Chapter 140

The blistering inferno that had been roiling with unstoppable fury finally began to taper off.

• ……?!

The instant the explosive wave of mana was forcibly reined in, a wave of pure astonishment washed over the visage of the Ancient Burst Dragon.

The sheer thermal intensity was dropping.

Yet, it wasn’t simply fading away; rather, it was being systematically drained by the bizarre Firebird standing right beside her.

• ……What in the world is that creature!

An expression of utter disbelief took hold of the Ancient Burst Dragon.

It was already an anomaly for a Body of Flames (火炎之體) to emerge—a phenomenon incredibly scarce even back on the ancient continent—but now there was another entity present whose dominion over fire rivaled his very own?

How could such a reality even exist?

Furthermore, that was far from the end of it.

Whish, whish!

Deep within the spiritual realm, the Storm Dragon Sorcerer was simultaneously bearing down upon him with an oppressive, crushing weight.

She was executing his very own signature technique against him: the Storm Dragon Arts.

Storm Dragon Arts.

Secret technique.

Annihilation (滅).

Of all the possible moves.

It represented the pinnacle of the Storm Dragon Arts—Annihilation.

The devastating, ultimate breath attack that he had once unleashed to completely obliterate a whole continent!

That zenith of catastrophic power was currently taking form right in Stormy’s grasp.

• HRAAAAAAAGH!

The Ancient Burst Dragon felt his mind go completely blank with shock.

This was sheer madness!

How on earth had she managed to acquire THAT?!

The scarlet dragon formed from her essence achieved a flawless manifestation, and from its wide-open jaw, a beam of destruction burst forth with apocalyptic strength.

KA-BOOOOOOOOM!

A shaft of hyper-condensed energy—resembling the compression of thousands, even tens of thousands of Dragon Bursts into a singular point—gouged straight through the battlefield.

With that caliber of technique deployed against him, he was entirely out of options.

The circumstances had turned catastrophically against him.

• Surrender now, Ancient Burst Dragon.

Stormy’s tone remained perfectly composed and steady.

• I have no intention of repeating the blunders of my past.

The days gone by.

In the wake of destroying the continent with her own hands, she had been plagued by an agonizing, suffocating remorse.

Her hatred for humanity was real, deep, and visceral. Yet, it had never truly been intense enough to warrant incinerating every last soul alive.

When she allowed herself to truly reflect on it.

Hadn’t the horrific ordeal she suffered ultimately been instigated by the Ancient Burst Dragon all along?

Furthermore, the individuals who had actually mistreated her belonged solely to that specific village. They did not represent the entirety of the human race.

Undoubtedly, among mankind, there had to be people capable of understanding her. People who would have embraced her.

Someone just like Master Jinwoo.

• How…… Exactly when did you master that?

The Ancient Burst Dragon was completely dumbfounded.

The third phase of the Storm Dragon Arts—Blaze (炎)—he could theoretically come to terms with that much.

That was a power naturally transferred during the period he had spent acting as a parasite within her body. It was the fundamental method required to regulate Dragon Burst.

But Annihilation (滅)?

That was the ultimate, supreme art that absolutely no one else in existence but he could command.

• A dragon’s breath is a divine manifestation granted EXCLUSIVELY to the dragon race! How can a mere human like YOU possibly execute it?!

A human channeling a genuine breath attack?

Such a thing should be utterly impossible, even if the cosmos themselves collapsed.

• What an incredibly foolish thing to say.

Stormy let out a derisive scoff.

• You are me, and I am you.

From the exact moment the Ancient Burst Dragon had seared his mark onto her heart and commenced his parasitic existence, Stormy’s identity had already shifted into something completely indistinguishable from the dragon race.

• To be absolutely precise, you are nothing more than the physical manifestation of my own darkest, negative emotions.

• UTTER RUBBISH! How dare a pathetic vessel possess the audacity to claim kinship with the magnificent dragon race!

The Ancient Burst Dragon let out a furious, deafening roar.

Stormy chose not to dignify his outburst with any sort of retort.

