touch (Rank S)]

The area you touch will explode in 5 seconds. The explosion is cataclysmic, capable of annihilating structures and severely damaging high-tier enemies.

Features:

[Amp+++]: Amplify the explosion’s power and area of effect up to 10x, depending on your mana input.

[Pause+++]: Pause and resume the timer with no limit on pauses, giving full control over detonation timing.

[Dismiss+++]: Remove [Exploding Touch] or transfer it to another object or enemy within 20 meters. Transfers are instantaneous and unblockable.

[Gravitational Collapse]: Create a devastating implosion that pulls in all objects within a massive radius before releasing a catastrophic shockwave.

[Mass Detonation]: Mark multiple targets with [Exploding Touch] and detonate them simultaneously or on a staggered timer.

[Elemental Surge]: Infuse the explosion with elemental properties (fire, ice, lightning, etc.) for additional damage and status effects.

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Authors Note:

The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.

Yo, what’s up everyone! The support has been AMAZING, and it’s pushing this story to new heights! Let’s keep that momentum going! Also, don’t miss my new book Goblin King: My Innate Skill Is Too OP—it’s packed with well goblins and lot of humor! And you love werewolf romance, be sure to check out Hunting the Alpha: Past Sins. Thanks again for all your love and support, it means the world! Keep reading, keep supporting, and let’s make this journey even bigger!