Erythron whispered, his voice dripping with pride and ancient might.
“Great one?” Corvin scoffed. “You’re dead, buddy. What’s so great about you now? And you will have my body? You can try; you baked lizard.”
Corvin spat onto the burning ground.
“Hah! I only died because those damned gods set me up!” The monstrous, flaming Leviathan roared inside Corvin’s mind. “But I will have my revenge as soon as I get a new body.”
“Gods? What gods? And where the hell is this place anyway?” Corvin demanded. “Come on, lizard. Spill it.”
“Hmph. I am no lizard, you puny ape.” Leviathan’s voice lowered as he scanned Corvin, suspiciously, he asked. “Why do I sense so many bloodlines within you? Even… a trace of the gods.”
“I know as much as you do,” Corvin said flatly. “Now spit it out already. If you do, I might help you.” Corvin bargained.
“I do not bargain with lesser beings, especially those who carry the blood of those accursed gods.” The Leviathan surged with fury. “I take what I want!”
Burning power erupted around the massive burning being as it lunged into Corvin, slipping into his soul and mind like a fish diving into still water.
Corvin stared and screamed as if in pain, yet he felt nothing.
He floated alone in the burning world, surrounded by endless fire and magma, drifting like a ghost.
“What the fuck just happened?” Corvin shouted, panic finally breaking through. “Where did that bastard go?”
A chime echoed through the void.
[Intruder detected!]
[User’s mind is under attack.]
[User’s soul integrity is being compromised.]
[5 minutes until complete soul erosion.]
[Searching for countermeasures…]
[ERROR!]
[ERROR!]
[ERROR!]
[Surge in Demonic power detected.]
[The intruder is being corrupted.]
[ERROR!]
[Warning: Seals placed upon the user’s inheritance are destabilizing.]
As Corvin read the system’s notifications, something shattered.
In the world of fire, and in the real world, where his body lay beside the Leviathan’s corpse, vast torrents of dark energy erupted. The warm life energy his body had been absorbing twisted violently, igniting into black flames from the Nether Realm. Veins of darkness slithered across Corvin’s skin, emitting dense demonic power that warped the air around him.
Corvin screamed.
Waves of demonic energy exploded outward, rippling through the world. Magma and fire hissed and recoiled as his mana collided with them. The whites of his eyes burned crimson, matching pupils that glowed like burning pits of hell.
“Aaaaaaaaah! Destroy! I will destroy everything! Aaaaaaaaah!”
Two sharp protrusions split the skin of his forehead, as though horns were forcing their way out from within.
“Aaaargh, what madness is this?!” Erythron shrieked. “It burns, IT BURNS!”
The Leviathan’s half-blackened form was violently expelled from Corvin’s body, crashing onto the scorched earth as Corvin continued raging, fists tearing uselessly through the air.
[Intruder has been ejected.]
[Sealing demonic inheritance.]
[Warning: User is not stable enough to retain control.]
[Forcefully expelling all remaining demonic energy.]
[...]
Corvin roared and thrashed around until, finally, a chime rang like salvation.
[Stability achieved.]
The demonic energy slowly dissipated. Corvin’s body convulsed once, then stilled, returning to its normal state.
His thoughts cleared as he dragged in a ragged breath.
I lost control…Just like back then. When I drank the holy blood… right in front of my father.
It was terrifying… Yet I felt intoxicatingly powerful.
Corvin floated silently in the burning world, fear of becoming a monster and a longing for unstoppable power clashing violently within him, until a furious curse dragged him back.
“What the hell was that?!” Erythron roared. “You’re not normal! To damage my soul-form like this, you… You are not of this world!”
“Serves you right, you scum,” Corvin snarled, turning on him. “Trying to hijack my mind and soul. You bitch.”
His hands trembled. His eyes bloodshot and full of tears.
“Come at me, bitch! Oh, mighty ruler of fire, got burned!” Corvin laughed hysterically. “PATHETIC!”
“You want to know what I am?” he roared as his mana erupted again, spiraling into a violent vortex around him. “Join the fucking club, bitch!”
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Erythron twitched, his massive form visibly shaken.
