“….”
The battlefield was silent, the tension thick as everyone tried to process what had just happened. One moment, the Dragon Emperor was battling the lung dragon; the next, he had devoured Aether whole.
Selene and Aria stood frozen for a second, their minds reeling from the shock, but their rage quickly ignited.
“FUCKER!!!” they screamed in unison, their faces twisted with fury as they lunged at the Dragon Emperor. But before they could move even a step, an indigo blaze erupted from the Dragon Emperor’s jaws.
“Arrrghhh!”
Aether’s voice roared through the air as his muscles strained against the Dragon Emperor’s massive maw.
His veins bulged every fibre of his being pushed to its limit as he forced the Emperor’s mouth open, the flames licking at his body.
Slowly, painfully, he pried the jaws apart….
“Increase Level”
!~Ding~!
[You have Levelled up!!]
[Level: 44↑]
!~Ding~!
[Level: 45↑]
!~Ding~!
[Level: 46↑]
Flames shot up from Aether’s legs, propelling him out of the Dragon Emperor’s grip. He tumbled mid-air but managed to land, breathing heavily.
“Ha… Ha…” Aether panted, wiping sweat from his brow as his gaze locked on the Dragon Emperor. “What the hell was that about?” His voice was steady, but his eyes betrayed the confusion and anger bubbling within him.
Selene and Aria, having feared the worst, let out relieved breaths.
Aria slumped slightly, the tension draining from her body. Even Kai exhaled in relief, though his mind buzzed with questions, ‘How did Aether survive?’ Kai wondered, his eyes narrowing, ‘What kind of power does he really have?’
Before anyone could speak, a low, menacing growl echoed across the battlefield.
“Grrrrrrr!” The sound sent chills through the air.
Everyone’s heads snapped toward the source—like synchronized machines—eyes widening at the sight of the lung dragon. Its charred, mutilated body quivered, but its weird-coloured eyes glared at them with murderous intent. The flesh on its head hung in gruesome shreds, blood dripping from its wounds, but it was still very much alive.
Worse…it was angry!!
Aria’s bow was already drawn, the arrow glowing with arcane energy. The others prepared themselves, weapons raised, breaths shallow. The lung dragon moved with terrifying speed, its massive form hurtling toward them like a tidal wave of death.
Meanwhile,
“Hand. Over. The. Ring!” His eyes burned with fury as he glared at Aether, no longer hiding his desire for what Aether possessed.
Aether’s brow furrowed, “You tried to kill me, and now you think I’ll just hand it over?”
The Dragon Emperor sneered, arrogance dripping from his words, “You should be honoured I even attempted it. You are beneath me, servant!”
Aether’s eyes narrowed. “Even if I gave you the ring… you’d kill me anyway, wouldn’t you?”
The Emperor’s silence was telling. His sneer deepened the cruel smile that crossed his face saying more than words ever could. The truth settled in Aether’s mind—there was no way out of this.
Dragon Emperor didn’t say anything just sneered which was enough to make Aether understand the seriousness of Raven’s words, ‘I should have hidden it away’ he thought but there was no point in regretting it now.
“I’ll ask one last time, filth.” The Dragon Emperor’s voice was a venomous snarl, “Give. Me. The. Ring!”
Aether’s expression hardened, his body tensing. With a snap of his fingers, thousands of red, ethereal swords appeared behind him, each blade humming with lethal energy.
The Dragon Emperor’s eyes narrowed but showed no fear. Without a word, he launched himself into the air, his wings beating against the wind with immense power.
Aether’s hand moved swiftly, and the swords shot forward like a deadly swarm, aimed directly at the Emperor’s towering figure. The blades were mere inches from striking when—
Tang!
Tang!
Tang!
…..
…..
Each sword shattered harmlessly against the Dragon Emperor’s hardened skin. The metallic clang echoed in the air as the weapons fell, broken and useless, to the ground below.
The Dragon Emperor sneered, his eyes gleaming with superiority, “Do you think such pathetic tricks can harm me? I am no mere beast, Descendant of the Origin Emperor!” His voice boomed as he opened his mouth, dark blue flames gathering once again.
Aether didn’t flinch and didn’t care what he called. He thrust his hands forward, and indigo flames erupted from his palms, meeting the Emperor’s fire in mid-air. The two blazes clashed violently, a storm of energy swirling as the fires battled for dominance.
For a moment, Aether’s indigo flames held their ground. But slowly, agonizingly, the Dragon Emperor’s fire began to push forward. The blue flames roared louder, overpowering Aether’s.
Aether gritted his teeth, sweat pouring down his face. His muscles screamed in protest, his power barely holding the Emperor’s flames at bay. With a desperate shout, he increased his power once more, pushing himself beyond his limits.
Ssshshhhhhh
!~Ding~!
[You have Levelled up!!]
[Level: 47↑]
[Level: 48↑]
Sparks flew, and for a moment, the indigo flames surged back….
But the Dragon Emperor’s eyes glinted with cruel satisfaction. His flames shifted, transforming from dark blue to a bright, crackling lightning-blue. The energy intensified, and in a flash, it overwhelmed Aether’s fire.
