88 Cavern of Chaos-5
[Third Person View.]
Ren cautiously stepped forward into the dimly lit chamber, his boots making a soft thud against the uneven cobblestone floor. The flickering lightning of the dragon cast dancing shadows on the damp, moss-covered stone walls, creating an eerie atmosphere.
*Roar*
In the heart of the cavernous space, the formidable lightning elemental dragon crackled with raw power, its scales shimmering ominously like bolts of electricity frozen in time.
"Let's see what I've been doing until now." Gripping his sword tightly, Ren could feel its weight in his hand, the cold steel serving as both a weapon and a lifeline.
Mana surged from his core, a swirling vortex of energy coursing through his veins and into his limbs. It ignited a blazing fire within him, fueling his lightning and fire magic with pulsating energy.
*Roar!!!!*
With an ear-splitting roar that reverberated through the chamber, the lightning elemental dragon lunged forward, jagged bolts of lightning erupting from its maw-like furious serpents.
*Crack!*
Ren's reflexes were swift, but not quick enough to evade every strike.
One of the lightning bolts found its mark, searing through his arm and leaving behind a sizzling wound.
"Agh," he gritted his teeth, hissing through the agonizing pain as he fought to maintain his balance, refusing to succumb to the dragon's assault.
Undeterred by his injury, Ren channeled his resilience into retaliation. With a surge of focus, he summoned his own lightning spell, electricity crackling and dancing along his fingertips. The bolt tore through the air, a searing streak of raw power aimed at the dragon's scaled hide.
*Sizzle!*
It impacted with a thunderous boom, eliciting a guttural growl from the beast as it recoiled momentarily, its defenses shaken.
But the lightning elemental dragon was not defenseless. Its tail, thick and muscular, swung with brutal force, propelled by the creature's immense strength.
*Thud!*
"Fuck!" he cursed. The impact sent Ren hurtling against the cold stone wall, the air knocked out of his lungs. Pain radiated through his body, threatening to overwhelm him, yet his determination burned fiercely.
Struggling to regain his footing, Ren fought through the haze of agony and dizziness that clouded his senses. His damaged arm throbbed, a constant reminder of the dragon's power. He summoned his fire magic, igniting flames that engulfed his sword in a fiery embrace. The weapon became an extension of his will, his movements fluid and precise.
Swinging his blade with controlled fury, Ren unleashed a blazing arc of fiery steel aimed at the dragon's vulnerable underbelly. The searing heat cuts through the air with a *whoosh*, leaving trails of scorch marks in its wake. The dragon howled in agony as the flames licked its scales, the scent of burnt flesh filling the chamber, but it fought back with renewed determination.
The lightning elemental dragon retaliated, summoning a massive surge of electricity that crackled and surged through the air, seeking to engulf Ren in a deadly storm. Caught off guard by the sheer intensity of the assault, Ren attempted to erect a barrier of lightning, his mana flowing like a raging river. But it was too late.
"Ahhh!" The surge overwhelmed him, the electricity coursing through his body with searing intensity. His vision blurred, his muscles spasmed uncontrollably, yet he clung to consciousness.
"I just have to wait a few more minutes; its mana reserves are low," Ren muttered. He's right, unlike the creatures who are actually from the physical realm, these types of dragons cannot continue living without constantly channeling ambient mana In their body because there's no body. It's all a shard specimen DNA-like parts and concentrations of mana. When the lightning elemental dragon was defeated, it dropped a shard, a unique fragment that contained the essence of its power and mana. This shard could be a valuable resource or used for various purposes, such as harnessing the dragon's elemental abilities or studying its mana composition.
Regaining control of his battered body, Ren tapped into his dwindling reserves of mana, drawing upon the very essence of his being. The energy pulsed within him like a torrential river flowing from his core and permeating every fiber of his being.
Summoning his final reserves of strength, he launched lightning and fire spells with every ounce of power he could muster, his movements a blend of calculated precision and desperate abandon.
Each attack left him more vulnerable, more exposed to the dragon's wrath. Yet, Ren fought on, fueled by a primal determination to overcome his formidable adversary.
And the dragon, weakened but far from defeated, retaliated with a ferocious blast of electrical power.
"Here it comes, the last struggle," engulfing Ren in a maelstrom of destructive energy. The crackling bolts of lightning danced across his scarred body, causing him to convulse and writhe in unimaginable agony.
But even amidst the chaos and pain, Ren persisted. With a quick movement, he pushed forward, slashing with his remaining arm.
"And the last one!" he pushed the sword deeper, and the dragon's scales crackled and charred under the onslaught, its roars growing more desperate and pained. Yet, it fought on, driven by its primal instincts to survive.
*Roar*
Finally, in a moment that felt like an eternity, Ren's blade found its mark with a final, resounding *clang*. The strike pierced through the dragon's defenses, plunging deep into its flesh. The creature let out a thunderous roar that echoed through the chamber, its body convulsing in its death throes. Its once-mighty form, now weakened and wracked with pain, began to crumble.
As the dust settled and the echoes of battle subsided, the chamber bore witness to the aftermath of their clash. Scorch marks scarred the walls, testaments to the destructive forces unleashed. The air hung heavy with the acrid scent of burnt flesh and the lingering energy of lightning and fire. The lightning elemental dragon lay motionless, its power extinguished, its body disappearing and leaving only a hexagonal crystal.
