Road to Mastery: A LitRPG Apocalypse

Chapter 314: Brock vs. Petrovic

Brock stood on the concert stage, surrounded by battle in all directions. His eyes were glued on his opponent: Alexander Petrovic. The man who had tortured and humiliated his father, killed three brorilla brothers, and harmed many of his friends.

Brock hated this man with every fiber of his being. Today, he was here to kill.

Alexander did not seem to notice the bloodthirst emitted by the brorilla. You know, its impressive that you grew this much in such a short period of time, he said, pretending he wasnt an asshole. It would be a waste to kill you. How about you abandon Jack Rust and join my faction? We can give you all the bananas youd ever want.

Brock growled. No. The tip of his stone staff still dripped with the blood of Alexanders broken nose. His eyes were hard and unmoving, while his muscles were lax and ready to clench. He started circling on the stage, like a wild animal looking to pouncebut with the skills and composure of a martial artist.

Something about his visage must have finally gotten to Alexander. He cradled his nose, which still bled, and lowered his center of gravity. His ice wings unfolded. His twin swords crossed before his chest. The previous battle with Vivi hadnt even made him pant. Fine, he replied. Then, let me put you down like the animal you are.

Brock pounced. His Staff of Stone crossed the air, meeting the swords with a clash. They ricocheted, each swinging back into an attack. Stone met ice. Cracking sounds filled the stage.

Brock danced with his staff, simultaneously employing his Big Thoughts of Density, the Staff, and Never Stopping. That staff was like a maelstrom, moving far faster than it was supposed to and always being at the right place. Despite Brocks fierce heart, his movements were precise and sharp, his eyes were narrowed, always watching.

He hadnt been playing around in the outer planet. He had become strong. And now, at his first battle on Big Bros side, he would prove himself worthy.

Alexander was fighting hard as well. His swords moved in harmony, each striking hard and giving way to the other. His wings flapped, taking him around the stage faster than his legs could accomplish, trying to trick and outmaneuver Brock. The two of them fell into a sharp, brutal melee with no clear victor.

In the battle below the stage, many people snuck glances over. Is that a monkey? said a woman from the Ice Peak army.

Thats Brock! exclaimed a man who had been with the Brotherhood since the start. How did he get so strong?

Even Vivi, who was busy facing ten E-Grades at once, felt a wave of emotion at the brorillas strength. Brock

Brock rushed ever forward. His staff accelerated further, both ends used as different weapons, pelting Alexander from all directions.

The man took a step back. Stop! he shouted, crossing his swords and unleashing a barrage of ice spikes. Brock dodged them all. In one clean motion, his staff slipped through the opponents guard and cracked down on Alexanders ribs, making him grimace. As he stepped back, Brock remained in position, staff extended and gaze hard.

Alexander was strong, but Brock had trained with the best E-Grades of the Exploding Sun. He had developed four Big ThoughtsMuscles, Staff, Density, and Never Stoppingand reached the peak. He was no easy opponent.

Have it your way! Alexander roared. Ice shimmered in the air around him like dots of glistening light. The ground itself froze under Brocks feet, encasing even his soles in ice, while sharp winds whipped his face.

Brock snorted, breaking his feet free of the ice, but Alexander was already rushing in. The ice swords came down. They formed a continuous chain of attacks, forcing Brock to constantly defend. He held his ground but couldnt fight back. At the same time, ribbons of ice extended from Alexanders wings, snapping through the air to clip at Brocks fur. Spots of blood appeared. It was burning hot.

Brock felt rage cloud his vision. This man was his sworn enemy; how could he be pushed down?

With a roar, Brock span his staff around, chasing the swords. He blocked one strike with his palm, increasing its density to the max, then swept away both swords to kick at Alexanders shin. The man bent over, his leg almost broken. Brock pressed on, bringing his staff in an overhead swing that Alexander was forced to block, his wrists creaking under the impact.

Brock lunged forward to bite at the opponents neck. Alexanders eyes went wide. He barely pulled back, dropping his guard and letting the staff clip his shoulderbut Brocks sharp teeth would have done much worse.

Alexander then flew back and up, escaping Brocks reach. Youre an animal! he shouted like it wasnt obvious. Fine! Lets see if you can use those teeth of yours to fly!

He then rose to the altitude of a hundred feet, summoned rows of ice projectiles, and sent them flying down at Brock. The surrounding soldiers gasped.

Brock looked on calmly. Facing a rain of projectiles, he raised his staff and started swinging. It blurred through the air. Its trajectory was precise. Every single projectile was knocked away, a feat of ultimate focus. Brock could sweep away the rain!

As the projectiles came to an end, Alexander snorted. Defend all you want, monkey, but youll fall eventually. You just cant fly!

He prepared more ice spikes, arranging them in a denser cluster this time. Meanwhile, Brock looked up and snorted. Bro, he said. He pointed his staff upward and began to fly.

