Chapter 12: Echoes of the Past and the Feast of Thunder

The deeper Blue Rose ventured into the Forest of Tob, the more unnatural the silence became. Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra, their leader, furrowed her brow as she observed the eerie landscape. The once vibrant and dangerous forest was devoid of its usual predators. Even the air felt heavier.

"This place gives me the creeps," Gagaran muttered, resting her battle axe on her shoulder. "You think some ancient evil woke up and scared everything off?"

Tina smirked, though her usual playfulness was tinged with unease. "Maybe it's a remnant of the Demon God from 200 years ago. A leftover piece of that nightmare."

Lakyus shook her head. "Impossible. The Demon God was eradicated. My predecessor fought alongside the Thirteen Heroes to destroy that abomination. If there was even a fragment left, the world would have been in chaos long ago."

Evileye adjusted her mask, her red eyes scanning the ground. "I don't think it's a Demon God… but whatever did this isn't normal."

They pressed forward, carefully moving through the terrain. The trees stood scarred and blackened, as if struck by immense heat or lightning. There was no scent of decay, no natural remains—only charred destruction.

Then they found it.

The corpse of a giant ogre, its massive frame cleaved apart, its thick hide burned beyond recognition. Nearby, the remains of a serpent-like monster lay coiled in a heap, its scales shattered as if something had struck with overwhelming force.

Even for adventurers of their caliber, these creatures were not easy foes.

Yet they had been annihilated effortlessly.

Gagaran let out a slow whistle. "Damn. That ain't normal."

Tia nudged the remains of the serpent with her boot. "These things wouldn't go down without a fight. But look at this—there's not even a sign of resistance. It was like they never had a chance."

Lakyus knelt beside the ogre's body, her fingers tracing the burnt flesh. "This was done with magic… powerful magic."

Evileye narrowed her eyes. "Something with lightning-based abilities did this. The destruction is too precise for natural fire."

Climb, standing slightly apart from the group, swallowed hard. "Should we… continue?"

Lakyus exhaled. "We must. If this is a threat to the kingdom, we need to report back. We keep moving, but stay cautious."

The atmosphere was tense, but their decision was made. They couldn't afford to turn back now.

While Blue Rose pressed on in their investigation, the quagoa had been working tirelessly. Ralvok Ironhide stood before Kael, his head bowed low, his warriors lined up behind him.

"We have completed your task, great one," Ralvok announced. "All capturable monsters within our range have been subdued and brought here."

Kael's gaze swept across the hundreds of bound creatures—wolves, trolls, goblins, and various beasts of the underground. Their eyes were filled with terror, their fates sealed.

"Good," Kael muttered, stepping forward.

The monsters screamed and struggled, but their bindings were unbreakable. Even those with resistance to magic trembled, their instincts warning them of impending doom.

Ralvok hesitated. "What shall we do with them, great one?"

Kael extended his hand. Lightning crackled in his palm, the air growing dense with static.

"Thunder Dragon."

A massive serpentine bolt of lightning surged forward, its body twisting and coiling as it descended upon the helpless creatures.

Boom.

The moment the thunder dragon struck, the monsters let out a final, agonized scream. Electricity coursed through their bodies, flesh roasting instantly, their forms twitching violently before collapsing into piles of charred remains.

The quagoa watched in stunned silence as the battlefield turned into a smoldering wasteland of roasted meat.

Hamsuke tilted its head. "Oh? M'lord's power turns even his enemies into a feast?"

Ralvok, however, quickly composed himself. He turned to his warriors, his voice loud and commanding. "Gather the meat! This is a gift from the great one!"

The quagoa moved immediately, dragging away the cooked corpses, their hunger overpowering their fear.

Kael smirked. "At least they're useful for something."

He opened his status.

His exp had soared to 14,880.

Enough to reach level 47.

But he had another idea.

"System," he called.

"You have accumulated enough experience to level up. Would you like to proceed?"

Kael shook his head. "No. Let's use the lottery instead."

There was a brief silence before the system responded.

"Would you like to do ten 10-exp draws again?"

Kael narrowed his eyes. "Are you mocking me?"

"...No."

Kael exhaled. "Let's do ten 1,000-exp draws instead."

The system paused.

"Processing…"

Kael smirked, awaiting the results.

His 10,000 exp was spent in an instant, and what awaited him could be worthless garbage or priceless power.

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[Kael Drakon - Status]

Name: Kael Drakon

Race: Demon God

Level: 45

EXP: 4,880 (Can be used for Leveling or Lottery)

Stamina: 800

Mana: 2500 (Currently: 1,400 MP)

- Mana Recovery: 20% MP every 20 minutes

Skills:

1. Sky Spear

2. Teleport

3. Thunder Dragon

4. Voice of Dominion

Passive Abilities:

1. High-Level Magic Damage Reduction

2. High-Level Magic Damage Increase

3. Negative Status Immunity

4. Demon Wings

Items: gold....

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