The shattered remains of the barrier still crackled with dark energy, dissipating into the air like dying embers.
The entire Northern Continent had been cloaked in its protective shell moments ago, but now it was gone—obliterated by Rey's Ultimate Ray. And yet, as he stepped into the heart of the enemy's domain, he barely spared the destruction a thought.
The tower loomed before him, a colossal construct of black metal and twisting obsidian, stretching toward the heavens like a spear meant to pierce the sky itself. From the outside, it was an ominous monument of darkness, but Rey knew the true defenses lay within.
He strode forward.
The moment his foot crossed the entrance, the air vibrated. Walls shifted, runes ignited, and a cascade of alarms blared through the tower.
[Security protocols activated].
Chains of red energy lashed out from the walls, seeking to bind him. Gigantic mechanical constructs emerged from the floors and ceilings, each wielding massive cleavers infused with nullification energy—designed to sever any form of power they came into contact with.
Hundreds of sentinels appeared from the shadows, their bodies forged from an unknown metal that shimmered with an otherworldly glow. Their eyes locked onto Rey, their weapons gleaming as they lunged toward him in unison.
A normal being—no, even an army of elite warriors—would have struggled against these defenses.
Rey did not.
His body blurred.
A single step, and the very air cracked.
The chains disintegrated before they could reach him. The towering constructs crumbled, their cores obliterated before their weapons could even be swung. The sentinels—formidable in every aspect—didn't even realize they were dead until their bodies split apart, severed by an invisible force.
He didn't need to fight. He didn't need to strategize.
He overpowered everything.
His sheer presence broke the defenses meant to hold an entire invasion force at bay.
And then, he was at the top.
The grand hall was vast, stretching endlessly in all directions. Black marble lined the floors, reflecting the eerie violet glow that emanated from the walls. Floating sigils carved into the very fabric of reality hummed with energy, and at the center of it all—standing behind an impenetrable wall of darkness—was Adrien.
Rey's eyes locked onto him.
Adrien appeared slightly different from what he remembered. His black hair had become long, framing his sharp features, his eyes pools of pure darkness with a faint glimmer of violet shifting within them. Shadows coiled around his body, rising and falling like living creatures, giving him an almost spectral appearance.
But there was something different about him.
Something… wrong.
Rey took a step forward. The dark barrier stood between them, thick and unyielding, its presence more suffocating than the one that had covered the entire continent.
This was stronger.
Adrien smiled. "Took you long enough."
Rey didn't return the sentiment. His golden gaze bore into Adrien's, his voice steady.
"It's time now, Adrien. Whatever you have planned, I'm ending it now."
Adrien let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "Do you really think you understand anything? Even now, after all this time?"
"You betrayed H'Trae, you betrayed me…" Rey's tone was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade. "You let this world fall into chaos just to achieve whatever twisted plan you've concocted."
There were a lot of things in Rey's mind, and a lot more to express, but there was no point in saying them at this moment. All he knew for sure was the resolve etched in his heart, and the determination to save this world which he loved so much.
"I'll never forgive you."
Adrien's expression remained unreadable. "And what would you have done, Rey? Stood by and watched? Played the hero? Clung to your morality while the real players moved their pieces?"
'How much does he know about the ones above?' Rey reasoned to himself, his fists clenched.
No, this was no time for speculation.
Just action!
"I wouldn't have sacrificed so many lives."
Adrien exhaled slowly, his eyes narrowing. "You think too small. You always have."
Rey didn't respond. He simply moved.
He struck the barrier with his full might. The entire hall shook, the walls quaking as cracks spread across the dark energy. The sheer impact sent a wave of force surging through the tower, causing distant structures to groan under the pressure.
For a moment, the barrier held.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!
It shattered!
The explosion of dark energy illuminated the entire tower, sending shockwaves rippling outward. Rey lunged through the fading remnants of the barrier, his hand closing around Adrien's throat before the man could even react.
He lifted him effortlessly, golden eyes glowing with sheer power. "Where is your real body?"
Adrien merely smirked, despite the crushing force around his throat.
"Who knows?"
Rey's grip tightened, but before he could press further, Adrien's smirk widened. "You came all this way thinking it was just me?"
Rey's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"
Adrien's fingers snapped.
And then—
A presence.
Rey felt it before he saw it.
A titanic pressure descended upon the hall, warping the air with its sheer weight. A sensation that Rey had only encountered once before in his life.
'Dragon Emperor?!'
He turned.
At the furthest end of the hall, a figure emerged.
His breath hitched.
White hair cascaded down in endless waves, reaching the ground like strands of silk. Nine horns curved from her head, dark cracks splitting her otherwise flawless skin. A floating crown hovered above her head, shifting with an eerie glow.
Her eyes.
Deep black, marked with fractures of red light, like something that had been shattered and hastily pieced back together. The dark markings on her body pulsed, and behind her, multiple wings unfurled—an unnatural mix of holy radiance and abyssal corruption.
A tail lashed behind her, shifting between solid form and shadow.
Rey's entire body froze.
This wasn't the Dragon Emperor… at least, not the one he knew.
"…Lucielle."
She stepped forward, her gaze empty, yet piercing.
Adrien chuckled from within Rey's grasp. "She's my trump card."
Rey slowly released Adrien, his focus entirely on the woman before him. His mind raced, piecing together what he was seeing.
Lucielle was powerful—impressively so. But this… this was something else.
This wasn't just her.
Something had been done to her.
Adrien dusted himself off, stepping back casually. "You thought you were prepared, Rey. But you don't even understand what's really at play here."
Rey took a step forward, every fiber of his being screaming that something was horribly wrong.
His golden eyes flashed with appraisal, and that was when he saw it.
Her Status Window.
[STATUS WINDOW]
- Name: Luci'elle
- Race: Dragon Royal (Transcendent)
- Class: Dragon Emperor (SS-Tier)
- Level: 999 (Max)
- Life Force: 999,999
- Mana Level: 999,9999
- Combat Ability: 999,999
- Stat Points: 0
- Skills (Exclusive): [Reset]
- Skills (Non-Exclusive): [World Destruction]. [All Magic]. [Perfect Domain]. [Complete Dominion]. [Evil Personified].
- Alignment: Chaotic Evil
[Additional Information]
The destroyer of the world, and herald of the will of chaos. She is the ultimate enemy of H'Trae, and the absolute deity of the Dragons.
This vile entity and you shall bring about the end of this world.
[End Of Information]
"I see…" His voice was steady, but his chest tightened. "So the [Reset] Skill was with you all along?"
She didn't answer.
Instead, her wings spread wide, the black fractures in her eyes gleaming.
Adrien grinned. "Well then, shall we begin?"
The temperature dropped.
The hall darkened.
And Lucielle moved.
*
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[A/N]
I have a new novel, everyone!
It's called Arcane Era, and it's on Webnovel at the moment. I hope you'll check it out now, or at least when you're done with this novel. It's definitely better than An Extra's POV, and I don't say that lightly.
Thanks for reading.