BXBX NOVEL Chapter 210 A Leash
I was jolted awake by an explosion that resonated through the chamber I was resting within.
Surrounded by smoke and debris, I quickly assessed the situation and immediately deployed a thin layer of Mana on my skin, creating a weak protective barrier.
\'Mana Perception...\'
Mana flowed through my body and my veins, gathering around my eyes and making my irises glow with a bright, golden hue.
Instantly, the world around me morphed, becoming a vivid mosaic of colors and patterns, as my enhanced perception allowed me to see the intricate threads of mana that wove through everything.
I shifted my sight to the entrance of the room, where I engraved a single rune that was designed to explode upon being triggered.
It was now gone since it detonated, however, the being that stepped on it was still alive.
The intruder was a bipedal creature with dark, scaled skin and glowing red eyes.
It was similar to a reptilian humanoid, with sharp claws and a muscular physique, however, it wasn\'t a Dragonoid Human.
It was more like a lizardman.
Hisss...
The monster looked around the chamber, his glowing red eyes scanning for any signs of danger or potential threats.
Its gaze soon landed on me, and its feral expression twisted into a sinister grin.
I noticed that the lizardman held a gleaming, trident in his hands that was shimmering with an azure hue.
The weapon was completely dark, reflecting no light, causing it to appear as if it were forged from shadows themselves.
Three intricate and sharp prongs extended from the trident\'s handle, each exuding an aura of malevolence and power.
Although I was some distance away, I already knew that the weapon was quite powerful.
"..."
I also took out my weapon, summoning my Authority and with a steady hand, gripping my longsword\'s handle tight.
I wanted that weapon.
Although, I already had my Authority, which was better than the trident.
The weapon the Lizardman had was probably an artifact and would go for a good prize at the market.
A smile began to sprout on my face as I imagined the money I could get.
"Hehe..."
A small giggle escaped my lips, quickly stifled to maintain the serious demeanor I needed for the task at hand.
I focused my gaze on the approaching lizardman, preparing myself mentally and physically for the upcoming confrontation.
The lizardman, with its eerie grin, began to approach me slowly, its trident held at the ready. I could feel the tension in the air, the anticipation of the impending clash. My Mana Perception was still active, and I could see the pulsating energy surrounding both of us, like a dance of ethereal threads in the tapestry of fate.
As the creature closed the distance, it lunged forward with astonishing speed, the trident\'s prongs slicing through the air with a deadly swiftness. I deftly sidestepped the attack, my movements guided by the flow of Mana around me. The world seemed to slow down as I observed the intricate patterns of mana reacting to our actions.
With a flick of my wrist, I countered, my longsword meeting the trident with a resounding clash. The impact sent a shockwave of energy rippling through the chamber, cracking the stone floor beneath our feet. The power in the lizardman\'s weapon was undeniable, but my Authority-enhanced longsword was a formidable match.
We exchanged blows, each strike a mesmerizing display of skill and power. The chamber echoed with the clash of metal against the shadow-forged trident. I could see the determination in the lizardman\'s eyes, his intent to claim victory.
Swish...
With a swift maneuver, I channeled Mana through my sword, creating a blade of pure energy that sliced through the air like a searing comet. The lizardman, caught off guard by the sudden burst of power, barely managed to evade the attack, but not without consequences. A gash appeared on his scaled arm, oozing a dark, viscous substance.
Hisss...
I pressed the advantage, my strikes becoming more precise and relentless. Each clash of our weapons sent sparks flying, illuminating the chamber in brief, dazzling bursts. The lizardman\'s movements grew sluggish, and I could see the strain on his face. My Mana Perception revealed that his own energy was dwindling, while mine remained steady and strong.
As the battle raged on, I couldn\'t help but steal occasional glances at the shadowy trident. It held an allure, a whisper of ancient power that tugged at my curiosity. But I knew better than to be distracted. My focus had to remain on the fight at hand.
Whoosh...
With a final, decisive strike, I disarmed the lizardman, sending his trident clattering to the ground. He stumbled back, his red eyes wide with shock and defeat. It was over. I had won.
But my desire for that artifact still burned within me. I approached the fallen trident cautiously, using my Mana Perception to sense any hidden traps or curses. Once satisfied, I picked it up, feeling the weight of its shadowy presence in my hand.
"Hehe..."
I couldn\'t help but chuckle again, this time with a sense of triumph. The market would indeed offer a handsome sum for this mysterious weapon.
"Time to end this."
Turning around, I approached the monster who was still trying to rise from the ground.
With one swift motion, I brought down my longsword with decisive force, beheading the lizardman and ending the battle for good.
After the execution was done, I let out a heavy sigh.
The sound of the explosion would most likely attract unwanted attention from the monsters within the Shadow Dome.
I had around a couple of hours of rest and now, the battle was about to take place.
"I shouldn\'t had placed an explosive rune..."
Groaning under my breath, I began to slowly walk toward the exit of the temple, instantly noticing a sea of many monsters approaching from all directions.
"I\'m beginning to regret my decision to stay here..."
***
"..."
A lonely being was standing amidst the darkness that engulfed anything and everything around it.
The figure had Demonic features with sharp talons, horns and massive bat-like wings sprouting from his back.
Its face was shrouded in shadows, however, one could see the Demon nibbling his lips.
He bit them so hard that blood trickled down his chin, mixing with the droplets of sweat that glistened on his obsidian skin.
His arm was still gone, however, the stump where it once was twitched with a strange energy.
From the Demon\'s facial expression, it was obvious that he was experiencing a lot of pain.
Dark Mana was swirling all around him as if building some kind of barrier to protect him from... outside?
"Ughhh..."
A groan escaped the Demon\'s lips, his voice filled with anguish and frustration.
However, he kept on channeling his Mana, creating the most durable and impenetrable shield he could muster.
Whoosh...
Suddenly, his arm was restored in a burst of dark energy.
As soon as the barrier created a safeguard for Demon, the arm grew back as if something from outside were actively disturbing its restoration process and only when he was blocked out of the external interference was he able to fully regenerate his arm.
"That bastard is sure to keep the leash tight..."
The Demon muttered, looking over his newly regenerated arm with a mixture of relief and disdain.
For the past sixteen years, he had been trapped in this desolate place, however, it was not that bad.
The worst thing was that even though he made all that effort and even did \'that\', he was unable to even loosen the leash that was placed around his neck.
The problems didn\'t end there though.
This body wasn\'t normal.
At first, he could control it to some extent but as time went on, the demon grew more and more frustrated by its limitations.
In the first year, he could control all of it.
In the second only some parts.
Last year, he barely held any control, only able to influence the thoughts with his whispers, however, an unexpected event occurred.
Reincarnation is a process by which a soul is reborn into a new body after death, a fresh start in a new life.
This, however, was more of a myth than a reality, however, exactly that happened just a half year ago.
The Demon could recall \'his\' body lying in the bed when suddenly, an agonizing pain overcame him and the next moment he found himself in the darkness, completely unable to influence the body, which he originally owned.
The anger and frustration of the Demon grew exponentially, as he realized that not only was he trapped in this desolate place, but he had also lost control over something that belonged to him.
However, with time, he had a change of mind.
His and the reincarnated soul\'s goals aligned.
Both of them aimed to kill the same being, which for one was a fictional character in a game and for the other, a brother who deemed himself to be the god and betrayed him.
"My enemy\'s enemy is my friend..."