Chapter 114: Clash of Elements: The Battle Against the Sky Shallowing Serpent
"Universal Eyes" The information related to the titanic creature staring at them from the ground reveled itself in front of him.
[SILVER][Peak-Layered] [Sky Shallowing Serpent] [Description:: A demonic beast carrying the slight amount of bloodline steaming from the
Long Shin's heart raced as he stared at the towering monster before him, its massive body scraping against the ancient trees. He couldn't help but wonder what it was doing here in the Forest of Beginning, a starting area known for its low-level creatures like goblins, wolves, and boars.
Long Shin had encountered many frightening creatures on his travels, but none of them had been higher than the Peak Layered Black-Iron rank. But as he stood there, gazing upon the SILVER-rank beast before him, he felt a chill run down his spine. The monster's swipe of its tail was so powerful that it had decimated nearly two kilometers of land in one fell swoop.
Long Shin's throat tightened as he surveyed the collateral damage from the SILVER ranked creature's attack. He managed to dodge it in the nick of time, a split second slower and it could have been him and Liu Minger on their way to becoming a pile of shredded meat.
The creature didn't bellow in outrage as its carefully plotted sneak attack crumbled around it. Its wisdom was clear on its face, evidence of an intelligence beyond that of a mere beast. The serpent glared at Long Shin with such cold intensity that he felt as though its gaze could see into the depths of his soul.
"Minger go inside 'Pocket Realm' for now, i will call for you when everything is over" Long Shin made his decision; there was no other choice but to send Liu Minger away even if she would not die due to their shared lifelines. He feared the monster's trauma may linger long enough to obstruct her path as a magister and cause irreparable damage to her mental health.
Liu Minger's heart was heavy with fear when she asked, "Will you be alright?" She knew that they shouldn't both face the SILVER rank enemy together. Even Long Shin, couldn't take on such a powerful creature head-on.
When a magister reaches the SILVER rank, their power is exponentially greater than regular magisters—powerful enough to level miles of cities if unchecked. It's no wonder why the underworld magisters had whispered countless tales of the devastating destruction caused by SILVER ranks.
Faced with such fears, Liu Minger was unwilling to let Long Shin go in alone. But he gave her little time to argue and instead sent her straight into his pocket realm, promising her that he wouldn't die, saying that he can easily escape or dive into the pocket realm whenever it became too dangerous.
As Liu Minger vanished into the pocket realm, Long Shin returned his attention to the monstrous serpent before him. The surprise on the creature's face was unmistakable. An elderly voice resounded in his mind--cold yet piercing, "You were able to dodge my attack, and now you even possess the ability to manipulate spatial power? Or perhaps it was some powerful artifact that can contain a living being? You indeed possess many secrets, human." it said. trying to remain unfazed, Long Shin thought to himself, 'So it can also talk.' Long Shin felt no shock at the serpent's capability for speech. After reaching SILVER rank, beings unlock their knowledge sea, granting them access to their magic sense. Telepathic communication is just one of many possibilities through magic sense, With the serpent's skill of "Spiritual Wisdom," it should come as no surprise that it could easily converse with him, but of course the more the creature behaved differently compared to other creatures he had seen in the past the more Long Shin realized that he had stumbled upon something far more dangerous than he'd first thought.
Long Shin's cold gaze met with the serpent's cold, yellow eyes. Despite being a black-iron rank magister, he didn't cover in front of the serpent who had reached peak layered SILVER rank, the serpent spoke calmly and confidently to Long Shin, as if they were talking about weather.
"I can sense a strange aura within you," it hissed. "Prior I also felt a dragon's aura in this area—does it have any connection with you, human? No matter: I have a feeling that as long as I devour your flesh and blood, I will reach even greater heights. My bloodline might also take a step forward." Its words almost sounded like an invitation for Long Shin to accept his fate.
In its eyes, Long Shin was nothing more than a helpless prey. He could neither fight nor flee—so there was no harm in wasting some time talking to him.
BOOM!
A mighty roar filled the air and reverberated through the ground, stopping the conversation between the two of them in its tracks.
"Didn't anyone tell you that you talk too much nonsense?" A voice boomed out. It was Long Shin, holding a blazing sword with a glowing red ruby on its guard. He had used "Elemental Magic Swordsman" to deliver a slash to the creature. However, despite making direct contact with its body, it didn't even leave a scratch.