“Arrrrgh!” Aether gritted his teeth, pushing his level further, however,
[Warning: Any more increase in attributes will most likely break your body permanently and might not be healed… Do you wish to continue?]
[Remaining AP: 2,281,232 AP]
The message echoed in his mind, a wall slamming into his efforts. He was just about to resort to his black hole magic when suddenly—
/A-Aether…/
Aether flinched at the familiar voice, his gaze snapping downward. His heart sank at the sight below… everyone, strewn across the ground, defeated and barely clinging to consciousness.
The lung dragon stood over them, its menacing form holding Selene in its grip as she struggled, her body crushed by the immense strength.
Without hesitation, Aether ripped the ring from his finger. “You want this, don’t you?” he shouted at the Dragon Emperor, hurling the ring far into the distance.
The Dragon Emperor’s eyes widened in shock, “No!” He roared, abandoning the fight as he dove after the ring with desperate speed.
Meanwhile, on the ground, Finnain, his body battered and bleeding, muttered, “H-Helena… lost consciousness…” His voice was weak, barely audible over the chaos. Everyone was gravely wounded, unable to do any significant damage to the lung dragon.
“Selene!” Aria’s voice cracked with panic as she notched another arrow and shot it at the lung dragon. The creature’s monstrous hand gripped Selene tighter, threatening to crush her bones completely.
Kai was already unconscious, having fought until he collapsed. Vesperine hovered over him, her body trembling from exhaustion as she barely managed to keep him shielded.
“Cough, Cough”
Selene gasped for breath, coughing blood as she felt her ribs compressing, her organs crushed under the pressure. She desperately tried to free herself, but the lung dragon’s strength was overwhelming.
“Selene!!” Lia’s voice echoed as she transformed into mist, swirling around the lung dragon in a desperate attempt to disorient it. But with a single snort, the creature blew her away, scattering her mist-form into the distance.
“Damn it!” Selene growled, forcing one arm free. Summoning her last reserves of power, she manifested her water spear, stabbing the lung dragon’s hand. The beast’s mouth opened, ready to devour her whole when—
BOOM!
A massive block of ice slammed into the lung dragon’s head, knocking it to the ground with a thunderous crash. The grip around Selene loosened just enough for her to escape.
Aria, moving with lightning speed, caught Selene mid-fall, pulling her to safety just in time.
“That was close,” Aria whispered, her heart pounding. She turned her head to see Aether, hovering above the battlefield.
His face was dark with fury, his body glowing with raw power.
“MOTHERFUCKER!!!” Aether’s voice erupted with rage, his eyes blazing as he unleashed everything he had.
Ice, fire, swords—every weapon in his arsenal rained down on the lung dragon. Each attack was more savage than the last.
The beast tried to rise, but Aether didn’t give it a chance, slamming it back down with relentless force.
He shouted again, his voice shaking with fury, “Next time… think before you act!” His eyes darkened further as he motioned with his hand.
Thousands of swords materialized and stabbed into the lung dragon, not spread out, but focused on one point—each blade driving deeper into the creature’s flesh.
The lung dragon, weakened from its battle with the the Dragon Emperor, roared in agony as the swords impaled it, pinning it to the ground. Its cries of pain echoed across the battlefield, and slowly….. its massive form began to shrink.
Aether’s rage faltered as he watched the lung dragon’s body transform.
The once fearsome creature became smaller and smaller until, in its place…. lay a woman. Her long dark red hair spilled across the ground, and her once-monstrous eyes were now hazy, shifting between crimson and black.
Aether’s eyes widened in shock. “R-Raven?”
The woman—Raven—lay before him, her body riddled with wounds. Her stomach was pierced with countless swords, her blood soaking the earth. Her breathing was shallow, her life slipping away.
“W-wait…” Aether’s voice trembled as he knelt beside her, trying to summon his healing magic. His hands shook uncontrollably as he pressed them to her wounds, but nothing happened. His power wasn’t working.
“A-Aether…” Raven’s voice was barely a whisper as her eyes fluttered shut.
!~Ding~!
[Mission Failed: Save and Seduce Raven Noir]
Aether’s heart stopped at the sound of the notification. His hands trembled violently as he looked down at her lifeless body, the reality sinking in, ‘I killed her… with my own hands’
“A-Aether?” Aria’s voice broke through the silence. She was holding Selene, both of them staring at him with concern etched on their faces. Their eyes darted between Aether and Raven’s lifeless form.
“Hehe…I-I didn’t mean to…Heh….” Aether’s voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper, his mind swirling with guilt and disbelief. His hands were still trembling as the realization crushed him.
Aria forced a shaky smile, trying to ease the weight in his heart. “It’s… it’s fine, Aether. You tried to help us. You didn’t mean for this to hap—“
But before she could say more—
BOOMMM!
Splash!
Splarrrrtttttt!
A wave of blood splashed across the ground as a massive claw crashed down near them. Blood spattered across Aether’s face, snapping him back to the present.
“How dare you throw away the ring!!!” The Dragon Emperor’s voice bellowed with rage, as he stomped the ground,
Splartttt!!