BOOOOM!
A large part of the forest was obliterated, and most of the nearby beasts were killed before they even knew what hit them.
Shit, a level 70 is truly powerful! I was thrown back a full ten steps, while the Winged Lion didn't even budge.
Does it think it's invincible? Hmph! We'll see about that!
The Forest King charged at me again, and a series of violent clashes began between us.
I dodged and retreated each time, deliberately luring the Winged Lion toward its own followers.
Why was I running? No, my retreat wasn't cowardice; it was strategy. I wanted the shockwaves of our battle to destroy as many of its minions as possible.
As for Balberius, he couldn't handle all these beasts alone, even with the pressure of his bloodline.
The fight continued until the Winged Lion noticed my plan. It stopped its attack and glared at me with fury. I gave it a sarcastic smile.
Alright, we've had enough fun…
"Thunder Pulse!"
"Endless Slaughter!"
Sparks began to radiate from my body, as if I were a living generator. I released Aether to enhance my physical strength, increasing the flow of energy within me until I felt invincible!
But I know… I'm still weak.
The lion had no idea what was happening. To it, I had suddenly vanished from its sight… because my use of Aether had propelled me to a whole other level.
At my current level, I could fight those a few sub-tiers above me!
All thanks to the complete integration of my powers and spells. But certainly not a whole major rank higher.
Who cares?
I will win!
That's why I didn't just use Aether to enhance my body; I also used 10 full units of my Royal Blood Essence.
A dark purple aura appeared around me, and the thunder itself matched the color of my aura.
Everything was a deep, dark purple, and with the Axe of Death in my hand, I looked like one of the ancient barbarians…
With the power of Aether and my Royal Blood Essence combined, even I didn't know the limits of my strength.
I had never fought someone who forced me to use this much since I first infiltrated Planet Aurora.
…
Panic began to creep into the hearts of the beasts. Their terrified screams echoed through the dense trees, a desperate symphony heralding their end.
And so the hunt began... Nothing could be seen but flashes of intertwining lightning and its bolts illuminating the cloudy sky, mixed with the foul stench of blood that seeped into the soil, staining the earth its crimson color.
It was a scene of utmost carnage, where the limbs of beasts were scattered everywhere, and the ground had turned into a silent slaughterhouse.
As for Balberius, he was lost in the ecstasy of battle, carving his way through the beasts as if he were a monster himself.
His fighting style was brutal, barbaric, and yet… there was a terrifying harmony in his movements.
He had completely abandoned his sword and began to tear the beasts apart with his bare hands, as if he had been waiting for the chance to rip them to shreds with his black claws.
His bloodthirsty smile would send a shiver down the spine of anyone watching.
"Hmm… it seems the challenge is still on," I muttered to myself before a smile crept onto my lips.
[You have killed 273 beasts so far. ]
[Combat Efficiency: 92%]
"Not bad… but I can do more."
An idea had been brewing in my mind for a while. It was time to test it.
I raised my hands to the sky, feeling the electric sparks dance on my skin. Nature responded to my call, as if I were a part of it.
"Thunder Pulse!"
A deafening electrical explosion roared, illuminating the entire forest for a split second before the charred bodies of beasts piled up on the ground.
But I wasn't done yet.
"Bloodflame Dragon!"
Crimson flames erupted, taking the form of a massive dragon, crawling across the battlefield and devouring everything in its path.
[Congratulations! You have successfully completed the mission!]
[Warning! Royal Essence is dropping rapidly.]
[It is recommended to conserve consumption.]
"I know, but this is necessary."
In the future, I will develop wide-range skills. Since I'll be able to control all seven main vampire paths, I can't stay bound to a single style.
Well, that was for the future… but what about now? I finally have enough system points to buy something important…
[Are you sure you want to upgrade the "Bloodflame Dragon" spell to one star rank?]
[You have not met the requirements for spell development!]
[Current Spell Level: (6/10)]
"Confirm!"
[Spell rank has been successfully upgraded!]
