Chapter 17: | Primal Energy
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I couldn't help but chuckle as I had finally awakened the power that was hidden within my very existence.
It was primal energy, the very energy only Wharks could possess.
And it was that easy?
All I did was resonate with it?
And it followed me willingly.
I couldn't help but chuckle again as a flame made of primal energy combusted on my palm.
Lumicor shivered, then glanced at me, curious.
"What sorcery is that?"
he asked.
I chuckled at his response.
"Well, nothing much. Just awakening the latent power of my race."
Lumicor was shaken to his very core as he gazed at the being before him in reverence.
A monster, that was all Lumicor could think of.
How could one awaken their race without expecting any form of backlash?
Even he, the one destined for the throne of his race, couldn't even dare to attempt it.
So how could an Emperor, and a Stage 1 at that, take the brunt of the backlash?
Lumicor was having a hard time comprehending as he shook his head.
"Impressive to have awakened your race as early as a Stage 1."
I smiled at his praise as the primal energy coated my body.
My cereum armor dented and distorted, unable to handle even a fraction of my primal energy.
Then blood gushed from my body as my cereum armor crushed my flesh and bones.
Lumicor was shocked as he sighed.
"I see. So you are the Emperor of the Wharks, the Primal Emperor. It's perfectly understandable that your armor made of cereum couldn't withstand it."
I was confused.
How did this guy know I was the Primal Emperor, the Emperor of my race?
"How? How did you know of my existence?"
It was a dumb question, you might ask, but Lumicor answered truthfully.
"All living beings had received a notification of the Ascension of a new Emperor. That woman over there couldn't receive it, as the dimensional record deemed her incomplete."
Samantha pondered and nodded.
"Just as he said... I am not complete. The day I became an Overseer of this dungeon, I lost my right to be treated as a complete existence by the dimensional record."
I snorted as my armor broke and scattered across the air, falling below.
I couldn't help but stretch as my wounds recovered at an impressive rate.
"Are you ready?"
Then lights flashed as chains imprisoned me, and a massive sword descended before me.
Pain rang through my body as countless smaller swords skewered my flesh.
Impressive, but it wasn't enough.
Primal energy flooded my blood vessels as the chains, stronger than before, broke like a twig.
My form blurred, and afterimages began to appear as the air trembled.
Countless claw markings could be seen everywhere, from the air to the mountain peaks, and even on Lumicor's body, as I muttered.
"Primeval Emperor – Second Form: Emperor True Wrath."
The mountains broke into pieces, then fell into the ocean below as blood trickled.
Countless wounds, as deep as ten meters, could be seen on Lumicor's serpentine body.
But it was futile, as motes of white flames covered the wounds, regenerating rapidly.
In the next second, his wounds were gone.
Truly impressive, and his Halo was not just for design.
It spun as motes of white flames were generated every time it cycled.
Then I saw them, the motes of white flames turning into a sword before flashing into a streak of light.
Looking at the ground before me, I sighed.
"This battle is going to be a battle of attrition, right?"
Lumicor looked down like a deity as his Halo spun, and countless swords descended into the ground.
My claws, no, my hands, blurred as they deflected and destroyed every projectile coming at me.
The ground trembled as small rocks fell into the ocean below.
I could feel that it was nearing its limit.
Perhaps if this continued, Samantha would be harmed in the aftermath.
I gazed at Lumicor as I cracked my neck.
"Let's stop this pretense and decide this in a single attack."
Lumicor's gaze was cold as he nodded.
Then his crown spun erratically as motes of flames gathered together to form a single sword.
The sword materialized into reality as runic engravings could be seen on it.
I sighed as my primal energy shrouded my body.
Then I felt it, there was something more to this energy, something far darker and more compatible with me.
My white hair darkened as my eyes turned crimson red.
My primal energy, once gray in color, turned dark and corrupted as runic engravings appeared all over my body.
Then I heard it, the cursing of the fallen ones, ancient and old, a visage of history as insanity crept into my being.