• Ancient Burst Dragon, your words mean nothing to me. None of that has any relevance now.

She had already proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the technique was hers to command.

Trading arguments over it wouldn’t alter reality.

To borrow an expression from Ramba—go ahead and weep about it.

• And you know what else?

Fwoosh!

Stormy cut her dragon-head staff cleanly through the air, callously summoning a fresh wave of blazing embers.

• Do you have any idea what fate awaits a parasite that utterly fails to overtake its chosen host?

In that precise instant.

Stormy’s gaze flashed with an icy light.

The murderous intent radiating from her eyes was so intensely primal that even a member of the proud dragon race like the Ancient Burst Dragon couldn’t help but recoil slightly.

• GRRGH! Let me make this clear—I will not perish without dragging you down with me!

• Go ahead and try. But the reality that you are merely a defeated parasite remains entirely unchanged.

Once a parasite dies, it is nothing more than a useless clump of protein.

Stormy made the proclamation without a single inkling of doubt.

• Moving forward, your residual power belongs to me. I will fully break it down and assimilate every single ounce of your capabilities. So by all means—struggle and hold out for as long as you can endure.

KA-BOOOM!

The Ancient Burst Dragon and the Storm Dragon Sorcerer violently smashed into one another once again.

This time, however, the final result was painfully obvious.

Hong Ari’s Vermilion Bird.

The legendary Body of Flames.

Drill Sarge.

Baek Jinwoo.

Along with every single guild member observing the spectacle.

Each and every one of them was throwing their spiritual support behind her.

Some were even actively draining away the Ancient Burst Dragon’s offensive thermal energy to lend her aid.

• What a miserable, pathetic entity.

Stormy offered a cold smile.

• SILENCE!

• Do you truly believe anyone would stand by your side when your entire existence is fueled by nothing but malice and bitterness?

• YOU MISERABLE WRETCH—! I WILL UTTERLY DESTROY YOU!

The two entities crashed together with savage desperation, exchanging blows within the mental landscape as well as the physical world.

KA-BOOOOOM!

The windows shattered into countless shards and the elegant marble flooring disintegrated into dust.

In all honesty, it was quite a pity.

Had he anticipated this level of collateral damage, he certainly would have arranged for her seal to be broken out in the open wilderness, or perhaps on a completely uninhabited island.

Yu Jia would most likely refrain from berating them directly, but upon witnessing this absolute disaster, wouldn’t she do nothing but let out endless, heavy sighs?

“Ngh!”

Hong Ari locked in her focus, straining to force the residual inferno to finally dissipate.

“……!”

Hwang Jiwoo kept her eyelids tightly shut, keeping her palm firmly planted on Stormy’s shoulder as she lent her strength to the conflict.

The visible trembling of her hand served as a clear testament to the immense willpower she was forcing herself to muster.

• GRRGH!

The Ancient Burst Dragon ground his teeth together in absolute frustration.

He was completely out of options at this point.

Faced with such overwhelming numbers, what else could he possibly do?

His grand objective of enticing the Storm Dragon Sorcerer over to his cause?

That notion had been completely obliterated from his thoughts long ago.

KA-KRAAAASH!

The Storm Dragon Sorcerer unleashed her devastating breath attack once more.

It was a technique that had once served as his most reliable weapon, but finding himself on the receiving end of it? It was nothing short of pure torment.

• GYAAAAARGH!

The Ancient Burst Dragon thrashed around in agony.

Baring his gargantuan physiology, he attempted to mount a desperate counteroffensive, but his movements were systematically neutralized at every single turn.

His massive tail sliced through the sea of fire, and the localized space fractured violently, sending debris flying in all directions, yet……

Dragon Burst intercepted every bit of it, turning it all to ash.

And then.

SHUNK!

The pointed tip of the dragon-head staff clutched in the Storm Dragon Sorcerer’s outstretched hand drove directly through the heart of the crimson dragon.

• This is the end. Relinquish your struggle and fade away.

The physical clash itself was no longer the determining factor.