[Spell: Bloodflame Dragon]
[Type: Active (Growth-Type)]
[Rank: ★]
[Level: 1 ]
[Current Mastery: 0%]
[Cost: 10 Units of Royal Blood Essence]
[Description: Consumes a portion of Endurance and Vitality stats to unleash a flame dragon made from the blood of the Royal Amora bloodline, incinerating everything in its path. Its power and effect increase as it levels up and can gain additional properties with growth]
[Usage Conditions: Vampire race, possession of a pure royal bloodline or the approval of a royal bloodline.]
The cost suddenly jumped from 0.1 to 10 units of Royal Blood Essence!
[Store Wallet: 0 Gold]
[Congratulations!]
[Sub-spell Acquired: "Sun of Destruction" as a reward for upgrading a spell for the first time!]
"Excellent!"
As soon as I merged with the flame, I felt an indescribable heat… Even Balberius realized something was wrong and immediately backed away from me.
Suddenly, five bloodflame dragons appeared and merged into a dark purple sun above my hand.
The very air around me began to burn. The ball of fire was about two meters in diameter, compressing everything around it… this energy was destructive even without using a skill!
"Time to end this."
I launched the Sun of Destruction towards the forest, but what I didn't expect was its immense destructive power…
3 kilometers of the forest were completely leveled!
The explosion left behind a massive, dark crater, as if a meteor had struck the earth. Fires blazed everywhere, and smoke billowed high… as if a natural disaster had struck the area.
I felt an indescribable joy… It seems the level of this forest… was weaker than I expected.
It continued until the entire forest was annihilated, and the place turned into a lifeless, empty field.
Nothing remained but the ashes of battle, and I stood in the middle of it, staring at the destruction I had wrought.
'Ah, how beautiful it is to possess power!'
….
[Store Wallet: 0 Gold]
"This feels awful..."
I sighed deeply as I looked at the system screen in front of me.
[Ding!]
[The "Bloodflame Dragon" spell has been leveled up.]
[Rank: ★]
["Bloodflame Dragon": Level 1 >> Level 4]
[Current Mastery: 25.9%]
Great, at least the spell leveled up decently… but looking at the destruction I caused, maybe it was a bit of an overkill?
I looked around. It wasn't just a hole in the ground—no, it was a gigantic abyss that looked like a black hole had swallowed the entire forest. The trees? Turned to ash.
The ground?
Looked like it had been hit by a celestial attack.
The level 70 creature we were supposed to be running from?
Vaporized.
As for Balberius…
"Y-You..."
I turned towards him slowly, only to find him completely stiff, his body trembling as if he had seen a ghost—or rather, a sentient natural disaster.
"You're… not human, are you? No, no, you must be one of the ancient demons, right?"
I stared at him blankly. "You know? I was expecting a little admiration, not hysteria."
"Admiration?! Admiration for what?! You destroyed a quarter of the forest with a single spell! What if I had been standing in the wrong direction?!"
"Then… you would have died."
"Ohhhhh! Thank you! Thanks for that profound explanation, Mr. I-Don't-Care-About-Allies!"
I casually brushed the ash off my sleeve. "At least you didn't die. Be grateful."
Balberius raised his hands to the sky as if in prayer. "Oh god, please, just make me invisible to this monster!"
I ignored him completely. "I need to get out of here first… Balberius, do you have any idea which way to go?"
He looked at me for a moment, then at the vast emptiness where the forest used to be, then back at me.
"Are you kidding me?! I could have used the trees as guideposts, but you—"
I waved my hand, cutting him off. "No excuses. Just guide me out."
He sighed deeply, then muttered in a voice I could barely hear, "I wish I'd been blind just five minutes ago..."
I chuckled internally. "Come on, we have a long way to go… or rather, you have a long way to rediscover, you masterful guide."
"You don't seem to understand what we just did… or rather, what you did. I barely even helped."
I frowned slightly. "What the hell do you mean?… Was this forest special or something?"
If what he's saying is true, this could cause a problem… But, who cares?