Road to Mastery: A LitRPG Apocalypse
Chapter 356: Brocking

Brock strolled through the Cathedral. From the dark and lonely place it had been three months ago, it remained dark, but now he had his bros. Like always, brohood permeated the hearts of people, and the good ones stood out.

It made him proud of his Big Thought.

Now, it was time for Brock to share his bros’ burdens. With solid steps, he approached the Kill Kill Ball and spoke to the Envoy in charge. “Hey.”

The Envoy—the same red-skinned, frog-eyed, four-fingered fellow as before—cracked an eye open. “Can I help you?”

“I want to enter the Kill Kill Ball and become disciple.”

The Envoy hesitated. “That is not how it works,” he finally replied. “Only disciples can enter the Globe.”

“Then, how do I become disciple?”

“You need an Envoy’s recommendation.”

“Are you not an Envoy?”

The Envoy was conflicted. On one hand, he did want to foster good relations with Jack Rust. On the other, he wouldn’t go as far as breaking the rules to let a monkey fumble around in the priceless Globe.

“Why do you want to enter the Globe?” he finally asked.

“Prove my strength.”

“The very first opponent is an early C-Grade. While it is particularly weak, it is not an enemy you can defeat.”

“I believe I can.”

Facing Brock’s resolve, the Envoy actually felt a bit helpless. Before speaking, however, he took a deeper look at Brock; he hadn’t done so already because he assumed Brock was only Jack’s spiritual companion with limited battle power.

The moment he looked deeper, he was surprised. Brock’s foundation was solid, and the Dao that rolled off his body was neat and disciplined. It wasn’t at the level where it could threaten a C-Grade, but there was an undercurrent to it, a mysterious property that the Envoy couldn’t identify. It felt like an utility Dao, yet not quite.

Could the monkey have some strength? the Envoy asked himself. He would have discarded this notion if it was anyone else, but this particular monkey was connected to Jack Rust. How normal could it be?

Taking a step back, even if the monkey failed to defeat the first opponent, it shouldn't lose too abruptly. The Globe would protect it from major injuries. Then, when Jack returned, the Envoy letting the monkey enter could be considered as doing a favor to Jack.

As for the rules… Well, they never were a major issue.

“Do you have Dao stones?” he finally asked.

Brock shook his head.

“Hmm. Well, one stone is not much. How about this: I will provide the Dao stone needed to start the Globe. If you can defeat even the first opponent, then I will use my authority to directly register you as an outer disciple. However, if you lose, then Jack Rust will have to reimburse me for my stone. What do you think?”

Brock didn’t need to consider it. “Sure,” he replied. He was not certain he could win, but he had good chances. Even if he lost, one Dao stone was not much to Big Bro.

“Then, you may enter.”

The Envoy took out a Dao stone and placed it in a groove of the control platform—a wooden screen on a marble altar. With a rumbling sound, the door of the Globe slid upward, revealing a yawning void. Brock hefted his staff and walked in. The door slammed shut behind him, trapping him in darkness.

Suddenly, a pillar of light fell from the Globe’s ceiling, landing in the center of the floor. The Dao swished. A humanoid form appeared in the column of light as if formed of shiny dust. It held a sword.

“Hello, dirty bro,” Brock said, drawing the Staff of Stone from his back. In truth, the staff was beginning to fall behind. It could adjust its weight to accommodate the wielder’s strength up to a thousand points, but Brock had almost reached that threshold—though he couldn’t access the System or count his strength in points.

He would need to find a new weapon soon…but, for now, the loyal Staff of Stone was enough.

The dirty bro charged. Its sword cut towards Brock at a tricky angle—while it was the weakest of C-Grades, no C-Grade was really weak.

Brock didn’t hold back. With one hand grasping the staff, he pushed out the other and opened it outward. An ethereal book manifested on his palm; it was black and golden-rimmed, with golden letters spelling out “Bro Code” on the cover. It flipped to a seemingly random page by itself, shining with golden splendor. That glow transmitted to the Staff of Stone, making it shine as well.

“You no real,” Brock declared. “I real. I out-bro you!”

The book erupted golden, illuminating the Globe. Letters and runes were projected all over the walls, turning into a kaleidoscope of brohood. As the runes appeared everywhere, a holy aura filled the Globe, making the air heavy and sacred. The dirty bro’s steps slowed—its sword faltered.

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“Down!” Brock shouted, slamming the book shut and smashing out with his staff. Blade met staff. Metal met stone. An explosion resounded in the Globe, crashing shockwaves against the walls. Brock was flung back, while the dirty bro only needed to steady itself.

However, Brock was uninjured. He could fight. And, with the support of brohood, he would not lose!

He landed on his feet, golden light dancing around his body like ribbons. The radiance was blinding, the aura holy and majestic. The dirty bro shrank back a bit but still charged.

“Bros of the Church Place, lend me your power!” Brock shouted, raising his hands in the air. Every single bro across the Cathedral felt a calling. They looked towards the Globe, sensing a trickle of their power leaving them. Some instinctively raised their hands. “What is going on?” they asked, rushing over. A feeling of urgency clouded their hearts—they were needed!

