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Chapter 498: Victory?
Chapter 498: Victory?
As Vesuvius bathed in the swirling, enigmatic energies of space and time, a concentrated elixir that distorted reality itself, the warmth inside him grew into an insistent blaze. This inferno reached his heart, simmering at its core before erupting to engulf his very essence.
Ding!
//
Your tertiary Time affinity was upgraded to secondary affinity.
//
Ding!
//
Your ability Chronokinesis (LV 2) has leveled up to Chronokinesis (LV 3)
The new level three effect was unlocked:
Spell-sealing crystals: the power to seal spells, effects of abilities, and powers into crystals of frozen time. When shattered, the crystals will unleash the power frozen within them.
//
Just from the description of his new ability, Vesuvius couldn't help but feel like he already saw something like that in the well-of-time dungeon—the ever-present crystals of frozen time.
'Not bad, really not bad.' Even ignoring the possibility of equipping his minions and kin with crystals containing his overcharged breath, just the idea of creating thousands of crystals containing pre-prepared attacks and spells made him excited.
'If I truly can use my breath with countless lenses beforehand and then seal them hundreds of times to unleash countless super-charged breath attacks at once.'
Knowing he had more important things to focus on, the dragon redirected his attention toward the sensation of his body transforming.
He never noticed it before when gaining affinities from the system, but now that he has taken the natural path, he has finally sensed differences between their tiers beyond just their effects.
'Tertiary one came from transforming my cells, while the secondary one came from transforming my primary energy organ, my heart.' For the first time, he felt like he had discovered why the mortal races rarely gained higher affinity.
'They don't even have organs needed to support them. At least not without taking extra steps to artificially make up for their natural deficits.'
Focusing on his soul, he could already feel the same elements building up within it, leading him straight to the conclusion, 'When my soul transforms, I will likely gain higher affinity.'
Concluding his analysis, Vesuvius's attention returned to the flow of time in the black hole. What was once a gentle stream had thickened into a dense, tar-like consistency, making its presence more discernible and tangible.
Having the suspicion that it would work this time, the dragon channeled his mana deep within his body, forcibly pushing it against the chaotic time current around him.
His anticipation rising, Vesuvius amplified his mana flow, igniting the runes of a fundamental space magic spell. As they activated one by one, his vision transformed, revealing magic runes orbiting the eyes of both his physical form and his soul's ethereal counterpart.
Cutting through the oppressive darkness, he discerned shapes and contours cascading toward a black hole's heart. Now, instead of the darkness, he could see the hole in the space warped by the black hole, the black pit so deep he couldn't even guess where its bottom was.
'I can now cast, ignoring the time around me... Spatial Vision is another low-tier spell that has proven its worth.'
A creeping chill spread through Vesuvius as the saturation of space elements within him reached a critical threshold.
Ding!
//
You have unlocked your tertiary space affinity.
//
Ding!
//
Your abilities have evolved: Archmages Innate Space Magic (LV 43) --> Draconic Space Magic (LV 43)
Description: The space magic of an experienced archmage which was changed and modified to utilize the draconic magic system and the natural advantages of dragons and their affinity.
+15 X to MAG multiplier
//
Ding!
//
You have triggered special mutation evolution.
Do you wish to evolve now?
//
'No, wait longer.' Vesuvius immediately denied it, feeling like waiting for higher affinities would bring him higher profits and more power.
POV ???:
A city was ablaze with celebration, its streets of light-pink stone echoing with cheers that melded into a relentless cacophony.
Soldiers, their armor shimmering under the sun, knights, mages draped in robes embroidered with gold and silver, and players in a kaleidoscope of varied garb paraded down the wide main street. Their ranks were met with adoration, the air thick with the scent of victory and the soft flutter of flowers raining down from the sky.
"We have won! The dragon flees, its tyranny undone!" Voices rose in triumphant chorus, the words a heady brew that intoxicated the crowd further.
"Next, the demons; let's cleanse the lands of their scourge!"
"Let's kill the demons next!"
"We should tear down the monster gods from their rotten divine thrones and drag them to justice."
The thick crowds filled the sides of the street, the terraces and balconies of the surrounding buildings, and even the rooftops, cheering for the heroes. Flowers rained down upon the returning warriors.
Amid the fervor, a soldier, his gaze blurred by drink and hair askew, brandished his sword, proclaiming the dragon's cowardice to the world. "Haha, the cowardly dragon didn't even dare to show its ugly scaly ass before us, escaping from this world like the little lizard that they are."
Amidst the column of soldiers, a single player gloomily looked around.
Within the throng, a solitary figure stood apart. This player, draped in the shadow of doubt, surveyed the revelry with a glacial detachment. 'Fools,' he thought, 'celebrating a battle while blind to the looming war.' The news of the dragon's strategic retreat had sown seeds of dread, not relief, in his mind, as it showed that it wasn't just a powerful beast, but also a capable commander.
As the revelers danced with abandon, his heart was besieged by despair. The façade of propaganda victory could not mask the truth from him—the dragon was amassing forces beyond their reach, crafting an army in the shadows of another world.
'They think it over, yet the nightmare has just begun...' His thoughts were a dark whirlpool, dragging him deeper into the abyss. 'An army, armed by modern industry and magic...'
(AN: I was thinking about how much time should pass until Vesuvius returns. None? 1 year? 10 years? 100 years? 1000 years?
I don't know.)