Hum, hum, hum!
Suddenly, the mountain range trembled, and the earth shook violently.
Then, one of the smaller mountains came to life, shaking off soil, plants, and smaller beasts as it began to rise.
The seven-tailed fox watched in awe and reverence as the figure’s head was revealed to the world after so long. It was shaped like a snake’s head, towering nearly 1.7 kilometers above the fox.
“GO, TELL EVERYONE TO BE PREPARED—TO DIE OR TO KILL. THE FATED PROPHECY IS NEAR. BUT WE WILL NOT GIVE UP, NOT WHILE I AM STILL ALIVE.”
The unfathomable creature spoke in a deep, soul-penetrating voice.
“Yes, my lord. Thank you for your guidance!” The fox spoke respectfully, but there are some tears forming under It’s eyes. Knowing what the prophecy was about, it was only natural.
Just as Aria’s consciousness reached their location, she froze, her heart racing at the sight of the colossal creature piercing through the forest, dwarfing the sky.
She tried to listen to their conversation further, but a blinding, pale white light flashed, followed by a thunderous snort from the towering beast. Aria realized too late that she’d been discovered. Sensing imminent danger, she tried to retreat swiftly, but the pale light spread outward almost instantly.
In an instant, the surrounding 1-kilometer radius turned to stone petrified, leaving unmoving, lifeless statues in its wake. The light reached Aria’s consciousness, following her retreating presence with relentless speed.
“HUMAN GIRL, TELL HIM WE’RE READY!” The warning reached Aria’s senses, but she was deeply tensed to heed its declaration.
“Ba-dum, ba-dum!”
Aria struggled to breathe, her chest rising and falling heavily.
Aengus, seeing this, grew worried.
“Aria, what’s wrong? Stay with me,” he urged.
Aria couldn’t respond; her eyes remained closed, her focus slipping away.
Examining her, Aengus’s heart sank as he noticed her feet slowly turning to stone.
Manas’s warning rang out, “Master, it’s a petrification curse, and a deadly one at that. Quickly, use your Chaos energy to suppress it!”
Taking the advice seriously, Aengus immediately enveloped Aria’s body in his Elemental Chaos energy, creating a state of equilibrium. The chaos particles of light began to purify the curse, while other elements strengthened her physique.
Aengus’s nerves were tight, but he remained controlled as he formed a protective shield around her.
“Manas,Tell me the way to cure it completely.”
“Master, it can only cured by the original caster. You need to find him quick!” Mana reminded the urgency of the situation.
Aengus clenched his fist, his nails digging into his palm.
After a while, Aria opened her eyes, feeling a strange heaviness in her body.
She found herself in his lap and managed a small smile.
“I don’t want to die yet, Ethan. I still want to see you shine… and become your bride,” she whispered weakly, feeling as if the door to death was near.
Aengus, hiding his inner turmoil, forced a gentle smile.
“Of course, you won’t, Aria. You do want to become my first bride, right? So stay with me and give me a little more time.”
Aria smiled weakly, “I know you can do it, Ethan. I’ll wait. Just be careful.. A giant creature is in the middle..”
Aengus nodded, picked her in his arms and stood up, his aura turning wild and chaotic, spreading through the forest, making even the low ranks tremble in fear. They understood the signal: doom was coming, and it would be remembered by the whole world in times to come.
Though his heart was full of rage, he remained rational, prioritizing Aria’s safety. With the uncertainty of the forest’s future and an inevitable, devastating battle ahead, he knew he needed to act swiftly.
He marked their location and used his special trait, Greater Space Teleporter, to open a portal, transporting Aria to General Leon’s house. Gently placing her on a bed, he smiled.
“Don’t fall asleep, Aria… I’ll be right back.”
His expression turned cold as he returned through the portal, leaving Aria gazing at his back. Soon, her eyelids grew heavy, but she forced herself to stay awake, trusting him wholeheartedly.
General Leon’s house was completely empty, so no one noticed the faint spatial fluctuations of their movements.
—
Aengus reappeared at the same place they had left.
Abyssal Blazing Dragon!
“Buzz… Buzz…”
In an instant, Aengus transformed into his Dark Dragon form, reaching 700 meters in height and 1,500 meters in width.
His hellish crimson wings spanned nearly the same size as his height.
With his mere presence, the surrounding environment burned and decayed.
“Whoosh!”
“Rumble!”
With a single thrust of his wings, he soared into the sky, leaving ashes and a terrifying, scorching windstorm below.
“R O A R!”
High above the forest, under the darkening sky, Aengus unleashed a powerful dragon roar that resonated through the forest. The sheer impact of the Chaos-infused energy shattered the sound barrier, leaving destruction in its path.
It was a declaration of challenge, promising utter annihilation. On one side stood Aengus; on the other, the entire forest.
Aengus hovered in place, then opened his massive maw wide, intending to devour the forest to increase his strength in preparation for the deadly battle ahead. He knew his enemy was powerful, likely SS rank, so he would need every ounce of strength he could gather.
In his dragon form, Omni-Devour became even more powerful and potent.
“Whoosh!”
Buzz… Buzz!
An intense black hole formed within his mouth, swallowing everything caught in its inescapable suction force.
“Rumble!”
Beasts, birds, air, light, trees, soil, insects, and even humans—all were pulled in, unable to escape his grasp. Everything was consumed in horror and desperation, turning into energy particles inside him, which greatly boosted his power.
[ Strength +7, Agility +6, Defense +8 ]
[ Strength +5, Agility +4, Defense +6 ]
…
[ Origin Mana +400 ]
[ Origin Mana +600 ]
…
His mana was being used and replenished continuously, creating an endless cycle, though any side effects hadn’t yet appeared—not so soon, at least.
As for skills, he chose only the higher-ranking, powerful ones and extremely useful lower-rank skills..
