The once-serene Hall of the Holy Water Altar Temple now shook violently. Massive cracks spread across the ancient marble walls, while crystal dust fell from the ceiling like burning snow. Outside, the roar of the three-headed dragon, The Great Devourer, was deafening, turning the pure valley air heavy with the scent of sulfur and death.Ethan stood frozen in the center of the hall. His hand gripped the silver antidote vial as if it were the only anchor for his sanity. In front of him, Isyra still stood with her sword drawn, but her tear-filled eyes betrayed every word of her betrayal."So this was your reason for helping me?" Ethan's voice was low, nearly a whisper that was more terrifying than the explosions outside. "You used me as a key to open this gate to hell?""Ethan, listen—" Isyra tried to step forward."Enough!" Ethan slammed his foot onto the temple floor.A wave of cold exploded from his foothold, instantly freezing the marble floor within a five-meter radius. Rion, now th

The ringing in Ethan’s ears had yet to fade. As Kaelen’s portal closed completely, the ensuing silence felt even more painful than the previous explosions. The blue light that had once enveloped his body diminished drastically, leaving behind a bone-chilling cold."Ugh." Ethan leaned heavily on the shattered hilt of his sword.The pain came in waves. Synchronization with Rion was not without a price. Beneath his torn sleeves, the blue scales did not disappear immediately; instead, they pulsed, releasing residual energy that made his muscles stiffen. This was the recoil, the physical toll a human must pay when forcing their soul-vessel to contain the essence of a primordial dragon.Rion, now returned to the size of a wildcat, looked much the same. The small dragon stumbled toward Ethan before finally collapsing from exhaustion. His golden eyes dimmed, a sign that his mana reserves were completely depleted."You pushed yourself too hard, Rion. I’m sorry," Ethan whispered, his voice hoar

Vane’s gravitational pressure felt like an invisible mountain, pressing against every inch of Ethan’s skin. Under that crushing weight, Ethan could hear his joints creaking. However, inside his chest, a spark of pride began to smolder. For over a decade, he had lived as a loser from a clan considered extinct. Now, seeing an Axandra executioner mage look shocked just because he could stand provided a dangerous satisfaction to his soul.“This is the true strength of the Eldravar,” Ethan thought. “The blood they tried to erase from history hundreds of years ago is now rising again in my hands.”"You ... how can you still take a step?" Vane’s voice rose, losing its composure. He struck his silver staff against the stone bridge once more. "Kneel, you Insect!"A loud vroom! echoed.A second wave of gravity hit. The bridge floor beneath Ethan’s feet shattered. Ethan stumbled, one knee nearly touching the ground. At that moment, an excruciating pain stabbed through his heart. The blue scales

Ethan’s consciousness drifted in and out like a candle blown by the night wind. Inside his inner mind, the Eldravar energy felt like boiling liquid iron, forcing its way through his narrowing mana pathways. Every time his heartbeat thundered, the black lines on his hand pulsed, releasing a wave of pain that made his entire body spasm."Father ...." Ethan deliriously muttered, his voice hoarse and barely audible.In his dream, he saw his father’s pale face, staring at him from behind the curtain of their fallen clan's darkness. His father did not speak, only pointed toward the shimmering silver antidote vial atop a pile of their ancestors' ashes. The message was clear: Ethan could not die here.Something cold touched his forehead again, soothing a bit of the burning sensation in his head. Ethan opened his eyes with great effort. His vision was blurry, but he could see the silhouette of Isyra, who was wringing a wet cloth over a taro leaf bowl."Don't move too much," Isyra whispered. He

The air inside the Razor-Thorn Labyrinth crackled violently, distorted by the clash of two opposing atmospheres. On one side, General Garrick’s black fire devoured the walls of vines, releasing extreme heat that melted the ground into a thick liquid. On the other side, the frost aura from Ethan’s Silent Frost Blade froze the air particles, creating a light blizzard that held back the advancing blaze."Interesting," Garrick sneered, his sharp eyes flashing with disdain. "Your mana circuits are already destroyed, eaten away by Mana Burn, yet you can still condense an elemental energy this cold. The Eldravar blood is indeed stubborn."Ethan did not reply with words. His mouth was clamped tightly shut, holding back the blood pressing to escape his throat. The electric blue lines on his hand now glowed brightly, pulsing painfully as if broken glass were flowing through his blood vessels. He knew he had less than three minutes before his body completely collapsed from the backlash of his ow