NOVEL WEB Chapter 103: Destroyed
"Ohh, really... Let's find out." Ryuzen smiled as a crafty plan formed in his mind.
"Grakar, stand back!"
"Yes, my Lord."
Ryuzen then gathered mana into his mind and activated the skill:
[ Eclipse Cataclysmic Roar (D) ]
The concentrated chaotic energy in his mouth sent shockwaves rippling through the area for several kilometers.
The dark blob, though surprised by the power, remained unbothered, as if confident in the strength bestowed upon it by its Lord.
"ROARRRRR!"
Finally, Ryu unleashed the devastating breath attack toward the enemy.
Extreme fire essence and ice essence mixed together, creating something entirely different...
It appeared the creature would be reduced to ashes. But surprisingly...
Gulp!
It swallowed the chaotic energy into its stomach, its body glowing faintly.
It had successfully stopped a D-Rank skill — one powerful enough to kill countless wyverns within a 50-meter radius — as if it were nothing.
The blob's jagged teeth parted again in a slow, unsettling grin.
"Mmm… delicious," it rumbled, its voice a vibrating growl in beast tongue. "Your energy is even richer than before, Dragon Borne. My Lord will be pleased."
But then, suddenly, all its tentacles stood on end. A danger alarm rang out through its entire being... but it was too late.
"BOOOOM!"
A rotating lance made of pure solar energy descended from the sky like a meteor.
The impact shook the earth, crushing the blob-like creature into a dark, gooey substance. Dust and ashes were all that remained in the aftermath.
Even Grakar was sent stumbling backward.
Whoosh.
Another golden dragon suddenly descended, watching the devastation with a crafty smirk.
Ryuzen had used Mist Phantom Steps (D) to create an illusion of himself still standing there, baffled after the failed breath attack. In reality, he had already stepped into the sky and unleashed [Solar Cryo Lance (D)].
A crafty plan for the Hollow Creature that thought itself invincible. It almost was — but even immortals had flaws.
This one could only focus its magic absorption on a single target at a time.
Ryu had seen it, studied it, and acted before the creature even realized. The surprise strike landed perfectly. The so-called invincible monster was now nothing more than scattered chunks of goo and dark sludge.
Without wasting time, Ryu swept the remaining goo into the Fusion Lab, sealing it away. Among the remnants, a strange core pulsed faintly.
[ Appraisal ]
[ Hollow Core – Lv 34 ]
[ Extractions Unavailable! ]
Useless for him — but not for Grakar. Without hesitation, he tossed it to his companion. Grakar devoured it in a single bite before fading from sight.
With that done, Ryuzen shifted back into his human form. He slipped his clothes on, brushing away the dust and grime as if the battle had been nothing more than a passing inconvenience. Then, with steady steps, he walked toward Venus and the others.
---
Miles away, Venus was frantically searching for Ryu.
It had been almost an hour since he vanished, and there was still no trace of him.
She had felt the distant shockwaves of a battle and instinctively wanted to run toward them, but Irina and the others had stopped her, warning that it would be suicide to enter that place.
So she had searched in the wrong direction, and now… she was left heartbroken.
Her breathing came in short, ragged bursts. Sweat clung to her face, mixing with the tears streaming freely down her cheeks. She finally collapsed under the shade of a massive tree, the weight of grief pressing down on her shoulders.
She wept silently, feeling the familiar sting of loss — first her father, then her mother… and now, the one person she truly cared for might be gone too. The thought tore at her heart.
It was hard — too hard — to accept.
"Where have you gone, idiot? Sniff… please come back. I promise I'll never yell at you again…"
Her voice was barely above a whisper, muffled as she buried her face into her arms.
Suddenly—
"Haha… should I take that as a promise, Venus?"
The familiar voice cut through her sorrow, making her heart tremble violently for a second.
Hwr head snapped up so fast it almost hurt.
Her tear-filled eyes widened, and her breath hitched as she saw him. Ryuzen was standing there in the soft glow of morning with a faint smile on his blood-streaked face.
His armour and clothes looked pristine as if he had gone through a casual stroll. No signs of injury, or blood.
For a moment, she couldn't move. She just stared, afraid that if she blinked, he would vanish again.
"…Ryu?" she whispered, her voice breaking.
Ryuzen took a slow step forward, his tone gentle but teasing. "I leave for one hour and you start crying like I died. Is this how much faith you have in me?"
Venus's lips trembled. All the restraint she'd been holding onto shattered in an instant. She leapt from the base of the tree, closing the distance in seconds, and slammed into him with all her strength.
"Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!" She pounded her fists lightly against his chest, but the strikes were weak and shaky, more from relief than anger. "Do you have any idea how scared I was?!"
Ryuzen chuckled softly, wrapping one arm around her while his other hand gently patted her head. "Yeah… I know. I'm sorry for making you worry. I just went to get some food for all of you. Here, see—" He held up a burlap sack. "Fresh grains from a nearby field."
Venus didn't even glance at it. The food didn't matter. Her knees buckled, and she clung to him tighter, burying her face against his neck.
"Don't disappear like that again… please."
Caught off guard by the sudden embrace, Ryuzen felt her trembling against him, her warmth seeping through his clothes.
For a moment, he didn't know where to place his hands, frozen in hesitation. But then, slowly, he returned the hug, pulling her closer in a steady, reassuring hold.
"I won't," he said quietly.
Something unspoken passed between them—an invisible thread pulling their hearts nearer. Neither of them acknowledged it aloud, but both could feel it.