The enormous serpent was more than 400 meters long, but no matter how hard Long Shin tried his attack could conjure with "Elemental Magic Swordman" would at most only reach 2-3 meters long. His assault didn't even cover the thickness of the other party's body, let alone pierce its defenses.
'Then again I didn't expect that attack to injure it either.'
It sneered at them mockingly in disdainful laughter. "It is said that your human race is very arrogant, I didn't believe it first because humans are so weak and cowardly. Now looking at you I think I should reconsider my previous judgement."
Long Shin snorted in response and muttered, "I'm far from your level, worm."
The serpent had on a pensive expression. "Indeed, you are not at my level, but you are still quite an interesting specimen. If I were to devour you, I might be able to reach peak gold rank." The serpent was being honest and logical in its approach to the situation.
"I just don't see how an insect like you, with the strength of a SILVER rank at best, could dare to call humans as being weak and cowardly!"
Long Shin declared nonchalantly, as if the serpent was just a stranger that he was talking to in the street.
"Strong words from a weakling, but I will still honor it," the serpent said mockingly. "So come on then! Let's have at it!"
The serpent coiled menacingly, its tail lashing with barely contained wrath. Its gaze was like a sharpened blade as it hissed in disdain, undaunted by the words heard before. Before unsealing its powerful bloodline, it was just a small snake barely 12-13 meters long - a feeble creature on the lowest part of the food chain in the forest. But, within 300 years of unlocking its bloodline, it had grown to an immense 400 meters long gargantuan monster with strength that could rival even the mightiest of SILVER ranked creatures. No one in the entire forest of beginning would dare challenge this colossus now.
A demonic voice echoed the air, "You will suffer for your insolence! After I have slaughtered you, I shall feast on your flesh and drink your blood. Let it be a nourishment for the growth of my own monstrous bloodline!"
The serpent lashed its tail viciously at Long Shin, with a speed that had increased significantly from before. Even though he was soaring hundreds of meters in the air, the tail whip seemed to draw closer with every passing moment. The creature's enormous size rendered even hundreds of meters' height meaningless. As the faceoff between them continued, Long Shin shouted defiantly, "Do you think I'm afraid of you!!!"
An intense chill cascaded over Long Shin's body as a deep sense of dread boiled within him. He raised his head to find a massive tail bearing down on him, he didn't have time to think, only act. Instinctively he channeled the energy around him and shouted "Accel!" His body vanished from its original location, only to reappear hundreds of meters away moments later.
CRACK! A thunderous explosion shook the land as the serpent's tail collided with the ground, sending shockwaves racing across the environment.
"You're quite agile human." The serpent mocked Long Shin with a condescending smirk "but I'm afraid dodging won't be enough against me.", unfazed by his apparent agility. Yet it was obvious the monster hadn't even tried to be serious with any of its attacks up until this point, not even with its sneak attack from before. It was almost as if it was testing Long Shin's limits.
The voice filled the air, mocking and derisive: "Where did your prideful arrogance go now, human? It's quite amusing to toy with someone as puny and feeble as you." Long Shin scarcely had the chance to retaliate before the overwhelming barrage of attacks came at him, leaving him no choice but to dodge desperately.
An abrupt chime pierced the air, prompting him to look up in surprise. A new mission window had appeared before him.
This was the first time that the system had issued him a mission.
[Mission: (Against Odds) Do whatever it takes to kill your enemy]
[Difficulty: S (Hellish)]
[Requirement: Kill the Sky Shallowing Serpent!]
[Reward: System Point +1million, Skill Point +100000, 10XGacha Tickets, 5XPremium Gacha Tickets (Guaranteed Win), 1X Random Blueprint]
'What if I reject this mission, Little Snow?'
[Master, ultimately the decision must be yours. However, think of all the rewards that can be gained from completing missions. Gacha alone cannot give you some of these rewards and even if they are available in the System Shop, they may cost far too much System Points. Besides, a few missions might also affect your own future and those around you.]
Long Shin's thought resolutely, 'I won't die as long as I have enough lifelines here, I don't believe that I can't kill him. ACCEPT.'
'Now then Let's test where my limit lies!' He raised his right hand, channeling his mana into his flame sword, making the blade heat up until it was almost too hot to touch, while the ruby on the guard seemed to glow with a newfound brilliance.
"Wind Steps" "Accel" With a sword in his hand he sprinted toward the creature at incredible speed.
Swoosh!
His speed far surpassed anything a Black-Iron ranked or even a BRONZE rank Magister could match.