And Ren, battered and broken, lay amidst the wreckage, his breath ragged, and his body ravaged. Limb torn and broken, his form was a testament to the cost of victory. But he had something different to say: "Hey, quit your damn sulking and speak something, Smokeball. I'm just as pissed off about that Crystalwing Sentinel's bullshit ,but Don't worry, we're gonna fuckin' murder that bastard someday, I promise you."
....
[Ren Hilton's POV]
I stood up, still gripping my left arm with my right hand. "Where's the damn system regeneration?" I was confused because there was usually an automatic regeneration provided by the system itself. But right now, there was nothing in front of my eyes.
"System," I called out.
... Silence ...
"Agh, SYSTEM!" I repeated, frustrated by the absence of the familiar blue slate. And then, finally -
--------------------------------------------------------------------
System Alert!
*The battery core has been disturbed!
*Host cannot use privileges!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"Huh?" I contemplated over the system panel, trying to figure out what the battery core was. It must have something to do with the Crystalwing's interference near my core.
I closed my eyes and delved deeper, approaching my core where Blaze usually resided. To my surprise, I saw an azure flame flickering around my mana core. It seemed lost, as if searching for something.
I tried to focus... no, more like extract it. I utilized the same method used to draw in ambient mana, but this time, I directed it internally.
And then...
Ding ding!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
System notification!
*Temporary battery core attached!
Regeneration in 1...2...3...
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Within seconds, I felt vitality returning to me as it was supposed to. However, with each passing moment, more and more questions flooded my mind, each one adding a new piece to the puzzling picture that disturbed me.
At first, it was the hidden kingdoms and places like this Nightshade Sanctum, the existence of the other gods, and then it was about the Blaze's origin. But now, the system was also one of the missing pieces... no, a crucial part of this puzzle.
From the moment I arrived, I always made sure that I couldn't take this as a virtual world and had to treat it like the real world, which is based on the game I once played, but...
"The game never actually had any of this stuff going on," since it only focused on Adam, his group, and the Demon King. But the more I delve, the more the ends of the thin threads are losing their original position.
"But from what I see, you've already sorted out a lot of things by yourself, but you're still not sure." After what seemed like a long period of silence between me and Blaze, he finally spoke, and what he spoke is also correct.
I have my suspicions, but I tried to make sense by thinking that it's because it's a parallel world and things are a little different, but...
"Don't say them out loud, at least not yet. We can talk once we get to our destination. Till then, we must walk." Blaze's voice was... cold, unlike anytime before. It was chilly, like he has a plan for now.
And as for me? I have more interest in the events that have happened in the past thousand years when Blaze wasn't here and the world changed.
Getting up, I muttered, "System." And yes, there was no response. Why? Because this time, I did not try to extract any energy from the azure flame at all.
"It's the battery core." It's confirmed that the thing Crystalwing Sentinel was referring to as a soul tracker and the azure flame that the system calls the battery core are the same.
But why does this thing have consciousness itself? It's like it's observing me, learning from me, adapting to me, and leeching onto me. It's more gruesome than what Blaze does.
"Hey! Watch your trap now! I am in no mood to hear any more insults than I've already had from the mouth of that lowborn Sentinel. If it weren't for being reduced to this state, I would've killed him in mere seconds. I haven't experienced this kind of humiliation in my whole life, not even when I was sealed in the dimensional gaps." Blaze started complaining about everything one by one. I chuckled as he kept cursing.
It's not the end, it's not the beginning. It's the conclusion that I seek.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
[A/N: Please don't bother reading the note below, it wasn't supposed to be out today but tomorrow with a lot of new announcement but...huh, I hate my computer!!!]
↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓
(Um...this was supposed to be uploaded tomorrow but by mistake I just added it today,Gomen.)
(For filling up in for my mistake I'll add something that wasn't supposed to be added right now, I am sorry.)
[Afterword.]
Dear Readers,
As the author of this novel, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to all of you who have embarked on this literary journey with me. Writing this novel has been a labor of love, and your support and readership have meant the world to me.
I am truly humbled by the positive feedback, the heartfelt messages, and the enthusiasm you have shown for the story and its characters. Your encouragement has fueled my creativity and inspired me to push the boundaries of my imagination.
I want to thank each and every one of you for your dedication and for investing your time and emotions into this tale. It is your unwavering support that keeps me motivated to continue crafting stories that transport you to new worlds and evoke a range of emotions.
I also want to express my gratitude to the team behind the scenes—the editors, proofreaders, cover designers, and everyone involved in bringing this novel to life. Your expertise and commitment to excellence have been invaluable in shaping the final product.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the power of storytelling and its ability to connect people from all walks of life. Through this novel, I hope I have provided you with an escape, a source of entertainment, and perhaps even a moment of reflection.
Once again, thank you for being a part of this incredible journey. Your support has been the driving force behind my passion for writing, and I am truly honored to have you as readers.
With deepest appreciation,
the first volume of this novel is concluded.
[Satan03]
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Join the Discord server by clicking the link in my bio.
