Esper Harem in the Apocalypse

Chapter 1008  One Punch Man

Rudy, faced with the impending doom brought by the advancing horde of monsters, felt a surge of determination coursing through his veins. He had stumbled upon a crucial piece of information during his research about the world — the individuals who entered the tower gained superpowers.

An idea sparked within him. Maybe, just maybe, he too possessed these otherworldly abilities. It was a gamble, but Rudy, armed with a newfound resolve, decided it was worth the risk. If he was destined to meet his demise, he would face it head-on, embracing the possibility of wielding extraordinary powers.

With unwavering determination, Rudy clenched his fists, the intensity of his gaze focused on the approaching monsters. “I don’t know how to fight, but I do know how to punch,” he muttered to himself, the words resonating with a steely resolve.

Taking a deep breath, Rudy steeled himself for what lay ahead. Instead of passively awaiting the monsters, without hesitation, Rudy charged towards the approaching monsters. However, in the blink of an eye, a surreal occurrence unfolded that defied all logic and reason. The vast distance that separated him from the monsters, a few hundred meters away, collapsed into mere steps. Rudy traversed the space in a fraction of the time it would have taken him.

As he neared the grotesque horde, Rudy swung his fist with a force fueled by an indomitable will. The impact, initially missing its target, rippled through the vicinity with an astonishing aftermath. The goblins, the towering goblin king, and even the surrounding trees succumbed to an inexplicable force. Destruction trailed behind Rudy like a relentless storm, obliterating everything in its path.

Miles away, even the formidable mountains that once stood resolute met the same fate, reduced to rubble as if brushed away by an unstoppable force. The raw power coursing through Rudy’s veins, an uncharted manifestation of the tower’s gift, left him both awestruck and terrified. The realization that he wielded forces beyond comprehension settled in, marking the beginning of a journey of a man who could become the world’s greatest hero, but would be able to defy his fate of becoming evil?

As Rudy’s clenched fist hung frozen in mid-air, the gravity of what he had just unleashed sank in. The once-imminent threat of the goblins and the goblin king had been obliterated by a power beyond his comprehension. He stared at his own hand, still trembling with the lingering shock of the unleashed force, and cautiously opened it as if expecting some cosmic residue to reveal itself.

However, what happened next plunged Rudy into a realm of disbelief and disorientation. His surroundings blurred, as if reality itself was warping before his eyes. The familiar contours of the forest, the remnants of the goblin nest, and the very ground beneath his feet seemed to dissolve into a haze of unreality.

In the midst of this surreal vision, a dark matter spread across Rudy’s hands, an ephemeral substance that defied the laws of the tangible. His gaze fixated on the mysterious matter, questioning the very nature of his newfound abilities. Then, with a blink, the anomaly vanished, leaving Rudy questioning whether it had been a figment of his imagination.

However, the reprieve was short-lived. An excruciating pain surged through Rudy’s head, an onslaught that eclipsed any agony he had experienced before. It was a torment so profound that tearing himself limb from limb seemed a lesser ordeal. Rudy instinctively cradled his head in his hands, seeking refuge from the torment.

As his hands pressed against his throbbing temples, an unexpected revelation unfolded. Rudy’s one eye remained obscured by his own hand, while the other beheld a cosmic spectacle beyond the confines of mortal comprehension.

The once-blurred vision now revealed the birth and demise of stars, the breathtaking spectacle of a supernova, and the intricate dance of galaxies and universes. Rudy, an unwitting spectator, traversed the cosmos, witnessing wonders beyond the scope of mortal comprehension.

Yet, amidst this cosmic spectacle, a figure emerged—a girl veiled in mystery, standing beyond the constraints of space and time. Her gaze, transcending the vastness of existence, seemed to lock onto Rudy’s bewildered form. It was a moment where the boundaries of reality blurred, and Rudy found himself standing at the threshold of a reality that defied logic and reason.

Rudy, still reeling from the cosmic revelation and the sudden return to normalcy, found himself confronted by a group of seven individuals clad in peculiar attire. Their garments seemed to defy the conventions of the modern era, carrying an air of otherworldliness that intrigued and perplexed Rudy.

With a mixture of puzzlement and curiosity etched on his face, Rudy inquired, “Who… are you…?”

The leader of the group, a figure exuding an air of authority, stepped forward and declared, “You must be living under a rock if you don’t know us. We are the Crimson Iris, the human world’s fifth-strongest party.”

“Party?” Rudy furrowed his brow, his confusion evident. “Isn’t the era of the apocalypse over? All the parties and heroes no longer have any systemic order to work on.”

The leader’s expression darkened at Rudy’s words, revealing a glimpse of dissatisfaction. Another member of the group, a man with a friendly demeanor, stepped forward and addressed Rudy with a smile, “That’s true, but as you must know, there are still millions of monsters roaming in the world. The government has allowed hero organizations to… well, exist.”

A third member chimed in, adding, “Which is why we are here.”

The revelation left Rudy contemplating the lingering remnants of the post-apocalyptic world. The notion that hero organizations persisted to combat the ongoing threat of monsters filled the air with a sense of continued urgency. Rudy, having recently discovered an extraordinary power within himself, wondered how he might fit into this new landscape of heroes and the ongoing battle against the monstrous remnants of the apocalypse.

‘Something seems fishy…’ Rudy thought to himself. ‘Why are the heroes here? And why now? I should be careful and stay cautious of them… just in case…”