“Y-young man…” the Leviathan said carefully. “You seem… distressed. How about you calm down?” He swallowed hard.
“I see that you have learned our ways of mana control by observing my body. That was one of our most secret techniques. You are… a hidden genius.” His tone shifted, forced casualness barely masking fear. “Why don’t we work together, peacefully, hmm?”
Corvin stared at the trembling ruler of fire, whose soul was still in pain from Corvin’s counterattack. Then he burst out laughing.
“What happened to ‘I don’t bargain with lesser beings’?” Corvin laughed like crazy. “Bit off more than you could chew, huh, bitch?”
The system chimed again.
[User’s mental state remains unstable.]
[Possible aftereffects of exposure to uncontrolled demonic energy.]
“You don’t say?!” Corvin shouted at the system. How the fuck can I be stable after everything? Aaaah, this is all driving me crazy!”
The outburst made Erythron recoil further backward.
“I… I can teach you skills,” the Leviathan said quickly. “You have already mastered our most secret technique, how about it? Allow me to make amends.”
Corvin went still and gazed into Leviathan’s massive eyes. “What exactly are you offering?” he asked, his voice suddenly calm.
Erythron inhaled deeply, pride creeping back into his voice.
“My strongest ability, Cataclysm. By controlling the source of fire mana, you will summon meteors that fall like rain, scorching the earth itself. The battlefield becomes a domain where only beings of fire may thrive, where fire mana is limitless.”
Corvin’s lips curled into a feral grin.
“That’s exactly what I need,” he said. “Give it to me.”
“Only if you agree to help me,” Erythron replied warily.
“That depends on what you want,” Corvin answered coldly. “And consider this repayment, for trying to steal my body. Understand?”
Erythron grimaced.
“Fine. Fair.” He sighed heavily. “It’s not as if I have another choice. That damn bear I used last time was worthless anyway.”
He raised a massive claw and pressed a burning finger against Corvin’s forehead, pouring the complex spell formula directly into his mind.
*** Skill Unlocked: Infernal Cataclysm Lv. 1 ***
Rarity: Legendary
The personal strongest skill of the Obsidian Cinderborn Leviathan, Erythron, the ruler of fire Leviathans, a being of pure flame and overwhelming might.
Once used, countless meteorites will start falling and crashing into the ground, setting everything on fire.
Passive: While in the meteor area, damage dealt will be increased by 50%, and immunity to fire will be granted.
Bonus: If used by someone with Fire God’s Vortex skill mastered, the fire skills will cost no mana while the skill is active.
Cooldown: 7 Days
Duration: Until canceled
Mana Cost: 1000 Mana + 16 Mana per second while active
Requirement: Magicka 150, Intelligence 80, Fire Resistance Max, Fire God’s Vortex
Corvin smiled faintly as his brow twitched. I mean, I can’t really complain, this is insane, just not something I will be able to use anytime soon…He exhaled slowly. Fine, let’s see what he wants.
But before he could say anything, the system chimed.
[Due to the user’s demonic energy, all fire spells will be affected.]
[All fire-based skills have gained the attribute: Corruption.]
I see now, Corvin’s gaze darkened as realization struck. So that’s why my flames were flickering black. I guess the more I unlock my demonic powers, the more they will influence me. But what had sealed these powers of mine in the first place? He wondered.
As far as he knew, neither Julian nor Isabella had ever mentioned anything about a demonic inheritance. This meant either they were hiding the truth, or they had never known at all. This is all way too suspicious… He sighed and turned towards Erythron.
“I accept your proposal. Let me hear it,” he said coldly, “but I want to hear everything. Who are these gods? How did you end up here?” He stared him down, “Everything!”
***
Erythron exhaled slowly.
“Very well. The world you now stand in is my soulspace. Beings who reach a certain level of power can survive even after their physical bodies are destroyed. This place is formed from my mana and soul, anchored by my heart.” His voice was grave, lacking any arrogance from before.
“I see,” Corvin said, heartbeat steadying as he listened. “So that’s how you pulled my mind inside. Go on.”
“The outside world, the true world, was once ruled by four great families,” Erythron continued. “The Leviathans, the Serpents, the Dragons, and the Werebeasts.”
