Playboy Cultivator in the Apocalypse

"Tell me, everyone." Kaze smiled mysteriously, "What was it like to hear Malta admit that we, a small faction a week ago, was the number one threat to their country?"

It took less than a second before a familiar voice answered the emperor's question.

"It... was... AMAZING!" Larkin yelled to the sky, "I feel ASHAMED that I thought Immortal Skye couldn't get more incredible. I've never been so wrong!"

A fraction of a second later, the elites detonated in wild cheering.

He addressed them in the arena after the soldiers left. Each person felt the area's power, drenched in blood and surrounded by tall, unbreakable t-walls.

Most importantly, they stood before the emperor, who they all saw differently, even Evalyn.

Kaze chuckled at Larkin's reaction and panned his gaze again. "Six people without combat experience won against Malta's top soldiers today.

Let's hear it for Brad, Sammy, Whitney, Paul, Rachel, and Mikey."

Loud cheers rang out in the area.

"That's all you'll give your warriors?" The emperor laugh-scoffed, looking away in false disgust, "Those six defenders and warriors are the reason Malta fears Immortal Skye.

They are the reason that you're safe here within these walls!"

The arena exploded in bloodthirsty battle cries, answering his call.

All six fighters left their fights traumatized after suffering horrifying wounds or inflicting lethal injuries upon others.

However, as they looked around, listening to their peers' deafening cheers, they realized there was value in their actions. They were protectors.

Seeing people's pride in having them and knowing they held others reignited their hearts.

"Much better!" Kaze roared, "Now, where is the love for the seven protectors that crippled seven Malta elites and nearly won without combat experience?"

After more celebratory cheers, the emperor smiled and moved to the next topic.

"These are the brave warriors and protectors of Immortal Skye, the most powerful and prosperous country on earth!" The emperor yelled, triggering nationalistic battle cries.

"Each has earned one hundred reputation points. You will all realize this reward's value later today; when you do, know that you will get the opportunity to make more tomorrow.

The rest of you have done well. So you've earned five hundred Skye and five reputation points. Tonight, the Luxe opens; go shopping and enjoy yourselves!"

...

"Move aside, foolish mortals!" A cute woman in a green frog hoodie demanded, addressing a group of men and women standing in front of a mansion.

A massive line of faction members stood outside the Luxe, waiting to get. Everyone, including the people in the campsite, received 25 Skye to spend at the mall.

Additionally, Sage was busy during training, finding additional work roles for everyone to give faction members opportunities to earn more Skye. As a result, some non-elites had plenty of cash to spare.

The group turned to the strange woman with a peculiar accent, neither thick nor natural. Her tone was rude and aggressive, and her body language was bossy and entitled. Everyone disliked her at first sight.

They eyed her cautiously, not recognizing her. No one wanted to aggravate the wrong person, but they also failed to see how the woman before them could be important.

She looked older than Kaze, but she dressed like a child!

Her edgy purple contacts didn't help her case either. They proved she was weak, still having poor eyesight, when cultivation fixed all of their vision!

"Who are you?" A woman asked boldly.

"I won't grace a [weak mortal] like you an answer to such an unnecessary question." Crux scoffed aggressively, "Now move. You're lucky I can't treat the way you deserve."

The divine beast used [weak mortal], subconsciously changing her mindset from [all mortals are insignificant insects] to [some mortals have talent and are permissible]. It was a small change, but it'd take time to change her mindset.

Everyone in the group laughed, unbelieving that the woman before them kept insisting they were mortals. They were all mortals! Immortals didn't exist!

Now they knew--Crux wasn't important. A remarkable person like Kaze wouldn't date a chunni like her, and he was too young for her to be a kid. She was proof that anyone who learned the technique could get in!

"Look, if you don't identify yourself, we aren't moving." A man chuckled. While he was smiling, his eyes weren't smiling, "We're in line. You understand the concept, yes, immortal?"

Everyone became snickering at his mocking reply, making the divine beast flare up.

"Irreparably shattered bones, you understand the concept, yes?" Crux asked with a wild look in her eye, "That's what will happen to you if you talk down to me again. Now move!"

The man shuddered, but a woman stepped in front of him.

"Look, lady, we don't know who you are, and you're refusing to identify yourself." She said boldly, "Now you're threatening us.

Immortal Skye encourages vigilante justice, and you're a problem. So if you don't identify yourself as someone important or leave, we will rid the area of this dangerous problem."