The true deciding element was Stormy’s resolve—uncompromising, absolute, and completely unshakable.

That single factor guaranteed that the Ancient Burst Dragon stood zero chance of ever overcoming the Storm Dragon Sorcerer, regardless of how maniacally he fought back.

Because when all was said and done, the Ancient Burst Dragon was merely a parasitic entity trying to claim a dragon’s title.

• GKHHK!

The Ancient Burst Dragon could feel the creeping sensation of absolute erasure radiating outward from his impaled heart.

As the realization washed over him that his legendary, monumental power was slipping away entirely beyond his control, a cynical, self-deprecating laugh bubbled up from his throat.

• Heh, heh heh……!

So this was the ultimate conclusion.

This grim fate had been laid out for him from the very beginning.

The agonizing roars of the Burst Dragon were no longer fueled by indignation or defiance—they were shifting entirely into a quiet, defeated acceptance.

All that immense arrogance, all the legendary prestige associated with the supreme dragon race, counted for absolutely nothing in this final hour.

The physical manifestation of the Ancient Burst Dragon grew increasingly translucent amidst the dying embers.

• I am loath to admit it, but reality leaves me no alternative.

Regardless of his draconic lineage, he remained a mortal being in the grand scheme of things.

In the face of final demise, all creatures are rendered utterly helpless.

• No matter how staggering the might one possesses, a foundation built solely on isolation and malice can only sustain you so far, is that the lesson? Very well. You waged a magnificent battle, Storm Dragon Sorcerer. You have ascended to a level of power beyond anyone else. Heh.

The remaining traces of malice completely drained from his voice.

Her words had been entirely accurate.

You are me, and I am you.

What meaning did triumph or failure even hold at this stage?

• However, bear this warning in mind. The very second your soul is consumed by negative emotions once more, I shall manifest again. I will break through your miserable vessel, and this entire continent…… Most notably, those wretched fools surrounding you who brought me such torment—I will reduce every last one of them to cinders. Do you comprehend……?

Hssssss……!

The final, spine-chilling utterance of the Ancient Burst Dragon dissolved and dispersed into nothingness.

“……”

In that very moment.

An absolute hush washed over the room once more.

The lingering flames gradually receded into nothing, and the suffocating heat in the air began to rapidly drop.

The crisis had been successfully averted.

Predictably, the immediate surroundings were in a state of absolute ruin.

• ……Hah, Master Jinwoo.

Stormy let out a faint, weary breath, and from the center of the obliterated training grounds, she shifted her eyes toward Baek Jinwoo—

[Ding!]

[The ‘Storm Dragon Sorcerer’ (EX-rank) successfully assimilates the power of the ‘Ancient Burst Dragon’ (S-rank)!]

[An extraordinary, miraculous feat has been achieved!]

[The ‘Storm Dragon Sorcerer’ (EX-rank)’s INT has risen by 500!]

[The destructive capability of the ‘Storm Dragon Sorcerer’ (EX-rank) has intensified!]

[The hidden, dormant potential of the ‘Storm Dragon Sorcerer’ (EX-rank) has been fully unlocked!]

[The signature capability ‘True (眞) Devour’ has been manifested!]

Thud!

Her consciousness slipped away completely, and she dropped to the ground.

Devour.

• Devour: Every time a boss-tier adversary is vanquished utilizing Dragon Burst, the base damage of Dragon Burst receives a permanent augmentation.

That had been the parameters of the original ability.

It was an inherently unfair trait that directly augmented Dragon Burst—the cornerstone of the entire Storm Dragon Arts methodology.

However.

The upgraded ability that Stormy had just unlocked was not the standard iteration of Devour.

It was ‘True (眞) Devour.’

• True (眞) Devour: Every time any adversary is vanquished utilizing Dragon Burst, the base damage of Dragon Burst receives a permanent augmentation.

Are you kidding me?

Baek Jinwoo stood completely frozen in sheer shock.

The wording of the two traits seemed nearly identical on the surface.

Yet, that one crucial qualifier—”boss-tier”—had been entirely removed.