His claws clenched slightly.
“Then, one day, the so-called servants of the gods descended. They wore radiant armor, bore massive wings of light, and called themselves Angels. They claimed to hail from another realm, seeking followers and warriors.”
Erythron let out a bitter snort. “We naturally sent them packing.”
His eyes darkened. “But they returned… armed with unimaginable power. They crushed us, every last ruling family fell.”
He stopped for a moment, silence falling like snow, and continued with a sigh. “What happened afterward, I do not know,” Erythron said quietly. “I preserved my soul using this method, but the fate of the realm… of my former allies and rivals alike… remains unknown to me.” His voice trembled, full of sorrow, raw and unguarded.
Corvin said nothing, his heartbeat racing. So, this realm isn’t part of Eryndral?
Then how did the system guide me here? And if a war of this scale took place… why is this place still so intact? The questions piled up with no answers in sight.
The only thing he could do for now was to grow stronger and learn as much as he could from this realm’s history.
“I see,” Corvin finally said. “Where I come from, angels are worshipped, and demonic beings are their enemies. There are many other races as well, some of which match the ones from this realm.”
Erythron’s gaze sharpened. “Then… your realm fell to them as well?”
“Not exactly,” Corvin replied. “I don’t know the full truth, but from what I understand, a third force appeared long ago. Strong enough to drive both angels and demons out.”
“They were forced to leave,” he continued, “but still allowed to influence the world, building temples, churches, pulling strings from the shadows. That’s all I know.”
The Leviathan chuckled darkly. “At least someone managed to thwart those damned angels and god’s plans.”
Corvin nodded. “Then tell me,” He said at last. “What do you want from me?”
Erythron grew serious. “I want to live,” he said finally. “Long enough to take my revenge, but I know that is no longer possible.” His eyes burned. “So instead, I want you to bring me together with you, and I will give you my heart as a reward,” Erythron asked his words heavy with anger.
“I don’t even know how I’d bring you with me,” Corvin admitted honestly.
Before he could call the system, however, an old, familiar chime echoed through the soulspace, and a new message appeared in his field of vision.
*** Hidden Quest Completed: On track of evolution. ***
The user had found out the secret method the beast had evolved and the origin of the caves' mystical power. The source of the power, Leviathan ruler Erythron, had promised his assistance in exchange for a task to be fulfilled.
[60,000 Points Awarded]
[Calculating rewards]
*** Special Quest Discovered: Leviathan’s Hope ***
Use the heart of the late ruler and merge it within yourself. This will allow you to carry the soul of the ruler within you and award you with skills.
[Warning. If accepted, due to the user’s low level, the Leviathan’s soul will be put to slumber until such time when the user’s body will be able to carry the great weight of such an existence.]
[Accept Quest?] [Yes] [No]
So now you ask me if I want to accept a quest, Corvin sneered internally. You bastard.
He turned to the Leviathan.
“Actually, it seems there’s a way to do what you want,” Corvin said calmly. “But your soul will be put to sleep until I’m strong enough to handle you. I can’t say when that’ll be. That part’s out of my hands.”
Erythron stared at him for a long moment.
“…If you promise not to burn me with those strange black flames, then I accept,” he said at last, a weary note in his voice. “It still beats being trapped here, constantly feeding these fire beasts with my mana.”
“Oh, right,” Corvin added, eyes glinting. “What about your body?”
“I have no need for it,” Erythron replied. “Do with it as you wish. It’s a corpse.”
“Perfect,” Corvin said, smiling brightly. “That’ll be a very nice payday.”
The Leviathan actually chuckled at the odd young man before him.
“You look far more approachable when you smile, boy. I just realized, I never asked your name.”
“Corvin,” he replied. “Nice to meet you… My new tenant.” He chuckled and confirmed the quest.
The soulspace began to tremble as Corvin felt his consciousness being gently pulled back toward his body.
“See you once I’m strong enough,” Corvin said, giving a casual wave.
A faint smile crossed Leviathan’s massive face. “I will be waiting for that day.”
Then the world of fire faded from Corvin’s sight, and he disappeared.
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