CHAPTER 285: DESTROY THE CURSED (101)

Chapter 285: The Only Way

If Berserker had been available, Han might have stood a chance. He could almost see it: blood-burning rage, raw strength tearing limits apart. He had sworn never to touch that path again, not after Serenya. But the skill was locked, gray on his screen, out of reach. Maybe it needed the same consuming fury that had unlocked it before, and maybe he could never force that fire again. There was no time to figure it out.

So he did the only thing left.

After swallowing a restoration pill and feeling the shards in his body knit, Han walked forward. Calm. Composed. Dead serious.

"If I can’t access Berserker," he said, voice flat, "I’ll use this."

He called the names like an oath. "Ifrit. Thunderwrath."

Flame roared to life on his right, an inferno spirit that moved like a living thing. On his left, a silver dragon crackled with lightning, scales like polished steel. Ifrit burned with raw heat, Thunderwrath hummed with electric law. Both radiated authority, both filled the room with oppressive power.

That was only step one, Han thought. Step two would hurt. It would tear him open. It might kill him. But it was his last card.

"Merge," he ordered.

The spirits surged. They rushed him, white-hot and screaming, and slammed into his chest.

Pain exploded through him, a living thing. He tried to hold it down, tried to breathe through it, but the agony was too much. His knees buckled. He let out a deep, ragged groan as the elemental energy braided into his flesh. It felt like being torn apart and sewn back together with fire and lightning.

It was insane. It was madness. But it worked.

Han had fused with one spirit before and nearly died. The first time the pain had forced him to stop, the transformation only half-formed. He had sworn never to risk it again. Now he was willingly reliving that torture because there was no other way.

The room tasted of ozone and ash. Everyone felt the backlash, a pressure that bent the air. Even Drake’s expression flickered—surprise, then a small smile. "Really," he said, amused. "How many tricks are left in your sleeve? None will save you and your friends. No escape, Han Trystan. You die here."

Thunder rolled deep, inferno howl answered lightning crack. The spirits finished their work and the air split.

Where Han stood, he was changed.

A deep thunder cracked through the air .... lightning screaming, flames roaring. The heat warped reality itself as fire and lightning collided, twisting together into a storm of raw power.

Then they saw him.

Han.

But not the Han they knew.

Silver scales crawled across his skin, jagged black stripes pulsing with faint light. His hair had grown longer, wild except it wasn’t all hair anymore. On his right, his hair became pure inferno, strands of fire flowing and flickering like a living blaze. On the left, lightning formed bright cords of energy, each crackling violently with every breath he took. His icy blue eyes still remained, but they glowed now .... fierce, unnatural, divine.

Behind him spun a vast infernal circle, lightning racing along its flaming edge. Each spark felt like it could tear the world apart.

Han walked forward .... slow, unhurried, deliberate. Every step radiated quiet death. When he finally spoke, his voice was a fusion of roaring thunder and searing flame.

"Leave the rest," he said. "I’m your opponent."

The Dark Emissary tilted her head, eyes narrowing then moved.

A blur. A ripple through the air. One moment she stood still, the next her hand was inches from Han’s chest, her attack tearing through space with monstrous force.

But Han didn’t dodge. He didn’t even flinch.

Flames and lightning merged on his palm, swirling into a devastating pulse of energy.

He met her head-on.

Their fists collided and the world shook.

A blinding explosion tore through the hall, shockwaves screaming in every direction. The ground split. Air fractured. Both Han and the Dark Emissary were thrown apart, crashing into opposite ends of the battlefield.

For the first time... the impossible happened.

Ronan and the others froze .... then hope flickered in their chests. Han wasn’t just surviving. He was matching her.

Drake, watching from his throne, felt something rare twist in his gut .... unease. His calm composure cracked. "How... how did he do that?" he muttered. Then a faint smirk touched his lips. "No... that can’t be. He can’t have reached Ramila’s level. Can he?"

He leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "We’ll see."

Hope burned bright in the hearts of Han’s allies but beneath that storm of power, Han was breaking.

The pain was unbearable, tearing through muscle and bone, scorching his veins like molten steel. His body wasn’t built to handle this. Every heartbeat felt like it could shatter him from the inside.

Damn it, he thought, grimacing as blood dripped from his mouth. It hurts... it really hurts.

But he didn’t stop. He couldn’t.

Not now.

Not when the world needed a monster to fight another.

---

TO BE CONTINUED......

AUTHOR’S NOTE

That’s the Chapter, everyone!

If you enjoyed it, don’t forget to vote with your Power Stones, drop a Golden Ticket, and leave a comment or review, it really helps the story grow and keeps me motivated to deliver more Chapters for you all.

Your support means everything, so let me know what you think:

✨ Who’s your favorite character so far?

✨ What do you think will happen next?

✨ Any wild theories? I love reading them!

Stay tune, the next Chapter is coming soon.

– Ultra

AUTHOR’S NOTE

That’s the Chapter, everyone!

If you enjoyed it, don’t forget to vote with your Power Stones, drop a Golden Ticket, and leave a comment or review, it really helps the story grow and keeps me motivated to deliver more Chapters for you all.

Your support means everything, so let me know what you think:

✨ Who’s your favorite character so far?

✨ What do you think will happen next?

✨ Any wild theories? I love reading them!

Stay tuned—the next Chapter is coming soon.

– Ultra