The sword streaked through the air like a meteor, leaving a blazing trail of fire in its wake. The serpent was taken aback by this sudden display of power and hissed in surprise, instinctively recognizing the danger that it posed.
"Hmn, interesting, come then human!" the serpent hissed. Its shimmering scales lit up with a faint violet glow as it activated an ancient skill known as "Hard Scales", transforming its body into a near impenetrable shield capable of blocking both physical and elemental assaults.
Clang!
The clang of metal on metal reverberated through the air as Long Shin's flame sword collided with the serpent's hard scales. He sliced viciously at its body, but his strikes only left a few superficial scratches that immediately began to mend and vanish.
The creature's passive ability—Regeneration—allowed it to heal wounds at an accelerated rate, much faster than most normal creatures could.
"Ha, Ha, Ha, you are struggling in vain. Putting up futile resistance, it's far too early for you to fight me." The serpent opened its mouth as it chuckled mockingly, although the serpent said that it was still stunned inwardly, even though its Hard Scales skill had been activated. It hadn't expected such a low-ranked Magister wielding such a powerful weapon. It surmised that the sword was a magic treasure and pondered that Long Shin must be an unlikely source of hidden treasures. There was no way that a normal black iron or BRONZE-ranked weapon could have left scarring on such a hardy creature as itself. The only logical conclusion was that the blade was at least SILVER-rank, and the thought of having such an item filled the beast with avarice. Even if it couldn't wield it like a sword, it could keep it and use it as an unexpected surprise attack one day.
"Hump" Long Shin coldly snorted and didn't respond to the mockery.
'Inventory' with a thought another sword appeared in his free hand.
unlike the flame sword, this sword's whole body was made out of pristine blue crystal. On the guard was a brilliant sapphire gem the color of an early summer sky; the blade was etched with intricate runic lines.
{Reference Image on Discord}
The Sword of Ice and the Sword of Fire were made to be used as one, neither sword can reach its full potential unless it is used with its counterpart. Together, these two swords form a powerful combination.
[GOLD] [Twin Swords of Ice & Fire] [Intermediate] [Description: the flickering fire of a mithril fire ignites to life. It inhabits this sword; its volatile flame is a glory to behold. Accompanying it is the cold of ice crystals, cold enough to chill bones. The weapons skills include (Frozen Slash) (Heatwaves) (field of Ice and Fire). Each skill imbues their respective element onto the blade and them into whatever they strike]
[GOLD] [Frozen Slash] [Grade-Low] [Active] [Description:: With a brutal swing of the blade, unleash an icy blast that cleaves through all who stand in its way. An aura of frost engulfs the weapon, encasing it in a chilling armor as each strike sends out razor-sharp shards of ice to impale and freeze foes.]
[GOLD] [Heatwaves] [Grade-Low] [Active] [Description:: Harnessing the maelstrom of fiery energy within, bring forth a wave of searing heat that incinerates any and all opposition. The scalding intensity of the flames radiates from the blades, transforming them into instruments of destruction.]
[GOLD] [Field of Ice and Fire] [Grade-Mid] [Active] [Description:: A whirling vortex of fire and ice coalesce into one powerful force, creating a chaotic landscape where both elements collide with tremendous power. The blades become conduits for elemental chaos, freezing and burning enemies with unparalleled ferocity.]
The Swords only had three abilities, each of them a GOLD rank. Two of their skills came with the swords while the third was a Mid-grade GOLD rank skill.
The true power of the weapons lies as the wielder grasps them both, merging and melding two opposing forces in a chaotic storm of destruction. A cacophony of elemental forces blasts forth into the air, sending shockwaves through the earth as they come together, and unleash their deadliest potential.
"HISS!!!" even the serpent was shocked seeing another sword in Long Shin's hands that gave him same amount of danger, it stared at the second blade in Long Shin's hands. Its yellow eyes widened in surprise; both swords were clearly of equal power. "It appears Lady Luck has blessed me this day. Not only will I feast on your flesh and blood, but I shall acquire some treasures too. How delightfully
perfect!"
Instead of being afraid, the serpent was laughing in delight. No matter how powerful a weapon, in the hands of someone weak it was just like a true sword in the hands of a toddler - useless and powerless. The serpent knew that if no miracle occurred, the results would remain the same. It's yellow eyes filled with confidence as it watched Long Shin hold up his ice sword. "Humph. You want my treasures? Let's see if you can properly chew them." Long Shin snarled and raised his blade.
