Chapter 29 – Part II: Return to Earth
The city sky was already darkening when Valen floated lazily above the road, hands behind his head.
On his shoulder, Elyonna — in her small form — gazed around casually, while Zarion walked beside him, hands in his pockets.
> "You can't just walk like everyone else?" Zarion asked without looking up.
"Walking's for mortals," Valen replied with a grin. "Besides, flying's way cooler."
"Yeah, sure. You're just lazy."
Elyonna stifled a laugh, her shimmering wings scattering tiny sparks of light behind them.
Within minutes, they reached the Hunters' HQ.
The building buzzed with activity: hunters coming and going, screens flashing unstable energy maps, and at the center, a red alarm marking an S-rank anomaly.
As soon as they entered, all eyes turned their way.
Whispers rippled through the hall.
> "That's… the Divine Hunter…"
"And Zarion's with him? They're working together now?"
Before Valen could respond, a familiar voice rang out:
> "Zarion! Congrats, you actually dragged that slacker here. Truly, a historic feat!"
Liora stepped forward, folder in hand, sarcasm in her smile.
> "It's just an S-rank portal, so relax. If it gets worse, I'll call you. Try not to blow everything up, Valen."
> "No promises," he said with a shrug.
Liora rolled her eyes and turned to the rest of the squad.
> "Lya, S-rank Assassin.
Valor, S-rank Nova Mage.
Nova, S-rank Swordsman.
Ryn, S-rank Healer.
And finally, Drake, SSS-rank — in case things go south."
The named hunters approached, exchanging brief nods.
Zarion smiled at a few familiar faces.
> "Lya! Been a while."
"Too long," she replied with a smirk. "Heard you've been playing babysitter?"
"I prefer 'divine rehabilitation mission,' thank you."
> "And where's the big kid you're babysitting?" Drake teased.
Valen stepped forward, still floating inches above the floor.
The hunters instinctively bowed as his aura filled the room.
> "M-Mr. Divine Hunter…" one began.
"No need for formalities," Valen said, raising a hand. "Just call me Valen."
Zarion sighed with a faint grin.
> "Since when are you polite?"
"Since I realized I might be too intimidating."
"No, you're just childish."
"Say that again."
They glared at each other, mock-serious.
The air was both tense and comical — a balance only they could pull off.
> "Enough with the nonsense!" Liora barked, exasperated. "Both of you — my office, now!"
Elyonna, perched on Valen's shoulder, giggled softly.
> "Your commander's loud."
"She always is," Valen replied with a smile.
Liora raised a hand to the team.
> "As for you — Drake, Lya, Nova, Valor, Ryn — this isn't a stroll. That portal won't wait, so move!"
The five nodded and hurried out. Their auras faded down the corridor, leaving behind a heavy silence.
Zarion watched the door close, then murmured:
> "S-rank or not… I've got a bad feeling about this."
Valen turned slightly, his gaze distant.
> "Yeah… me too."
---
Chapter 30 – The Portal (Part I)
Standing before the portal, the five hunters stood shoulder to shoulder.
The air vibrated around them — the rift literally tore through space, a wound in the sky.
Arcs of energy burst outward, casting a blue-gold glow across the ground.
> Drake: "S-rank confirmed."
Lya: "Alright. We go in together. No solo acts this time, clear?"
The others nodded silently.
With steady steps, they crossed the shining rift.
---
On the other side, the world changed.
The ground felt soft, the air heavy, and an eerie green light filtered through an endless canopy.
Around them stretched a titanic forest — trees so tall they brushed the clouds.
Their leaves pulsed with a living, conscious energy.
In the distance, animal cries echoed — familiar, yet impossibly powerful.
Lya knelt, pressing her palm to the ground.
> Lya: "Mana's unstable here… fluctuating without logic."
Valor: "And look up there. Those creatures aren't normal."
A giant spider swung between two trunks, its body etched with glowing runes.
Without hesitation, Lya dashed forward — moving like lightning through the branches.
In a blink, the spider was in pieces, and she landed softly, blades already sheathed.
A second later, the creature exploded in a burst of mana.
> Drake: "Beautiful."
They pressed on.
Further ahead, a colossal serpent slithered through the grass, scales gleaming like molten glass.
Valor extended a hand, summoning chains of energy that wrapped around the beast.
Lya darted in as Nova gathered his mana.
