Chapter 9: | Ego Issues?
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My form vanished as I strode through the water, descending to another floor.
I cracked my neck, a thrilling premonition of a strong opponent settling in.
I couldn't help but grin.
What would this encounter bring?
Perhaps an intriguing battle?
Then a voice echoed from above as an entity, shimmering in brilliant light, looked down.
"Halt your steps, mongrel."
Me, a mongrel?
How amusing.
Since he was the mongrel himself.
Just then, Samantha stirred from her slumber, likely roused by the oppressive pressure he was releasing.
She gazed at me as I offered a soft smile.
"Don't worry about me, dear. Wait for me around the corner."
Samantha hesitated, then leaned in to kiss my cheek before gracefully leaving my grasp, putting distance between us.
"Take care of yourself, dear."
A foolish smile touched my lips.
After weeks of effort, Samantha had finally lowered her guard.
"Don't worry, dear. This battle will be over before you know it."
The being above bristled at our display of affection, intensifying his pressure.
"You dirty mongrel... come, show me your strength."
TheIn in the next second, he couldn't find me.
He, the great Overlord Kaire, couldn't follow a mere mongrel speed?
"Ridiculous!"
Reality warped as a bubble of condensed water encased his body.
But then, pain erupted across his face as blood began to drip.
"This couldn't be possible... how?"
Red lines erupted across his body, and I smiled at his futile struggles.
"Primeval Emperor – First Form: Ruined Fury!"
I cracked my neck once more, the sound echoing ominously.
"Is this all you can boast of?"
Blood splattered from the red lines marring his body, yet he remained standing.
Kaire's face shattered.
Was this perhaps an insult?
To let him leave unscathed.
Was all he could think of.
Then a voice echoed mocking.
"Is this all you can boast of?"
The words echoed, repeated again and again in his mind.
His body grew hotter, scales beginning to erupt all over his skin.
Then, a pair of horns burst free from his skull, his eyes narrowed into slits, and wings and a tail tore through his flesh.
His appearance, once a radiant young man with golden hair, red eyes, and a handsome face, had become horrifyingly draconic.
"A transformation, huh? But that's all a maggot can do."
Kaire's face contorted further, grotesque with rage at the fresh insult.
His body trembled, not from pain, but from pure fury.
"You damned bastard! Die! Die! Die!"
His claws vanished, only to reappear inches from me, but they were agonizingly slow, laughably weak.
My claws effortlessly deflected his flurry of attacks as I yawned.
"Truly, did you even try?"
Kaire's mutations deepened, his strength surging.
His horns glowed, growing taller as his draconification intensified.
He roared in pure rage.
"You scum, die!"
My claws blurred.
In a split second, red lines appeared all over his body.
A heartbeat later, he exploded, flesh and blood splattering across the water.
"Primeval Emperor – First Form: Ruined Fury!"
Then Samantha's worried shout pierced the chaos.
"Finish this fight quickly, Alister, just like you promised me!"
I chuckled, a deep, resonating sound.
"Fuhahahaha... it seems my lady wants to end this. So, bye-bye now, I guess."
Time slowed.
His attacks, so utterly predictable, played out before me.
My hands became a blur as I took a single, deliberate step.
Then time resumed.
As countless red lines crisscrossed his mangled body.
But Kaire had predicted it all.
His plan, was to feign anger at my taunt, allowing this arrogant bastard to fully activate his draconification.
And just as he expected, pain ripped through his body as it was cleanly severed into pieces.
Kaire's opponent slowly descended towards his woman, precisely as he had anticipated.
This was his moment.
Kaire's form flickered, then instantly appeared on the ground, calmly cleaning his now bloodstained claws.
Slowly, I descended.
But something felt amiss.
Yes, profoundly amiss.
That bastard had suddenly appeared on the seabed, cleaning his claw.
Then, a chilling sensation ran through my stomach as a massive hole became could be seen below.
Samantha screamed, desperate.
"Run!"
I couldn't help but snicker, then burst into roaring laughter.
"Bwahahahaha. You... you're quite interesting. Pray, tell me your glorious name."
Samantha screamed again, tears welling in her eyes, her voice laced with worry.
