NOVEL WEB Chapter 111: Trickery
Yes. Ryu did know.
Fortunately, during their last encounter, he had used Appraisal to inspect the slime-like Hollow before killing it, memorizing every detail.
Calmly, he replied, "Yes, Void Lord. His name is Mortar. I was bound to him by a summoning contract."
Azathoth's suspicion eased slightly, though the cold gleam in his eyes remained.
"Then tell me," the Void Lord pressed, his tone sharp, "where is that dragon spawn now? Why did it release you?"
Ryu lowered his heads just enough to appear submissive, letting his voice tremble with manufactured fear. "H-he… wished to give you a message before fleeing…"
"Oh?" Azathoth's eyes narrowed, the void within them deepening. "He fled already?"
The thought gnawed at him. Had he been lured here to waste his time? Could such a young dragon truly possess the strength to slip from his grasp? Yet when he recalled the anomaly—a dragon wielding both ice and fire—his jaw tightened in frustration.
"Yes," Ryu stammered, every hiss dripping with false dread. "That hateful dragon has already fled… and swore that he would come to the Hollow Realm to hunt y-you down, Void Lord."
Azathoth's expression twisted, the black depths of his features contorting in unrestrained fury. The very air shook with the pressure of his killing intent. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to sink his teeth into that dragon's flesh.
His fury boiled over, black mist spilling from his body like liquid night. The Void Lord's voice rumbled low, as if the Hollow Realm itself trembled in fear.
"That arrogant worm dares challenge me in my own domain?" His six clawed hands clenched, distorting the space around him. "I will tear his soul apart and scatter it into the abyss."
Without another word, Azathoth spread his void-shrouded wings and took to the air, a sonic crack erupting in his wake as he vanished toward the Hollow Realm's inner depths. The oppressive weight of his presence faded, leaving only a faint echo of his malice.
For a long moment, the six-headed serpent—Ryu—remained perfectly still, his coils unmoving, six eyes scanning the empty air where the Void Lord had stood. Only when he was certain Azathoth was gone did a glint of cunning return to those eyes.
Inside, Ryu's voice was calm and calculating. 'What a foool. But its good. Now I can move without his shadow breathing down my neck.'
He slithered away from the site, melting into the thick abyssal fog. His mind was already plotting the next step. The Hollow Realm was dangerous enough, but with Azathoth distracted, the most dangerous predator had just left the field.
And in that brief window of freedom, Ryu intended to make his next move count.
He fled, almost like lightning.
On the way, he transformed into his MANUS (human) form. And yes, he could transform back into his Dragon Form as well.
This demon-like Hollow form he just used came from the fusion of Hollow corpses.
[ Name: Ryuzen De Manus ]
[ Bloodlines: Solarfrost Imperial Dragon (S), Abyssal Cursed Serpent (B) ]
[ Age: 6 Years ]
[ Lifespan: 700 Years ]
[ Level: 23 ]
[ Strength: 420 ]
[ Agility: 423 ]
[ Vitality: 440 ]
[ Mana: 3107 ]
[ Nether: 130 ]
[ Skills: Eclipse Cataclysmic Roar (D), Ice Guardian Armour (D), Solar Cryo Lance (D), Mist Phantom Steps (D), Crimson Apex Frenzy (D), Abyssal Grasp (D), Sun Dragon's Gaze (E), Half Dragonification (E) ]
[ Skill Tree: Manus (D) ]
[ Dark Abilities: Abyssal Cursed Serpent Transformation, Cursed Tongue, Petrification Eyes ]
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The fusion with Hollows had not just altered his body — it had birthed something monstrous inside him. A bloodline steeped in malice, brimming with an unnatural power.
From it, a new force emerged, cold and suffocating, swirling through his veins like a creeping shadow. Nether Energy. The signature essence of the Hollows. And now, it was his to command.
Yes… there were perks. He could feel the darkness whispering forbidden abilities into his mind, techniques that could rot life itself.
But beneath that intoxicating promise, a storm raged. The pure, blazing essence of the Solarfrost Imperial Dragon clashed violently with the abyssal corruption of the Cursed Serpent. Light Vs Darkness — neither willing to yield. Each collision sent waves of agony tearing through his nerves, like barbed wire twisting inside his flesh.
Every heartbeat felt like a battlefield. Every breath, a gamble.
Good and evil could never truly share the same vessel. And yet, here he was, caught between them as if his body theit warzone.
He needed a solution before the chaos tore him apart. Maybe, one day, he could attempt the impossible — to fuse the two bloodlines into something stable. But that was a dream for the future.
Right now, survival was all that mattered. And survival meant running.
The sun shone brightly in the east, marking the start of a new day.
Before long, Ryu arrived at the tent.
Around it, his party members were scattered, combing the area in search of Luthor and him.
He wasted no time gathering them together. Questions flew at him — where had he been, what happened, where was Luthor?
His answer was short and sharp.
"Luthor is dead! We need to move. Now!"
His voice trembled, carrying the weight of fear, though it was nothing more than an act.
They had never seen Ryu look so shaken. The sight alone convinced them. Curiosity lingered in some eyes, but the tension in the air smothered any hesitation.
It was as if an unseen terror prowled somewhere close, stalking Sector 9C.
Without another word, they hurried toward the landing point where the ship awaited to take them far from this cursed place.
The group broke into a sprint, their boots pounding against the cracked earth. Every rustle of wind in the trees felt like a whisper from whatever hunted them.
At last, the landing point came into view — and there it was, the parked flying ship. Its sleek frame gleamed under the sunlight, thrusters idly humming as the crew performed final checks.
"Get on! Now!" Ryu barked, waving them forward.
They piled up the ramp one after another, glancing nervously over their shoulders. No one dared speak of the strange pressure pressing down on their chests, as if a monstrous gaze lingered just beyond the treeline.
Ryu was the last to step aboard. As the hatch began to close, his eyes caught a flicker of movement behind the distance mountains range — a shadow, vast and towering.
Buzz!
The thrusters roared, and the ship lifted into the sky. The ground fell away beneath them, but Ryu's expression remained cold. They were safe… for now.