> Nova: "Void Art – First Movement: Spatial Cut."
The serpent was cleaved cleanly before it could strike.
By the time its head hit the ground, Lya had shredded the rest of its body.
> Drake: "You guys are too fast… And you, Ryn — just a healer, or got more tricks?"
Ryn (smiling): "I can heal, resurrect, strengthen, and regenerate. Want a demo?"
Drake (thinking): This team is ridiculous…
The deeper they went, the stranger the creatures became — half-plant, half-animal, half-mineral.
> Nova: "Looks like an artificial ecosystem… like multiple worlds fused together."
Drake: "Or worse. Like someone built it on purpose."
They cleared the first zone with minimal damage, but tension rose.
Their detection crystals pulsed constantly.
After squeezing through a narrow canyon, the scenery shifted abruptly.
---
The second section spread before them:
an endless desert, scorched by blistering winds.
The ground cracked beneath their steps, the air toxic.
Far ahead, the dunes writhed and shifted — alive.
Beneath the surface… a rumble.
> Ryn: "Careful! Something's moving under the sand!"
A heartbeat later, the ground erupted.
A massive sandworm burst forth, maw lined with fangs dripping acidic venom.
Its breath alone melted stone.
Valor cast another binding spell, but the worm thrashed violently.
Ryn shouted:
> Ryn: "Its poison is lethal! Don't get close!"
> Nova: "Then let's not. Void Art – Second Movement: Multi Acceleration!"
He blurred through the air, slicing the creature apart before it could dive back down.
Ryn unleashed a wave of light, purifying the remains as they disintegrated in a flare of burning mana.
> Drake (panting): "And that was just a zone monster…"
---
They pressed on toward the portal's final region.
The heat intensified with each step.
Crimson cracks split the ground, venting geysers of lava.
> Ryn: "Elemental resistance buff — now!"
A golden light enveloped the group.
Lya smirked.
> Lya: "Nice… can't even feel the heat anymore."
The third zone was pure hell.
Rivers of magma crawled between volcanic mountains.
In the sky, a fiery wyvern soared, its shadow spanning miles.
Nova calmly raised a hand.
> Nova: "Void Art – Third Movement: Rupture."
The wyvern split in half midair, disintegrating before it hit the ground.
Drake frowned.
> Drake (thinking): Void Art… fifteen known movements. He's only used three…
They advanced — until Ryn froze.
> Ryn: "Wait… something's right beneath us."
The ground quaked.
A suffocating heat surged upward, and with a deafening roar, the rock exploded.
A colossal dragon burst from the magma — red scales blazing, golden eyes filled with ancient wrath.
> Valor: "A dragon… of fire?!"
Drake: "What's a dragon doing here?!"
The beast raised its massive head, molten lava dripping from its wings.
Its gaze pierced straight into their minds.
> Dragon (telepathic): "Intruders of the lower realm… You dare set foot in my domain?"
The ground trembled.
Mountains cracked.
And the entire portal roared under the creature's power.
---
Chapter 30 – Part II: Antares, the Fire Dragon
A wave of heat blasted outward.
The ground split, magma bubbling beneath their feet.
> Drake: "This can't be good…"
He drew a massive sword, the blade humming with power.
> Drake: "Should've brought my shield, but screw it — let's do this!"
The dragon's golden eyes gleamed.
Suddenly, his body glowed crimson.
Scales retracted, his shape shifted.
When the light faded, a humanoid figure stood before them — a man with blazing red hair, piercing golden eyes, wearing a white hoodie and loose black pants.
Flaming wings spread wide for an instant before vanishing in a burst of sparks.
His mere presence made the ground tremble.
> ???: "Show me your worth, lesser beings.
You trespassed upon my realm and disturbed my slumber.
You'll regret it.
I am Antares, Dragon of Fire — and I will burn you to ashes!"
Lya twirled her daggers with a sly grin.
> Lya: "Funny, your realm opened a portal into ours."
> Nova: "Enough talk. He's dangerous — we finish this fast."
The mana around Nova rippled.
> Nova: "Void Art – First Movement: Spatial Cut!"
An invisible slash struck the dragon's neck.
A metallic clang echoed — his crimson scales had absorbed it.
> Nova (grimacing): "His scales… resist spatial distortion!"
Lya dashed forward, shadows trailing her.
> Lya: "Shadow Path – First Movement: Shadow Clones!"
