CHAPTER 53: CHAPTER 50: ESCANOR’S ARRIVAL

Graaaaaaaaaaaa!

A thunderous roar echoed through Nivara, announcing the arrival of a new threat.

It was none other than Escanor, the Dragon of Magma.

“I have finally arrived,” he said.

“Let us see where this corruption began... and who dares to disturb my slumber and meddle with the living system.”

Escanor closed his eyes and focused his senses.

He felt two distinct energies: one white, and the other black.

“I found it,” Escanor murmured.

With a massive sweep of his wings, he pierced the clouds and flew at incredible speed until he reached his destination.

In the snowy field below, Isphyrlya was coughing blood. Her left arm had been severed.

Falling back, she stopped the bleeding by freezing the torn part.

Before her stood the Monster of Ma’hul, smiling, his red eyes glowing. His long claws dragged across the ground as he walked toward her, ready to finish her and move on to his next prey.

Isphyrlya felt her strength fading. It had been foolish of her to give this monster enough time to adapt. It was the same mistake she once made with Lin.

“It seems there’s no other way. This mysterious creature is terrifying.”

She raised her eyes to the sky, searching for any means of escape or a chance to use her trump card.

Then she saw it: a glowing figure descending through the clouds, defying the dim sunlight.

With a surge of rage, Escanor transformed into his half-dragon form.

His body grew to seven meters in height, covered with molten brown scales streaked with glowing veins of yellow magma. His skin hardened like armor, radiating heat and power.

Boom!

He crashed down from the sky, aiming to crush the monster in one strike.

But the black creature sensed it and leapt away. His legs shattered the ground, leaving a massive crater as snow exploded into the air.

Isphyrlya covered her eyes to shield herself from the blinding snow.

When the air cleared, she saw him—the elite dragon Escanor, the Magma Dragon—standing before her.

Proud and powerful, he stood amid a blazing aura that melted the snow around him, his presence burning as fiercely as his will.

As he looked at her, he saw a young, elegant woman with one arm and blood covering her body.

“So you are from the White Dragon Clan,” he said.

His eyes grew cold.

“Pathetic. Is this the current generation? Truly a disgrace to our dragon kingdom.”

Her teeth clenched as his voice raged over her.

She lowered her head, unable to meet his eyes.

Every instinct screamed that she stood before something far beyond her.

The heat of his aura pressed against her chest until she could barely breathe.

She wanted to defend her pride, but the need for help was stronger.

She buried her pride and ignored everything else.

All she hoped for now was to escape and grow strong enough to take her revenge.

“Be careful, almighty Escanor,” Isphyrlya said weakly. “This monster can adapt.”

Before she could say more, a roar tore through the sky.

Graaaaaaaaaaaa!

The black monster vanished from sight. In the next instant, he appeared beside Isphyrlya, his claws ready to strike her down.

Before he could attack, Escanor raised his hand. With a single flick of his finger, he sent the monster flying backward.

He grabbed the creature by the tail and spun it through the air.

Sensing the danger, the monster cut off its own tail and began to run.

“Oh, this lowly creature is quite clever,” Escanor said. “Smarter than the last ones I fought from that cursed place.”

As the black monster ran, Escanor lifted his hand.

A massive orange magic circle appeared above him.

From it, he released a blazing Magma Blast, moving faster than sight.

The black creature smiled and jumped aside. The blast curved toward Isphyrlya.

Escanor appeared beside her instantly. He charged mana into his palm and redirected the blast toward the fleeing monster.

The creature countered by forming a massive black sphere of energy and throwing it against the magma blast.

Boom!

The explosion sent the monster crashing into a snowy cliff. Using the momentum of the impact, he launched himself back at Escanor.

His claws tore across Escanor’s chest, leaving a shallow scratch.

Escanor touched the wound.

A single drop of dark orange blood burned through the snow.

His aura exploded with power. The pressure cracked the ground and shook all of Nivara.

The black monster raised his right hand. Above them, a massive dark circle appeared in the sky.

Sharp black lines rained down, piercing everything they touched.

Escanor summoned a gigantic magma shield. He expanded it until the dark circle shattered completely.

He then struck with incredible speed, grabbing the monster by the throat.

Charging magma energy in his hand, he pummeled the creature’s face again and again.

Then he turned his palm into a blade and drove it through the monster’s heart.

The body ignited instantly.

Escanor swung his arm, throwing the burning corpse onto the frozen ground.

He raised his hand to finish it once and for all, but the monster regenerated and stood again.

“How is it still alive?” Escanor muttered.

The monster lifted his left hand. Behind him, the Gate of Ma’hul turned green and black.

The creature had been buying time.

The monster lifted his left hand as if he were trying to call something. Above them, the Gate of Ma’hul appeared—a massive black and green vortex swirling with violent energy.

Escanor looked up. Heat burst from his body, and the ground around him began to melt. Rivers of magma formed under his feet, spreading across the frozen land.

He gathered his power in his left hand. The earth trembled. A bright orange sphere of magma began to form, growing larger with every heartbeat.

With a roar, Escanor thrust his arms toward the gate.

Boom!

A massive beam of molten fire shot upward, tearing through the clouds and hitting the Gate of Ma’hul. The explosion turned the sky red and shook the entire area. Cracks spread across the gate, spilling waves of dark green and black energy.

For a moment, it looked like the gate would collapse.

Then a huge black hand broke through the flames and grabbed the edge of the gate. The sky flashed with dark light as something began to climb out.

The figure stepped forward through the burning vortex. It was tall and covered in shadow, wearing a skull shaped like a ram with two curved horns. In its chest was a hollow void that glowed faint green. Its body was made of green-gray muscles, with only torn fabric hanging loosely around its waist. It carried a strange weapon, something between a sword and a spade.

Mooooooooooooo!