CHAPTER 1455: LUCIFER’S BATTLE

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Maria and her family had finally arrived in the Wild Rainforest, a dangerous area within the Verdant Jungles that connected to the Crimson Blood Forest, filled to the brim with deadly Nightmare Beasts and Kaiju-sized abomination, the moment they stepped inside the battles never stopped for even a single second.

This was good for their growth, as the monsters provided valuable EXP for them to Level Up, but also great amounts of materials and ingredients for the creation and evolution of Dream Weapons...

But above all else, it provided with challenges to some, even if small in comparison to what they’ve faced in Yggdrasil. These challenges would help them improve and reach new levels.

Their techniques, the way they wield their powers, energies, how they fight, finding themselves, and more, they had to go and get there already.

They’ve been developing Divine Embers, but ever since then, they had barely reacted to their own growth.

This meant that leveling and increasing stats wasn’t going to help them improve that internal power, but self-discovery, and pushing themselves to limits even further beyond their current ones.

Lucifer knew that, facing the titanic turtle, overflowing with immense power, as he swung his giant scythe against him, without taking his dragon form.

Indeed, he decided to face this monster in his weaker form, as a humanoid dragon.

The reason? He wanted to push himself to his limits by placing limitations on his own strength, and wield his Dream Weapon primarily this time.

After he was humiliated against that Nightmare Demon that trapped everyone inside that giant Nightmare Realm, Lucifer has been feeling like he was lacking.

That he might not be worthy of being Maria’s husband, let alone her Undead Servant.

His draconic pride was hurt more than ever before, even when he battled Baldr and burned in agony...

Nothing could compare to the humiliation that small, pathetic nightmare demon made him go through, making him feel so powerless!

"It’s time to push myself to my limits once more!"

"GRUOOOHHH!"

The giant turtle Kaiju roared back, suddenly leaping in midair and beginning to spin around.

"Huh?!"

Lucifer was surprised as the giant turtle’s shell began spinning in midair, releasing black and green flames from various orifices.

FLUOOOSH!

And flying directly towards him at an incredible speed.

Lucifer quickly prepared for the impact, swinging his scythe forward as he manifested thousands of draconic claws from his Abyssal Death Flames.

Which had now evolved even further into a new realm altogether!

BAAAAM!

An explosion of flames and auras erupted, Lucifer gritted his sharp teeth as he was pushed back constantly! He quickly swung the scythe forward, many times at once.

"{Abyssal Death Flames Scythe Arts}: {Purgatory Rampage}!"

SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!

A rain of slashing attacks engulfed the kaiju, its hard shell protected it from most of the damage received! However, cracks and small bruises appeared over it, but it quickly charged towards Lucifer with even more might!

"That shell is incredibly hard...!"

CRAAASH!

"Ugh?!"

Lucifer felt his entire body shaking, his ribs pierced his lungs as he vomited a mouthful of blood, feeling slightly nauseous as he fell from the skies into the jungle beneath.

BOOOM!

An explosion of flames erupted, as a massive crater was formed, dozens of Nightmare Beasts died on the spot due to the shockwave alone...

"Haah... Hahaahah..."

Lucifer slowly stood up, facing the giant turtle that began to descend towards him rapidly, he quickly tore off his torn jacket and white shirt, revealing his chiseled, muscular torso.

In this form, Scales only covered but a few parts of his body, leaving him exposed to more damage. He was covered in bruises and a hole on the left side of his torso, where he could see one of his ribs piercing his skin and scales.

"Hmph!"

He smiled, using his own hand to push the rib inside, as he burned the wound with his flames, closing it.

He did the same with his other wounds, as he concentrated, glancing at the incoming disaster with his sharp crimson eyes.

As his long, silvery-white hair waved by the wind, making him look both majestic and strong, Lucifer’s sharp claws overflowed with flames.

"{Draconic Abyssal Death Void Flames Scythe}!"

The flames gathered and took form, evolving to the next stage as they gained purple, red, and black colors, with eye-like patterns through its blazing fire.

"{Abyssal Death Void Flames}: {Soul Consuming Burns}!"

As he roared, he manifested all his power into his scythe, swinging it towards the skies, as a massive slashing wave of deadly soul and matter-burning flames reached the Kaiju!

BOOOMMM!!!

The monstrous beast began to spin forward, encompassing itself with a strong Nightmare Aura, enduring the damage thanks to its powerful shell, and then...

CRAAASH!

Reaching Lucifer, beginning to crush him with its massive body, as Lucifer’s eyes widened while he gritted his teeth, using his hands to push upwards.

"NNNGGHH?! HAAAAHHH!"

Within the depths of his very soul, Lucifer felt something within him.

As he pushed and pushed, without relying on magic, or his true dragon strength.

He had to become almost bare, with only his specialization, his flames, and nothing else but his body and the scythe.

"I have to...!"

RUMBLE!

He kept trying to concentrate, his flames surging endlessly, transforming, twisting into many forms, pushing back, more, and more and more...

"I have to concentrate, all of my power... My dragon strength, all of it with each one of my attacks...! Can I do it?!"

As he keep pushing, feeling his bones beginning to gain cracks, as the monstrous centinel above him continued pushing down...

Memories of his late wife, of his children, of the dragon tribe, of everyone he lost back then continuously surged through his mind.

"For everyone...! Can I really call myself a dragon?!"

And then of his daughter, the last survivor of his family, and of Maria, who helped him see that there was still a future ahead with them.

"Can I truly be deserving of their love... If I can’t beat this beast?!"

"GRUOOOHHH!"

The Kaiju roared, suddenly, its gigantic jaws appeared from the shell, releasing a deadly atomic breath at point blank.

"Ahh!"

BOOOMMM!!!

...

In that moment, darkness engulfed Lucifer completely, the only thing he could see was pure obscurity. The light of the eternal sun of the Hollow Earth was gone.

The memories of his family he left behind, of the war he lost, of his countless... loses. They all came to him, the frustration, the pain, the agony.

How much has he struggled so far?

From being humiliated by the heroes, to being humiliated by gods, and now by nightmare demons and a giant beast.

Despite calling himself the Dragon King...

Has Lucifer even done something kingly at all?

"Pathetic, you’re too pathetic."

He could hear it.

His own inner demons, his own voice, constantly berating him.

"And you call yourself the dragon king?"

As he heard the voice approaching him, Lucifer looked at the darkness above him.

"You’re nothing but a farce."

"Aah!"

Lucifer’s eyes widened, a monstrous being emerged, nine heads, each one with giant jaws, sharp fangs, massive crimson eyes, and crowns made of many sharp horns.

His inner demon- no, his inner dragon.

His truest, biggest, and meanest form.

But also... the embodiment of his sins, of his past, of his mistakes, the thing that, despite giving him so much power.

A Nightmare born from his own trauma, hatred, and frustrations.

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