The area exploded in excited whispers, watching the scene with bated breath. However, everyone fell silent when Crux smiled ominously and began cultivating while standing.

It was dusk, and shadows became deep--it was almost time for her divine physique to feast upon the darkness. While it wasn't nighttime, it was more than enough to make a demonstration.

Everyone felt like they were suffocating when the Qi disappeared, getting sucked into the shadow cat's meridians like a black hole.

Worse, the Qi turned dark purple, warping space in a twisted dance that left her body looking like a demon's. Her amethyst eyes glowed slightly, contrasting with the darkness.

Only one word flashed in everyone's mind--death.

They were sure they had provoked the wrong person, and now they'd all die.

"WAIT!" A panicked female voice cried out, "No! Whatever they did, we'll apologize on their behalf!"

Everyone in the line shivered when they heard a stampede of people running to the area as fast as possible. It reinforced their belief that the situation was terrible.

Rein grabbed the woman standing before Crux by the back of her shirt and threw her backward aggressively, slamming her into the man who started the issue.

The people in the line were stunned. They thought the short-haired woman was on their side, but a dozen people crashed to the ground like bowling pins when she arrived! She didn't even look that woman, if was humiliatingly unceremonious.

"These idiots are just that--idiots." Rein declared, looking at the divine beast earnestly, "We're not idiots. What can we help you with?"

Everyone in the group smiled wryly, thankful to be saved but resentful to be lambasted when they didn't do anything wrong!

"You're not an idiot?" Crux asked with a mocking smile, "If that is true, why would you protect these foolish mortals when you understand a fight with me is certain to kill you?"

Cold sweat dripped down the short-haired woman's spine, but she didn't waiver. She ran through simulations in her head.

"Killing these stupid, potential-lacking humans will tarnish your reputation for nothing." Rein reasoned, hearing the superiority complex in the woman's voice.

The agitator's eyes deadened, and they felt lethal humiliation pulse through their veins.

They weren't unreasonable, yet they got thrown like rag dolls and told they were incompetent by a head elite without so much as a conversation!

"Making an example out of a few people will ensure no one questions my strength or place here again." Crux replied coldly, "Yet you claim it will harm my reputation?"

"I'm not sure where immortals are from, but here on Earth, doing that will get you shunned." The elite dry-swallowed slightly, "Not to your face, but in society."

"Do you think I care about what you ants think?" The divine beast laughed, "I only care about the respect of Kaze Lexicon and Evalyn Skye. The rest of you save one are irrelevant."

"Then you'd ruin the grand opening of the mall he'd work so much for?" Rein's asked, her eyes ignited with hope, "He will be extremely resentful of your actions."

"I know that, you fool." Crux scoffed, gritting her fangs, "That's why these ignorant mortals who can't differentiate the strong from the weak aren't crippled.

Now step aside. I must administer a light punishment that these fools will never forget."

Brad stepped in, but Crux's body melded with the dusk time sky and materialized in front of the agitators, still lying on the ground. She looked like an emperor before criminals, preparing to exact capital punishment.

"Now listen, you foolish mort--what is this!?" She yelled abruptly, "PUT ME DOWN! I have yet to give these ants a proper warning...."

The area fell silent, everyone watching the scene before them in shock.

Kaze arrived and walked into the building, holding the terrifying cat woman by the scruff of her neck. She kicked and screamed, but he didn't say a word or look at her or anyone else.

The scene was so unceremonious that everyone felt the scenario was a dream.

When her trailing voice finally disappeared, getting lower and lower, the elites burst into stressed laughter.

"I can't believe what I just saw." Lily chuckled in disbelief.

"Right? That was wild." Sammy replied breathlessly.

"I'm afraid to admit this, but it was kinda funny." Brad smiled in a low voice.

"You were right to feel fear of admitting that, you idiot." Rein growled, "That scene doesn't change how powerful she is or that she'd kill you for laughing."

"But that's what's funny, isn't it?" He chuckled with a bewildered expression.

"What do you mean?" Sammy asked in confusion.

"That woman terrifies the Malta military and can shake off a direct RPG explosion like a mosquito bite." Brad chuckled, shocking everyone in line.

"Yet Kaze just treated her like a guilty house cat. It was seriously degrading, but she didn't struggle seriously.

How powerful does he have to be to do that? Isn't that strange?"

Many people chuckled in bewildered laughter, finding it strange and unnerving. Terrifying even.

The elites finally realized that no one knew how strong he was. However, after what they had seen that day, they understood Kaze Lexicon had to be a monster.