Thirty streams of energy penetrated the Globe’s walls and rushed into Brock’s body, increasing his brilliance to overwhelming levels. The Globe was filled with light. The dirty bro had to close its eyes, but Brock didn’t; the light of brohood could never harm him, only illuminate him.

The dirty bro kept charging, its sword slashing out. Brock roared as he brought his staff down. “Break for me!”

The clash was ten times stronger than before. Brock’s fur flew backward, as did his golden ribbons of brohood, but he remained in place. This time, it was the dirty bro that was flung away, instantly crashing into the far wall. The wall was unharmed—the dirty bro was injured.

Brock laughed out loud. So what if this dirty bro was strong? With powerful enough little bros, he could never lose!

He charged, his entire being radiating light. The Staff of Stone came crashing down, carrying the weight of brohood. The ground sank. The dirty bro’s grip loosened, and its sword went flying as the staff carried right through and into its head.

The dirty bro dispersed. Brock had won, but he was not finished. With the power of brohood coursing through his body, he still had much to give!

“Come!” he shouted, watching two new dirty bros form in the center of the Globe. Right as they appeared, they were suppressed by the radiant aura. Brock charged them, his staff held high. “Fall for me!”

***

Outside the Globe, twenty-something people had already gathered. Looking at each other, they realized they were all members of the newly-formed bro squad.

“Were you also called here by a strange power?” Osmu Sosmu asked.

Everyone echoed in affirmation.

“What is going on?” Osmu continued, turning towards the Envoy. “Excuse me, is Jack Rust inside the Globe again?”

“No,” the Envoy replied expressionlessly. “It’s his spiritual companion, Brock.”

The eyes of the bros widened. They glanced at each other, then stared at the Globe. Their second big bro was fighting? Wasn’t he at the peak D-Grade? What was the strange calling they’d all experienced?

And why were they feeling such intense excitement?

Without knowing it, their mouths opened to shout, “Go Brock!”

***

Inside the Globe, Brock couldn’t hear them, but he sensed their support. The power he received intensified. He smashed out his staff, breaking through the magic bro’s elemental prison, then mentally told space, “Come on, bro.” Space parted to let him pass, and he teleported behind the mace bro, sticking the bro code in his face.

“Be out-bro’d!”

Bright golden light struck the mace bro’s head like the world’s strongest headlight. Its eyes were already closed, but this wasn’t just a blinding attack; it contained Brock’s will!

Brock was not just a Physical cultivator, but also a Will one!

The mace bro’s mind was filled with heavenly chimes and buff brorillas dressed in white. These bro angels were enjoying a heartfelt night of drinking under the stars. As they suddenly appeared in his mind, they looked at him as if he was the intruder. They commanded him, “Stop. You are out-bro’d.”

The mace bro tried to resist, but the righteous manliness of these brorillas was too much, and the mace bro itself was only a shadow of Dao. Its will was crushed. “I am out-bro’d,” it muttered, then willingly dispersed itself.

Brock laughed, charging at the one remaining dirty bro. It was a two-fruit wizard, but how could it stand against Brock by itself? The brorilla teleported left and right, dodging elemental attacks and space spikes as he steadily grew closer. When he reached within thirty feet, he could no longer teleport as the wizard had locked down space. Therefore, he charged, smashing through the space spikes the wizard sent his way and finally breaking the dirty bro’s head.

As the dirty bro dissipated, Brock was left panting. He wasn’t too wounded, only sporting minor injuries, but his entire body was trembling from exhaustion. His muscles were close to ripping. While he could augment himself by borrowing power from his little bros, the strain on his body and Dao was far too heavy.

As three new dirty bros appeared, Brock shook his head and put his staff away. The radiance covering his body receded. He cupped his hands at the three new bros and said, “Thanks, bros.” He wasn’t only referring to the present ones, but also the three he’d defeated.

The three dirty bros bowed at him and disappeared, while the entrance of the Ball slowly rose open. Brock took some time to gather his breath, then strolled out under the watchful gazes of his many bros. Sᴇaʀᴄh the N0ᴠᴇFɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“Big bro!” they exclaimed. “How was it!?”

These low-rankers didn’t know what to think. They’d never seen Brock fight. Like the Envoy, they had assumed he was a background character with limited combat strength…but now, he had stayed in the Globe for enough time to have broken through the first opponent.

If he had really achieved that while at the peak D-Grade, his talent was superior to most of theirs!

“Sup, bros.” Brock nodded at them, then asked the Envoy, “How did I do?”

The Envoy had an odd look on his face. He shook his head, finally saying, “See for yourself.”

The ranking obelisk in the distance rumbled. The names at the lower end split apart, a new one appearing in their midst.

Rank 966… Brock!

Brock nodded like this was only natural. All his bros, however, opened their eyes and mouths wide.

They could accept being thoroughly surpassed by Jack. But now, they had been soundly defeated by Jack’s spiritual companion! Brock was only at the D-Grade—as soon as he reached the C-Grade, he would certainly achieve a ranking at the eight or seven hundreds, if not higher. Of the thirty bros, twenty-eight of them were below the ranking of eight hundred!

Osmu Sosmu shook. As one of the strongest bros, he was only ranked 793th. However, at the end of the day, he could only shake his head and lament his own weakness.

“It’s not just Jack,” he muttered. “These guys…are both monsters!”

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