At the appropriate level of mastery, the Dao of Density could make him lighter than air itself, letting him fly. His Staff of Stone, an item attuned to precisely the Dao of Density, could be affected similarly as well.

Both Alexander Petrovic and the surrounding armies gaped. In their eyes, they just saw a monkey take off and fly. It wasnt even an immortal.

How!? Alexander shouted, unleashing his half-made storm of ice spikes.

Brock snorted again. You no escape, he replied. He charged through the air, staff pointing forward. The ice spikes flew at him, but he simply swerved away, dodging them all. Before long, he was upon Alexander, smashing his staff down. Alexander raised his swords to defend.

The Dao of Muscles flared. Brocks biceps doubled in size, then tripled until they became almost comically large. The density of both his muscles and the staff spiked. The tip of the staff crashed down, easily breaking through Alexanders guard to smash onto his head, nailing him to the ground in a shower of white stone flakes.

When the dust cleared, Alexander was already standing. His blond hair fluttered in the wind, while his blue eyes were colder than eternal glaciers. He was outraged.

But so was Brock. When the two crossed eyes, one was furious for having been publicly smacked down, and the other was furious for having his father humiliated. It wasnt even a contest. Brock overflowed with the desire to harm and kill Alexander. There was no force in the world that could change his mind.

Suddenly, Alexander raised his twin swords, willing their shape to change. They became longer, white, and even more wickedly sharp; their tips were so thin they were barely visible, and so hard they could stab through iron. Even Alexanders wings changed. From a hard blue, they transitioned into pure white, emitting a majesty they lacked before.

This is my Dao Ice, Alexander declared calmly. I have purified it in my soul for half a year. Its power is beyond anything you can imagine. I commend you for making me bring this out, but now, playtime is over. It is time to die.

Where his swords touched the air, ice flakes were created and fell to the ground. Every flap of his wings sent chills across the entire concert stage. It was clear that the temperature of this ice was far lower than normal.

Brocks stare remained equally hard. He raised his staff. Bring it on, he said, diving down.

***

The professor had been fighting a losing battle. Shed utilized every trick in the book to delay even a bit more, hoping for the miracle called Jack Rust. Thanks to her, the alliance cultivators could achieve far better coordination than their opponents, but it was just not enough. The power disparity was too wide. All she could do was struggle to stay afloat.

Then, Brock had arrived, sweeping in from afar to strike Alexander. He had declared that battle his own and released Vivi to join the professor and lead the army from the frontas much as the professor worried about her grandchild, it had to be done.

Nowfighting back was possible.

Disengage. Advance. To the right, then retreat and group up with the group to your left. Someone will have your flank. Charge!

She watched the battle from a hundred viewpoints, sending instructions to every squad commander in real time. They had been thoroughly trainedthey followed her every command to the letter, not hesitating in the slightest. This meant they could achieve maximum efficiency. It also meant that, if the professor made a single mistake, nobody would be there to catch it.

But who was she? She was Margaret Rust, professor of Informatics in the Northeastern University, the vice-leader of the second or third greatest faction on Earth, and the mother of the planets greatest living hero.

She could do this.

Or, at least, so she hoped.

Vivi dove down from the skies, clad in flames and phoenix wings. She opened her mouth wide and sprayed fire on the enemys back ranks, eliciting a chorus of screams. The flames soon went out, but they had done their jobmany of the enemy spell-slingers had fallen, giving them superiority in that field.

At the same time, whoever remained alive launched every projectile they had at Vivi, who erupted with flames so intense that the ice melted before approaching, as did the arrows. Only a few boulders and other projectiles made it through, but the power they carried wasnt enough to kill her. She quickly flew away to join the alliance front lines, spreading her wings over her soldiers and shouting, Brothers and sisters! Alexander is occupied, and I am here! Let us destroy the enemy. For freedom!

FOR FREEDOM! the entire army roared behind her, shaking the Integration Starship and causing waves in the surrounding ocean. They charged with fervor, but still following the professors precise instructions. Vivi was a force of nature. She could handle a dozen E-Grades at once, plowing through the battlefield like it was nothing. Where she passed, enemies burned.

The Ice Peak sent their strongest E-Grades to chase her. Alexander was not present, but other elites were, and they knew her weakness now. Arrows of ice flew at her belly, forcing her to defend. Once again, she was pushed back, but the job was done. The enemys morale dropped, while the alliances rose.

In large-scale battles, morale was everything.

Advance! the professor gave the order. The alliance cultivators roared and ran forward, feeling like the kings of the world. Though they remained at a disadvantage, strictly speaking, none of the soldiers saw it as such. The alliance advanced, and the Ice Peak, slowly, retreated.

At that time, the flame walls erected in one corner of the battlefield dropped. The professor spied through a soldiers eyes. To her surprise, she found Edgar hugging the crying saphira enemy. Then, she noticed he was bleeding profusely. Her eyes widened in fear. No!

As she watched his body sag down, the Sage appeared out of nowhere, healed him, and disappeared again.