"Please, run away, Alister... please stop being a bastard to the end and run, you egoistic bastard!"
My smile faltered.
Me, running away?
Kaire smirked, his hands spread wide.
"See... even your woman despises you, you egoistic bastard!"
He then cleaned his hand, bowing theatrically.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Kaire, the First Prince of the Sea Dragon Tribe, and an Overlord being."
Just an Overlord?
And you dare show such arrogance to me?
Truly?
I couldn't help but laugh, a booming sound that echoed through the water.
"Bwahahahaha... and I thought you were a Lord-class, since your strikes were so weak."
Kaire's gaze snapped to my stomach, his eyes wide with shock.
The hole he'd created was gone.
As it had already repaired itself, thanks to my vigorous vitality.
Kaire's voice trembled.
"Impossible... how? How can you heal such a grievous wound in such a short time?"
My gaze turned to ice as I met his stare.
"As I've said, it's because you're far too weak."
My form vanished as I took a single step.
Time slowed, my hands transforming into grotesque yet horrifyingly efficient claws.
Then, in the next moment, my body reappeared behind him, my claws already returned to normal.
"Primeval Emperor – First Form: Ruined Fury!"
Blood and flesh splattered from the fresh lines that erupted all over his body.
I had executed my technique perfectly.
Kaire was truly fed this time, his limbs were mutilated, blood rapidly seeping from his body.
Now, it was only a matter of time before death claimed him.
Kaire's face twisted in grim realization.
Death would truly claim him if he didn't activate his last resort, an Ascension VI skill.
His mouth opened, whispering weakly.
"Dragon of Despair..."
Kaire's form shifted.
All his mutilated limbs reattached and healed as he underwent a full Dragonization.
I felt the immense threat emanating from him, but this guy still hadn't proven himself worthy of me using mana.
He didn't deserve such kindness.
I waited, patiently, for his transformation to complete.
His aura flared dramatically as Samantha's voice cut through the air, loud and desperate.
"You damned egotistical bastard! Finish that guy before he transforms!"
Samantha was clearly worried about me, and I appreciated it.
She likely knew the true threat Kaire posed.
But I didn't care.
I would wait for him.
Samantha, furious at my disregard, even threw some rocks at me.
I couldn't help but smile at her excessive, endearing affection.
"Don't worry. Everything is under my control."
Samantha screamed back.
"Control my ass! That guy Kaire is one of the strongest beings from the past, nicknamed the Dragon of Despair!"
I chuckled, finding her words strangely intriguing.
"A Dragon of Despair, huh? But tens of him wouldn't be enough to face me."
Samantha slumped onto the ground in despair, replaying her life decisions.
"Why... why did I fall for such an egotistical person? Oh, how unfair destiny is."
I chuckled again.
"But didn't you fall in love with such a confident and handsome man?"
Samantha nodded.
"Perhaps, but... but you know, all I wanted was to live in peace with my future husband. But why... why did it have to be you? A reckless bastard!"
I shook my head, tapping my foot on the ground.
"Well, wait for me to teach you a lesson."
Samantha, despite her despair, managed a chuckle, playing with her hair.
"Sure, if perhaps you survive."
Kaire's transformation was complete.
His body had become a gargantuan dragon, spanning hundreds of meters.
"Quite an impressive transformation you've got there, Kaire."
But I saw it, there was no intellect left in his eyes, all I could see was a primal desire for Ruination and apocalypse.
"No answer, I guess."
Then I took a step.
My body vanished... and then came pain as his massive claws sent me hurtling through the water.
"It seems that Dragonization didn't just give you an enormous bulk, but also immense strength."
I chuckled, then leaped.
My body blurred, disappearing, my claw transforming and blurring in a split second.
I reappeared behind him as countless red lines erupted across his body from head to tail.
"Primeval Emperor – First Form: Ruined Fury!"
The lines exploded, and I could feel the blood, but there was nothing... then searing pain struck my body as I glanced down.
His tail had pierced clean through my stomach, skewering me.
I guess my technique was rendered useless.
Its defense was simply beyond my current firepower.
Samantha's face paled as she saw me impaled by the massive tail.
She screamed.
"Alister!"