NOVEL WEB Chapter 255: Selene's Arrival
A streak of blazing gold tore through the night sky, roaring downwards like a fiery comet, illuminating the clearing in stark, brilliant flashes.
The oppressive silence shattered instantly as the impact shook the earth violently, sending shockwaves rippling outward and launching plumes of ash, dust, and splinters into the air.
Trees buckled, bent sharply under the explosive force, embers swirling in chaotic spirals, momentarily igniting the darkness into a vivid crimson glow.
Everyone instinctively shielded their faces, squinting against the harsh radiance. Lucan staggered back, raising his arm defensively as the residual shockwave buffeted him fiercely.
Fiora protectively clutched Orion's unconscious form closer, turning her scaled shoulders towards the blast to shield him, while Rina and Magi moved in front of Orion to protect him.
Slowly, the dazzling flames dimmed, coalescing into a single figure standing straight at the epicenter of devastation.
Selene rose from her crouch, the lingering fire around her boots smoldering softly, dissipating in wisps.
Her dark cloak fluttered around her slender frame, still caught by the remnants of the heat and mana radiating from her arrival.
Selene's eyes were sharp, blazing not with uncontrolled anger, but with icy fury meticulously restrained beneath a veneer of chilling composure.
Each step toward Orion was deliberate and heavy, commanding an instinctive silence from everyone present. Without a word, they parted cautiously, compelled by the sheer weight of her presence.
Lucan stepped forward hesitantly, breaking the fragile silence. His voice was tight, breath still uneven from battle fatigue. "Lady Selene," he began gravely, swallowing hard, "the Young Master… he faced a Tier 7 alone. He underwent evolution mid-battle. I've never witnessed anything like it. Fiora transformed as well, but he… he annihilated the enemy single-handedly, despite the severe backlash on himself."
Selene paused briefly, gaze flickering toward Lucan, absorbing his words silently yet intently.
Her eyes drifted briefly to Fiora, noting the girl's draconic appearance with a single, unreadable glance. Fiora's gaze lowered, humbled by the intensity of that silent scrutiny.
Magi stood frozen, almost unnoticed, his heart pounding furiously as he quietly marveled at the overwhelming power and grace radiating from the legendary runesmith.
With delicate slowness, Selene knelt beside Orion, her movements now gentle, contrasting starkly against the destructive power of her entrance.
The battlefield's tension melted away for a single heartbeat, replaced by an overwhelming solemnity as Selene took in Orion's battered form.
His breaths came shallowly, faintly audible, each inhale a contrast against the strain ravaging his body. His scales were bloodied and tarnished, his aura flickering weakly like fading embers, the proud draconic features now dulled by exhaustion and injury.
Her fingers, trembling almost imperceptibly, reached gently to brush aside a bloodied strand of his dark hair. Her expression softened into tenderness, her gaze filled with a painful tenderness reserved solely for him.
Her lips quivered slightly, yet no tears fell—her strength holding even in the face of profound grief and worry.
"You always push too hard…" she whispered, voice barely audible, tinged deeply with sorrow and helpless frustration.
Fiora, feeling the silence unbearable, tentatively spoke, voice trembling. "Madam Selene, Young Master fought desperately. He kept pushing even when the evolution started. He… wouldn't stop. Even when his body was tearing itself apart."
Rina quietly nodded in confirmation, her voice shaky but clear. "His heart is still beating strongly… but we don't know what state he's in. He hasn't woken."
Selene didn't respond immediately. Instead, her attention turned sharply to the flaming runic artifact on her wrist, her fingers deftly activating it.
Bright, intricate flames bloomed outward, gently flowing around Orion's body, illuminating him softly as a delicate, methodical scan was performed. As the flames traced his battered form, Selene's expression darkened further, lips tightening into a thin, grim line.
The flames faded, leaving only a faint shimmering residue in the air. Selene clenched her fist tightly, her knuckles turning white as she absorbed the devastating diagnostic results: critical internal collapse, severe strain on his newly ignited Life Fire, dangerously unstable Affinity Rune, shattered Mana Channels.
He had survived—but barely. His foundation had nearly shattered completely.
"You reckless, stubborn child…" she murmured bitterly, voice choked with restrained anguish.
She stood up slowly, the flames around her now rising in an increasingly furious cyclone. Her voice dropped low, icy and lethal. "Who did this?"
The question cut through the air like sharpened steel, freezing everyone instantly. Lucan responded first, voice quick and respectful. "The Tier 7 enemy is already dead, annihilated by Young Master's final strike. The others are wiped out, except two survivors—their leaders. Sir Edgar is fighting them now."
Selene's head tilted upward slightly, her expression becoming mercilessly cold, eyes glittering dangerously beneath her dark bangs.
The flames spiraled around her faster, more violently, her aura erupting in an unrestrained surge of terrifying pressure.
"Then I'll take care of them," she declared simply.
Without another word, she vanished instantly in a brilliant flare of golden flames. The ground beneath her feet scorched and blackened where she had stood, the lingering intensity of her aura hanging in the air like the aftermath of a catastrophic storm.
Everyone stood frozen, hearts pounding violently in stunned awe at the sheer magnitude of her anger.
Lucan swallowed heavily, turning toward the others. His voice was quiet, solemn, yet relieved. "Those kidnappers have no idea what's coming for them now."
The clearing once more descended into silence. Orion lay unconscious, unaware of the devastation wrought for him, protected by those who cared for him deeply.
***
The sharp, echoing clash of metal on metal resonated violently through the dense woods, each ring slicing sharply through the cool, night air.
Deep within the forest, a brutal scene unfolded—a battle of precision, patience, and unyielding willpower.
The surrounding landscape bore the brutal scars of combat, devastated by repeated clashes of overwhelming elemental energies. Tree trunks lay shattered, splintered by immense force; deep gashes marred the earth.
At the center of the violent maelstrom stood Edgar, blade gleaming coldly under intermittent shafts of moonlight. His posture was perfect, his breathing calm and measured despite the evident exhaustion clinging heavily to his face.
Though sweat trickled freely down his forehead, his eyes remained sharp and composed, tracking every movement with predatory focus.
Facing him stood the remaining two kidnappers—their Leader and Vice Leader—both above Tier 9 powerhouses, their cultivation fierce and potent, yet their expressions twisted in mounting frustration.
Edgar had withstood their combined assault alone, calmly deflecting powerful dual-elemental strikes, coordinated charges, and oppressive suppression fields.
Every intricate, calculated attack they hurled was parried, redirected, or evaded by Edgar's impeccably refined swordsmanship. He retreated strategically, only to reclaim lost ground moments later, never conceding the flow of combat.
The Vice Leader, clad in emerald runic robes, gritted his teeth sharply, annoyance and disbelief etched across his features. "He's just one man! He's not even bleeding!"
Edgar offered no response, his blade moving again—swift, clean, precise—leaving a shallow crimson line across the Vice Leader's chest. The enemy cursed, stumbling backward in angered disbelief.
Then, without warning, everything shifted.
A tidal wave of raw, overwhelming pressure cascaded from above, crashing mercilessly into the battlefield. It was impossibly fierce, dangerously sharp, cutting through the atmosphere itself.
The air ignited suddenly, shimmering violently as oppressive heat consumed all sense of normalcy. Time slowed, stretching thin as each combatant froze mid-action, eyes darting skyward in unified disbelief.
Edgar's breath hitched slightly, a rare moment of stunned realization flickering across his usually composed expression. "That aura…" he murmured softly, awe and respect evident in his tone.