Tendrils sprouted on my back as the darkness, no, the corrupted primal energy, enveloped my tendrils, transforming them into something more terrifying.
My tendrils fused with each other, a limb appeared on my back, then it turned into a claw as I let my mutations run amok.
Cereum covered my claws, then it darkened from the corruption as an exoskeleton formed on the pair of claws at my back.
"This should do."
I muttered.
Then I took a stance as Lumicor gazed at me coldly.
The waves crashed into the mountain as the battle began.
Lumicor shouted.
"Heavenly Punishment!"
As I shouted.
"Primeval Emperor – Third Form: Corrupted Claws!"
A streak of bright light and darkness flashed.
The space shook as the air trembled.
Then a black line scarred the sky as Lumicor coughed.
Boom!
A mountain peak was obliterated from existence as Heavenly Punishment flashed through it.
Then...
Boom!
The ocean shook as the water rose hundreds of meters, and a tsunami formed from the very explosion of Heavenly Punishment.
Then blood rained from the sky as the water and mountains were tainted red.
Pain struck Lumicor's body as his eyes rolled back.
His body fell rapidly below, and with a loud boom, the water splashed.
Lumicor was nearly cut in half by that single attack as his armaments soon deactivated.
His vision darkened as comfort washed over him, but he couldn't help but smile.
"Truly a worthy battle, young Emperor..."
My gaze drifted to my chest as I saw a gaping hole, and I couldn't feel my heart.
My consciousness slowly faded as darkness consumed me.
My body began to fall as all I could see was the radiance of the sun before my vision slowly grew weary.
Then pain splashed on my back as I crashed into the ocean thousands of meters below.
Blood gushed from my body as my body was slowly dying.
The water was dyed red as the fight between two beings nearly obliterated the entire floor.
Samantha's body shot through the currents and above as she embraced her beloved in her arms.
As she shouted, tears flooding her eyes.
"Hey, don't die for me, Alister!"
But it was too late as my vision darkened.
Lumicor opened his eyes from the sound of cries as he chuckled.
"So I lost, huh?"
Then motes of light covered his wounds, regenerating rapidly.
He glanced at the woman before him, embracing his enemy.
Lumicor sighed as a Halo appeared before him, then spun rapidly as motes of light gathered and descended onto the wounds of his opponent.
Samantha was shaken as she asked.
"Why did you do that? You... you could kill both of us, so why?"
Lumicor gazed on the horizon and wondered why?
Why did he heal the wounds of his opponent when he could kill the weakened him right now?
Maybe because he was kind?
But it was impossible.
Lumicor smiled as he answered.
"It's because of our deal... and I couldn't have my Emperor die before me, right... mistress?"
Samantha flushed as she covered her face.
"Don't say that! We're not even married yet."
But I smiled as I grabbed her chin, pulling her toward me.
"But you're my woman in my heart, dear."
Samantha smacked my head, angrily shouting.
"I am not your woman!"
Lumicor chuckled as he shook his head.
"Quite a feisty one you've got there, Alister."
I sighed as I let out a chuckle.
"Hahaha. Right, right! Quite a feisty beauty I've got!"
Lumicor nodded as he stayed silent while Samantha, as red as a tomato, smacked my head in protest.
"Dear, won't I become dumber if you keep smashing my head all the time?"
I asked.
Samantha pondered for a bit, but then smacked my head as she beamed.
"But you're not smart after all, so maybe smacking you will make you smarter, not dumber."
I sighed as I couldn't help but chuckle.
Truly a peaceful time.
What was that energy earlier, that very corrupted energy that even with my mental fortitude, it could still affect me?
Maybe that's the answer to all my questions.
I sighed, then shook my head as I gazed at Samantha's face, my head rested on her lap.
Samantha continued to ramble about my awakening, but I only smiled and listened to her explanation.
"Dear, how many children do you want?"
Samantha blushed for a while, then giggled.
"Maybe three children will do."
Then Samantha continued her rambling as I nodded at her.
Truly, today was just too exciting.