Help us! she told him, using a generous amount of power to reach him through telepathy, but his reply was disheartening.

Sorry, I have to run! he responded. But good luck! You can do this!

The professor cursed under her breath. The addition of a D-Grade to their forces would have been massiveespecially since, from what she saw, Edgar was completely spent. He would need some time before he could fight again.

However, she was the commander. There was no time to cry over spilled milk. She returned her attention to the army, commanding them in a way that both maximized their efficiency and perpetuated the image of victory that Vivi had created.

Suddenly, the metal music that had been enhancing their soldiers at the start of the battle returned. Vanderdecken was at the alliances back lines, screaming at the top of his lungs to empower everyone, while Brother Tao broke into the enemys front line like a racing horse. Even with only one arm, his staff was too heavy for most enemies.

The two othersGan Salin and the barbarian girlhad also won their battle, but they were too spent to keep contributing. Like Edgar, they would need time.

Still, the professor finally felt optimistic. With Vivi, Vanderdecken, and Tao onboard, they had a tiny bit of an edgeand, with her skills, they could turn that edge into a massive blade that would cut right through the enemy.

Things were finally going well, and they even had a secret weapon that they hadnt used yet.

The only problem was that she was getting exhausted, and her head was under siege by a massive headache. She wasnt sure how long she could keep this up for. Plus, if Alexander defeated Brock, things would turn in the enemys favor again.

And, of course, if Jack lost, then all was for naught.

The professor urged one soldier to glance upward, into space. She saw bright flashes. To be visible from here, they had to be extremely gigantic bursts of energy.

Jack Rust, her son, was fighting the C-Grade planetary overseer How she wished she could watch. As it was, all she could do was believe in him and try to win her own battle.

***

Brock clashed against Alexander. Their Daos erupted. Staff met blades. Stone met pure white ice. Every time they clashed, Brock felt a freezing energy invade his body, an energy turning his blood into ice. He fought it off with his burning heart.

He was here to kill. If he let a little cold stop him, what kind of big bro would he be!?

He twisted in mid-air, spinning his staff above his head. He brought it down. Alexander blocked it and was pushed back, grunting. How are you not freezing over? he asked.

Because my heart is bro.

Fine. Dont tell me. I will kill you regardless.

Brock had just told him, but he didnt care if this human was an idiot. They were mortal enemies. He brandished his staff through the air, bringing it around to strike at Alexander from all angles. He incorporated his flight into his fighting style like he was a bird. The staff became a storm of attacks, and the white ice of Alexander was forced into defense.

When Brock missed a swing, their roles alternated. The swords of white ice rained down, while Brock spinned his staff to defend from every attack. The streams of freezing energy in his body affected him littlehis blood and organs were his bros, and they wouldnt give out on him just like that.

With one more clash, both opponents were pushed back.

This battle has lasted far too long, Alexander said with a frown. Your father fell on my tenth strike. How are you that much stronger?

A fire was lit inside Brocks manly heart. He raised his chin, eyes burning with desire for blood. Stop speaking, he said. I can only kill you so much.

As if Id die to an animal.

Animals are bros, Brock said, pointing his staff forward. Suddenly, his voice carried an odd momentum. Humans are bros. All are bros, and I big bro. But you You no bro. You trash.

An odd energy permeated his staff. Alexander frowned, sensing the might brewing.

You humiliate Father, Brock said in a burning voice. You betray planet bros. You attack unborn bro. You coward, weak, and a shame. And I, big brohave duty to kill you.

Alexander furrowed his brows. What bullshit are you spouting now? he asked, but Brock no longer responded. NoAlexander did hear a sound coming from Brock, but it was not his voice. It was the drumming of his beating heart, a heart infused with the power of brohood.

When Alexander acted cold and calculating, the Dao of Ice approved of his actions. However, the world had many Daos, and the Dao of Brohood did not approve. It was that Dao that fueled Brock, and most importantly, the Dao of Brohood was a Dao predicated on morality. Now, faced with someone extremely un-bro-like, Brock felt his Very Big Thought pulse with power.

The worlds righteousness came to his side. An aura spread over his staff, lighting up all the animal-face inscriptions on it with warm light. Suddenly, Brock was not wielding just the Staff of Stone, but a symbol of brohood. He was the big bro. And Alexander had raised the ire of his very Dao.

That is enough, Brock said, voice suffused with might. Now, you die.

He charged. The staff fell down. Alexander raised his swords to defend, and as they collided, the air itself imploded from the force. Brocks staff was undeniable, unstoppable, the Big Thought of Never Stopping operating at full power. The white ice, tempered in Alexanders soul for six months, shattered under the impact. Brocks staff carried through, penetrating the opponents guard and striking him in the chest.

Alexander flew downward like a missile. He crashed into the stage hard, sending fragments of white stone flying everywhere, while Brock hovered in the air above like a herald of punishment.

Stand, he commanded, or die lying.

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