A surge of energy radiated from Long Shin's body as he activated the skill "Frozen Slash". He felt a draining sensation as his mana was sucked into the ice swords. A vibrant, icy-blue aura appeared around the blade as a swirl of frost and snow extended its reach and created an otherworldly spectacle.
The swing of the sword left an afterimage of freezing cold in its wake, while shards of ice burst forth toward their target with enough force to pierce even the toughest of defenses. Mid-flight, these shards transformed into razor-sharp icicles, turning the attack into a relentless barrage that threatened to overwhelm even the gargantuan frame of the serpent before it had time to react.
The serpent's eyes widened as it surveyed the powerful attack looming in front of it. Instead of standing its ground, it opted to use one of its special abilities: Venomous Breath. It opened its colossal jaws and unleashed a torrent of toxic breath that filled the air with an ominous green haze.
BOOOM!!!
The two attacks met in midair and created a massive explosion of frothy ice shards, which blanketed the area with a layer of thin ice. The Venomous breath turned into poisonous snowflakes that were scattered in all directions, while Frozen Slash was quickly frozen solid. As the powerful blasts collided, both attacks were extinguished, leaving only small traces of frosty dust in its wake.
The aftermath of the attack created a frosty poisonous mist that engulfed Long Shin and Sky Shallowing Serpent. Long Shin quickly activated "Accel", dodging the impending frost. But the serpent, displaying its might, stood defiantly against the flurry and shook off the frozen shards from its scales with a single shudder. It was then that the creature realized the true power of Long Shin's swords—Although it seemed hopeless to defeat a SILVER rank magister, with a perfect distraction Long Shin still had a chance of escaping. It would be difficult for sky shallowing serpent to track him down in such a vast forest if he managed to get away. It must get rid of him before he had a chance to escape. As it formulated its plan, it surveyed the area for any potential escape routes.
'I need to ensure that there is no way for this human to escape.'
With a sudden, deafening boom, a shockwave erupted from within the Sky Shallowing Serpent and director outward. A ghastly veil of dark energy quickly coalesced into an oppressive barrier that surrounded a 5-kilometer radius. The air grew stagnant and heavy with toxins, while the sky became shrouded in murky shadows and the ground coughed forth acrid mists.
Long Shin's senses were abruptly overwhelmed by a wave of sluggishness and his breath felt like it had been sucked away. Yet, just as suddenly as it arrived, the sensation vanished.
He gasped in shock, his mind racing with confusion. 'What was that?' he thought inwardly. He could feel the deadly venom seeping into his body, but then suddenly it diminished when it encountered his Primordial Chaos Immortal Body. He was filled with immense relief as he realized that without his special physique he would've been severely poisoned by now.
'I guess I should thank my lucky stars then." He took a few deep breaths before regaining his composure. The baleful mist tried to worm its way into his body, but as soon as it touched him, it vanished without a trace.
"Well, human," sky shallowing serpent said out loud, "let's begin round two."
The serpent's massive head thrust itself up, its maw opened wide with a hiss of air. The snake's eyes flickered as tendrils of emerald energy snaked out from the opening in its jaw and swirled around it. The energy seemed to originate from within its mouth, where a glowing ball of pure mana was rapidly forming. Its light illuminated the area,
'Danger' but Long Shin felt only dread - an instinctive warning that this sphere was incredibly dangerous.
"Little snow by 10 SILVER ranked Intermediate mana potions now," shouted Long Shin as he backed away.
[Right away]
'Use 2 mana recovery potions.'
Instantly, Long Shin felt mana rushing through his veins with a force like that of a dam bursting. The energy drained from him by the Frozen Slash had been swiftly and completely replaced. He knew that potions could be infinitely more powerful than pills, providing instantaneous recovery, but their wild surges of power posed a great risk to those without strong enough mana veins to resist them.
Fortunately, Long Shin was not one such person; his cultivating techniques demanded extremely sturdy mana veins, and when he became a Primordial Dragon, his mana veins were stronger and more resilient than ever before. His own innate strength far outstripped that of any typical magister, allowing him to easily maintain control even as the surging mana threatened to overwhelm him.
