CHAPTER 291: THE Z MARKED TANK

Zain held Savra close. Her skin was cold. Her breathing was soft but steady.

He looked down at her face again.

His fingers brushed her cheek. For a second, the world felt distant.

Then his eyes shifted.

The shattered tube behind him had a large letter on it: S.

"S... Savra," he whispered. "Or... Svarokh."

His eyes narrowed.

Then he slowly turned to face the second tube.

It was still intact.

But the letter written on it was different.

Z.

His chest tightened.

"No way," he muttered. "It can’t be."

He stepped forward slowly, one foot after the other.

He stared at the red liquid inside the second tube. He couldn’t see clearly.

The liquid inside was too thick. But his heart was already racing.

Vorthar saw it too. And smiled.

"Ah," Vorthar said. "So you figured it out."

Zain didn’t say anything.

Vorthar chuckled and walked closer to the second tube.

"I didn’t expect you to recognize her too. What was her name again?"

He tapped his chin with one finger.

"Oh, right... Zelia."

Zain’s face darkened.

Vorthar grinned wider.

"She was quite the surprise," he said.

"When we ran tests, we found something rare inside her."

He turned to the tank with a small smirk, as if admiring a trophy.

"She carries Zavathor blood. A bloodline even stronger than Svarokh."

Zain’s eyes widened. His jaw clenched.

Vorthar slowly nodded, his voice calm and mocking.

"Strange, isn’t it? Two ancient clans. Both believed to be lost."

"Both cast into the lower zones."

"And now..."

He pointed toward the broken tube behind Zain, then to the sealed one in front of them.

"I used them both. Savra Svarokh’s blood and Zelia Zavathor’s blood."

He lifted his hand slightly in a proud gesture.

"Combined with beast cores, refined through divine flame... they gave birth to the perfect Flame God Serum."

Zain lowered Savra gently to the floor. His hand lingered on her shoulder for a moment.

Then he turned and faced the second tank.

His eyes darkened.

"You used both of them," he said quietly.

There was heat in his voice now. Not from fire, but fury.

Vorthar tilted his head, still amused.

"I did more than use them," he said. "I perfected them."

He stepped closer to the tank.

"You have no idea how powerful they really are. The serum we made from them. This is just the start."

Zain’s jaw tightened.

"You treated Savra and Zelia like tools."

Vorthar shrugged.

"They agreed to it."

Then he grinned.

"Of course... they didn’t know what they were agreeing to."

He let out a short laugh.

"So easy to trick when you give them purpose."

Zain clenched his fists.

His voice dropped lower.

"This time... you won’t walk away."

He looked down at Savra, her body still unmoving.

Then his gaze returned to the Z-marked tank.

His tone was ice.

"I’m taking them both back."

Vorthar laughed louder now.

"You can try."

He stepped forward, his boots cracking the floor beneath him.

"Better yet... let me show you what I got from them."

He raised a glowing vial filled with red-gold liquid.

The energy inside pulsed like a heart.

Zain’s eyes narrowed.

Vorthar didn’t wait.

He stabbed the needle into his neck and pressed it down.

The serum entered his veins.

He grinned as his body glowed from within.

The flames around him flared higher.

"Ha... yes. This power... This is what I want!"

His cloak burned away. His arms glowed. His eyes turned bright gold.

Zain didn’t move. He was watching, waiting.

Vorthar stepped forward, heat rolling off him like a furnace.

"And now..." he raised his hand, "let me show you how strong I am now."

He activated [Scorching Decree].

A red sigil appeared on Zain’s chest, glowing and hot.

Zain winced as it burned through his skin.

"Tch," he muttered. "A mark?"

Vorthar laughed.

"It’ll hurt more soon."

Zain rushed forward, fists glowing.

He struck with [Heavenly Demon Fist].

Vorthar caught the punch with his palm.

"You really thought that would work?"

Zain’s eyes widened.

Flames surged up his arm.

He pulled back, but the burn had already spread.

Vorthar unleashed [Flame God Chains].

The ground burst open, and fire-chains shot up.

Zain moved fast, dodging left and right.

He kicked off a pipe and flipped over a second wave.

The chains crashed into the wall behind him.

Zain tried to close the distance again, fists glowing with ether.

He landed a solid punch on Vorthar’s ribs.

But Vorthar didn’t budge.

Instead, Zain’s hand sizzled.

Smoke rose from his fist.

Vorthar grinned.

"My [Flame God Body] doesn’t care about your punches."

Zain jumped back, frowning.

"Even my fists can’t break it?"

He tried [Heavenly Demon Breathing] to absorb the fire.

But nothing happened.

His breath caught in his chest.

"What...?"

Vorthar’s eyes lit up.

"Oh, trying to use your absorption trick?"

He laughed again, louder this time.

"Too bad. My flames are divine now. You can’t turn them into your power."

Zain staggered slightly, left hand gripping his burned arm.

"Damn it..."

Vorthar walked forward slowly.

"I wonder how long you can keep standing."

Zain didn’t answer.

He took a stance again, even as his skin smoked.

Vorthar raised one hand.

"Whatever you’re planning... it’s pointless."

His grin widened.

"I’m no longer a man. I’ve become the Flame God."

The ground cracked as Vorthar unleashed [Flame God Chains] once again.

This time, more chains burst out from the floor, red-hot and glowing.

They wrapped around Zain’s arms and legs in an instant.

Zain was struggling, but the chains were too strong for him to break.

He also frowned as he realized that his ether was being drained.

Bit by bit.

Zain clenched his teeth.

His healing power was reduced, and his energy was drained.

This was really troublesome.

"Tch..."

Vorthar stepped closer, watching with pure amusement.

"Feel that? My flame eats away at your strength."

He leaned in slightly.

"Now tell me, Heavenly Demon..."

He smiled cruelly.

"What are your last words?"