The baseline Devour was already completely broken, and stripping away that single limitation elevated it to a thoroughly preposterous level of power.

This implied she could accumulate permanent power stacks simply by wiping out ordinary, low-level monsters along her path?

To put it another way, if she stepped into a barrage of low-tier dungeons teeming with weak goblins and completely vaporized them en masse?

Every single insignificant monster would grant her an individual stack.

Each solitary goblin would provide the exact same developmental value as an actual dungeon boss or a guardian from the Tower of Trials.

The sheer amount of time saved compared to the previous version of Devour was absolutely staggering!

On top of that immense benefit.

Her raw intelligence statistic had also jumped by a flat 500 points.

This development pointed to one undeniable conclusion.

The Storm Dragon Sorcerer was no longer bound to the meager D-rank status she had possessed at the start.

Even without calculating the bonus stacks from Devour, her fundamental essence was now fully capable of unleashing S-rank levels of sheer devastation.

And if one factored the scaling of Devour into that equation?

Wouldn’t even an SSS-rank classification fail to accurately measure her?

She was completely off the charts.

She had truly transitioned into a powerhouse fully deserving of the prestigious EX-rank designation.

“You performed spectacularly. Truly, you did amazing.”

Baek Jinwoo extended his hand and softly brushed the crimson locks of the unconscious Stormy.

“I am incredibly proud of your achievement.”

He had received the full context from Hwang Jiwoo.

Exactly what sort of psychological warfare she had been enduring within her own psyche.

The deep-seated mental scars she had been forced to carry all this time.

Because of that insight, he finally understood completely.

The reason why Stormy had persistently prioritized remaining by his side above everything else from the very moment they met.

The reason she had intentionally chosen not to master the Storm Dragon Arts earlier, solely to ensure she wouldn’t be parted from him.

She had been profoundly isolated and lonely.

That era of isolation was officially over.

In the exact same manner that Drill Sarge had discovered a renewed sense of purpose by dedicating himself to their instruction.

Stormy, too, would spend her days alongside them, ensuring she would never have to experience that crushing loneliness again.

Lately, his focus had been largely directed toward Drill Sarge.

Now, the moment had arrived to turn his full attention toward fostering Stormy’s growth.

The accumulation of stacks.

The acquisition of the graduation rune.

Wasn’t there an enormous stretch of time waiting for them to experience together in the days ahead?

Perhaps she could subconsciously register the genuine sincerity of Baek Jinwoo’s emotions, or perhaps she was merely experiencing a peaceful dream.

A subtle, gentle smile manifested on the lips of the resting Stormy.

At that exact juncture.

Clang! Clang!

Down at the base of Geomdan Mountain, the Rune Dwarf—who had been ceaselessly striking away at his anvil, forging intricate symbols—abruptly raised his head, his eyes shining with intense fervor.

• Oh, ohh!

Hmmmm!

A brilliant, mystical radiance rippled across his entire physical form, enveloping his blacksmith hammer as well.

• Finally! The moment has arrived at last!

His Masterwork Crafting proficiency had successfully ascended to level 3.

Within an astonishingly brief window of time, he had managed to reclaim the exact tier of expertise he had possessed prior to being separated from his previous lord during the catastrophic event of the Quarantine.

When looked at objectively, it made perfect sense.

Given the endless influx of premium crafting materials and production requests being directed his way, he had been swinging his forging tool day and night without a single moment of rest.

The concept of sleep?

A spiritual summon harbored absolutely no requirement for such trivial biological functions.

The forging of runes.

For a dedicated Rune Dwarf, that singular pursuit constituted his entire reason for being and his ultimate source of happiness.

• Master! Masteeeeer!

The completely ecstatic Rune Dwarf tightly gripped his hammer and bolted at full speed toward the location of the training grounds.

Now that his Masterwork Crafting had attained level 3, the unique graduation rune tailored specifically for Stormy could finally be brought into existence.

Being fully aware of how anxiously his master had been anticipating this specific milestone, the Rune Dwarf’s sheer exhilaration was practically overflowing.