Long Shin's draconic nature came out as he transformed into a dragonkin, his once-human skin replaced by a glistening, pitch-black scales that shimmers with an otherworldly iridescence. These scales offer him both enhanced protection and a fierce, dragon-like allure. A sculpted, sinuous tail extends from the base of his spine, adorned with a sleek cascade of glistening black scales providing him with added agility and balance. His previous wings grew even larger, each wing's membrane webbed with jet-black scales golden runic patterns, bestowing upon him the extraordinary ability to take flight. Two majestic horns curve upward from his forehead, giving him an imposing presence. Deep black scales run down the length of his tail while slitted pupils reflect his deep dragon heritage. Scales run along Long Shin's neck and torso, his body has grown more muscular and robust his frame reaching 7 feet (2.13meters), emblematic of the dragon's legendary strength.
With a roar of exertion, Long Shin pushed his mana to its absolute limits, he held the twin swords of ice and fire. one in each hand, ready to unleash a devastating dual attack that would bring together the forces of chaos and destruction like never before. Ice and fire swirled around him as he felt their power course through his veins with an intensity that made his skin tingle.
"Now, Mana Blast" The serpent backed his jaw and unleashed a 10 meters huge light sphere upon Long Shin.
"Frozen Slash, Heatwaves" Long Shin swung both the swords in union using and simultaneously used the skills "Frozen Slash" and "Heatwaves,"
As the twin swords, one ablaze with fiery energy and the other emanating an icy aura, are swung in unison, they create a mesmerizing duality of elements. The swords seem to dance through the air, their blades trailing fiery and icy streaks, leaving a vivid and contrasting display.
The "Frozen Slash" skill imparts an arctic chill, creating ice whirlwind, cryogenic blasts, and flurry of ice crystals that engulfs everything in its path. Simultaneously, "Heatwaves" emanates a scorching wave of fire. A searing aura of heat and fire radiates from the blade, intense fiery shockwaves propagating and fighting the extreme ice. Summoning fiery inferno and erupting flames leaving a wake of blistering heat. These converging forces form a dynamic clash of opposing elements, with ice and fire battling for supremacy.
The ten-meter white sphere loomed with a power that caused the air around it to tremble. When their spells collided, an eruption of flames, ice, and pure mana formed, not innocent in its chaotic beauty but potentially lethal if left unchecked.
BOOOOOOOM!!!
The two colossal forces of "Frozen Slash" and "Heatwaves" clashed against the sphere with a loud boom, causing it to erupt in a frenzy of hot and cold. The air around them crackled with energy as the two elemental magics collided, manifesting as occasional sparks of lightning and ice. The forest was soon engulfed in a maelstrom of energies, swirling between the cataclysmic forces at play. A mesmerizing but dangerous array of colors filled the sky, a testament to the power being unleashed as the serpent's Mana Blast and Long Shin's mastery over the elements clashed together in an awe-inspiring explosion.
The force of the explosion tore through the forest like a tornado, transforming it into a wasteland. Even the giant serpent was pushed back by the sheer power of the blast, its usually impenetrable scales were blasted off its body and its corrosive blood spilled from its injuries. But it was able to escape the epicenter of the explosion before it was too late. Long Shin wasn't so lucky; his burns were deep and life threatening, his formerly white skin now charred black, and his legs missing. He surely would have perished if not for his dragon lineage, which allowed him to survive the ferocity of the explosion.
The serpent hissed in pain as the force of the attack coursed through its body, searing scales and freezing blood. It weaved between trees and boulders to escape, but the mana of ice and fire followed it with relentless fury. "Damn human, you would've really done a number on me there!" it cursed out.
The creature's Regeneration skill took effect, and in a few seconds, its injuries began to heal slowly. Long Shin laid still, unable to move or scream, even if he wanted to. His eyes were seared from the explosion and his throat felt as though it was crushed. He could feel the power of the ice-fire mixture racing through his veins like wildfire, burning every nerve with agonizing pain. He tried his best to suppress them, but it was too much for him to handle, as sheer terror and madness threatened to overtake him.
The colossal snake slithered closer, its scales glinting menacingly in the dim light as it reached Long Shin's wounded body. "It seems like you've been defeated at last, puny human." A deep voice that seemed to shake the very earth emerged from the shadow of the giant serpent. Long Shin could not see nor hear his enemy, but he could sense it was near; he felt every tremor from the ground and the air.
The giant serpent opened its maw to reveal a gaping void and spat out the words," Hump, no matter how arrogant you are, it's worthless as long as you are weaker than your enemy. Make sure to remember this in your next life. Now die!" Long Shin's body plummeted into the depths of the beast's stomach, and he fell into the bubbling sea of acid. Within moments, his skin began to sizzle and blister until even his bones dissolved away and he perished.
...
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