NOVEL WEB Chapter 253: Lucan's Fight
The battlefield fell eerily quiet in the aftermath of the cataclysmic battle.
The ground remained fractured, stars peeking through veils of thinning smoke, and scorched trees stood as silent sentinels to the violent struggle that had unfolded moments before.
The only sound now was Fiora's quiet sobbing, echoing softly in the empty clearing.
Fiora knelt on the shattered earth, cradling Orion's transformed body tenderly in her lap. Her trembling fingers brushed over his scaled skin, tracing the crimson and violet hues that marked his evolution.
Tears streamed freely down her cheeks, splattering silently upon his face and chest. Her heart ached painfully, consumed by worry and grief despite Orion's reassuring words moments earlier.
"Master…" Fiora whispered again, her voice cracking as she gently brushed the sweat-dampened hair away from his peacefully sleeping face. "Please be okay…"
[Ding!]
[Post-Evolution Stabilization Complete.]
[Host's condition critical. Immediate deep hibernation commenced.]
[Estimated recovery duration: Unknown. Current evolution severely destabilized.]
[Final Form: True Draconian Emperor—Partially Achieved.]
[Affinity Runes: Unstable. Soul Cultivation Level: Life Fire successfully ignited.]
[Warning: Excessive strain detected. Further cultivation locked until full recovery.]
The system's notifications resonated clearly through Orion's Sea of Consciousness, though he himself could no longer perceive them, having already descended into deep, restorative slumber.
Yet, Fiora saw the faint twitching of his eyes beneath closed lids, sensing vaguely that something was happening within him.
Footsteps echoed hesitantly from the carriage nearby, growing louder as Magi and Rina approached cautiously. Magi's usual carefree demeanor had vanished completely, replaced now by an expression of awe and profound disbelief.
His wide eyes swept over the battlefield—shattered earth, scorched corpses encased in ice, and the utterly annihilated spot where the Tier 7 enemy had stood only moments before.
His gaze finally rested upon Orion's draconian form, disbelief deepening as he took in the majestic horns spiraling from Orion's head, the intricate scales glistening ominously, and the lingering aura of overwhelming power still humming faintly around his unconscious body.
Magi's voice shook with quiet astonishment as he whispered under his breath. "He… He really killed him."
He swallowed hard, his heart racing uncontrollably. He'd heard legends and whispers of powerful draconians, formidable yet enslaved beings, but nothing like Orion—nothing so fiercely majestic, nothing capable of defeating a cultivator four tiers higher than himself.
Magi's admiration mingled with deep fear, awe, and respect for the slumbering young master who defied all logic and expectation.
Beside him, Rina surged forward without any hesitation, her blue eyes wide and filled with tears. Ignoring the astonishing changes in Orion's appearance, she fell to her knees at his side, gripping Fiora's shoulder desperately.
"Fiora!" Rina cried, voice breaking with panic and grief. "How is he? Is he alright? Is he hurt badly? Please—tell me!"
Fiora's trembling fingers tightened slightly on Orion's shoulders, her eyes still fixed tearfully upon his peacefully sleeping face. "I… I don't know, Rina," she whispered hoarsely, her voice filled with helplessness. "He used so much power… I've never seen anything like it. I just… don't know how he is."
Without waiting, Rina urgently placed her trembling palm upon Orion's chest, feeling desperately for the reassurance of his heartbeat.
For a terrifying second, everything seemed silent. Then, finally, beneath her trembling fingertips, she felt it—a deep, steady rhythm, strong yet slow, pulsating reassuringly beneath his scaled skin.
Relief rushed through her, washing away some of the panic and fear gripping her heart. Her shoulders slumped as she exhaled deeply, eyes fluttering closed briefly in silent gratitude.
"He's still breathing… his heart is strong," Rina murmured softly, tears still falling, though her voice now steadied slightly. "He's alive… thank the heavens."
Rina's gaze lifted to Fiora, gratitude and shared grief passing silently between the two women as they sobbed over Orion's unconscious body.
Neither spoke further at first, their quiet sobs mingling in shared sorrow and relief.
Magi stepped forward hesitantly, still shaken by Orion's display of raw power, his eyes wide with wonder and lingering disbelief. His bunny companion nestled tightly against his neck, sensing the solemnity of the moment and remaining quiet.
"He seems to have gone into evolution… is that normal?" he softly asked, more to himself than the two of them. "I heard that Draconians evolve with time, and they don't need to undergo evolution due to their lesser need for resources for evolution."
Fiora softly shook her head. "I-I don't know what's going on with M-Master," she hesitatingly said in her draconian form.
The three of them fell silent as they gazed at Orion's unconscious body.
***
The forest was a battlefield scarred by destruction and drenched in blood. Trees lay splintered, their trunks shattered and branches broken, evidence of a brutal struggle that had raged in this secluded corner of darkness.
Underneath the pale, fractured moonlight, Lucan stood amidst the carnage, surrounded by the bloodied corpses of other kidnappers who had hidden themselves, as he had already killed nearly a dozen kidnappers.
His breathing was heavy, uneven, and sweat dripped steadily from his brow, mixing with the blood smeared across his face and torn coat.
Opposite Lucan, four kidnappers remained standing, their expressions tense and wary. Two Tier 9 cultivators lingered to either side, their stances defensive and their gazes filled with apprehension.
In front, a nimble wind-element cultivator crouched low, constantly shifting his weight, prepared to strike again at the smallest opening.
Behind him loomed an earth-element brute, massive and imposing, whose enormous fists were encased in hardened stone.
His slow movements belied devastating power, and Lucan still bore fresh bruises from earlier blows, aching reminders of the brute's formidable strength.
Despite the throbbing pain that radiated through his battered body, Lucan's expression remained unchanged—icy and calm. His eyes never left the enemy line as he adjusted his stance once more, blade raised steadily, glinting ominously beneath the moon's dim glow.
The silence stretched thinly, nerves frayed to breaking, until one of the wind-element cultivators shouted, his voice wavering with false bravado. "He's exhausted now! Kill him now before he gets another opening!"
Lucan said nothing. Words were unnecessary. In the blink of an eye, he lunged forward, his sword flickering like lightning.
His footwork was flawless, every movement flowing seamlessly into the next. His enemy tried desperately to evade, to parry, but Lucan was faster, deadlier.
He sidestepped a desperate counter-strike, spinning smoothly as his sword plunged deep into his opponent's flank. Blood sprayed outward as the man crumpled, his life extinguished mid-gasp.
Yet Lucan had no time to celebrate. From the side, a massive stone fist slammed brutally into his shoulder, driving him violently into a thick tree trunk.
The impact resounded through the clearing, cracking bark and forcing the air painfully from Lucan's lungs. His vision blurred momentarily, blood spilling from his lips as he struggled to catch his breath.
Instead of falling, he gritted his teeth and rolled instinctively, springing upright again, sword at the ready, eyes blazing defiantly through a mask of blood and sweat.
The kidnappers hesitated again, their confidence rapidly fading. Fear flickered in their eyes. This single swordsman, fighting alone, was relentless—a demon who refused to die, even under impossible odds.
Suddenly, the air shifted violently. An unimaginable wave of pressure surged through the forest, erupting like a storm and slamming into the combatants. The Dragon's Might was potent, refined, heavier than anything Lucan had ever experienced before.