Five identical silhouettes surged forward, skimming the ground.
> Lya: "Second Movement: Stealth Laceration!"
Her daggers danced in a blur.
She sheathed them and whispered:
> Lya: "One… two… three… End of the dance."
Antares raised a claw.
> Antares: "Pathetic."
With a single swipe, he tore through the ground for dozens of meters.
Lya barely dodged, teleporting through her shadow step behind Drake.
> Lya: "He predicted my moves!"
Drake gritted his teeth and charged.
> Drake: "Titan Strike!"
The impact shook the entire domain, but Antares caught the blade with his bare hand.
His fingers closed around the metal.
> Drake (stunned): "No way…!"
Before he could react, glowing threads wrapped around the dragon's arm, halting his motion.
> Valor: "Not so fast."
Silver mana threads extended from Valor's fingers, trapping Antares in a web of energy.
> Drake: "I owe you one!"
> Drake (thinking): Even his aura alone crushes me…
> Valor: "Ryn, now!"
Ryn raised her hand, her aura turning into pure light.
> Ryn: "Disintegration Spell – Maximum Output!"
At the same time, Valor conjured an azure flame of divine intensity.
> Valor: "Be reduced to ashes… by my sacred fire!"
The two attacks merged — holy light and blue flame.
A cataclysmic explosion engulfed the battlefield.
The earth quaked, mountains split, and the sky itself screamed.
From the heart of the blast, Nova emerged, eyes cold.
> Nova: "Void Art – Fourth Movement: Consecutive Execution!"
Dozens of invisible blades slashed through the air, striking Antares from every direction.
Yet even within the inferno, the dragon's silhouette did not waver.
When the smoke cleared, Antares was kneeling — wings charred, but aura magnified.
> Antares (smiling): "Impressive… You're not mere insects after all."
The ground crumbled, geysers of fire erupting around them.
The realm itself seemed to awaken with its master's fury.
> Antares: "In that case… I'll fight seriously."
His body became covered in molten scales, eyes turning to pure gold.
A godlike pressure swept the field.
> Drake: "Damn… the whole domain's shaking!"
> Nova (grim): "Brace yourselves… the real fight starts now."
Chapter 30 – Part 3: The Wrath of Antares, the Dragon of Fire
The eyes of Antares turned into two golden slits — reptilian and inhuman.
His burning gaze fell upon the hunters.
The mere weight of his presence made the air tremble — each breath felt heavy as lead.
> Drake: "Stay sharp… this is dangerous."
He gripped his sword tightly, a vein pulsing on his forehead.
> Drake (thinking): If only I had my shield… Without it, I can't give it my all.
He turned toward Valor.
> Drake: "Valor! Ignite my sword!"
Valor: "Leave it to me. Throw your weapon!"
Drake hurled his sword into the air.
Valor raised his hand, his eyes glowing an azure light. A black flame burst from his palm, devouring the blade before he sent it flying back.
> Valor: "Devouring Flames – Abyssal Fire!"
Drake caught his sword, now wrapped in dark fire, and grinned.
> Drake: "Perfect… Now, I'll show you who I really am."
He charged straight at Antares, who remained motionless, eyes cold.
> Antares: "Fool. You rush toward your own death."
> Drake: "Titan's Strike – Horizontal Slash!"
The impact echoed like thunder.
Antares tried to block, but the force of the blow sent him flying.
Both his arms were severed cleanly despite his scales, and the black flames began to devour his flesh.
> Drake (smirking): "You felt that one, didn't you?"
But Antares suddenly opened his mouth, inhaling the black flames into his fiery breath.
His arms regenerated instantly, now covered in blazing scales.
> Antares: "These flames may be eternal… but fire is my essence. They will never consume me."
With a powerful step, he lunged at Lya.
His punch tore through the air — and sliced Lya in half.
But the Lya he struck faded into a shadow.
> Lya (behind him): "Surprise."
Her real body emerged from the ground and slashed, but Antares turned at inhuman speed, striking her violently in the head.
Lya staggered, but her body became translucent.
> Lya: "Third Movement – Spectral Form!"
The dragon's strike passed through her harmlessly.
> Lya (smiling): "My turn… Shadow Power – First Movement: Weapon Transmutation!"
Her daggers merged, forming a dark blade.
> Lya: "Path of Shadows – Fourth Movement: Spectral Strike!"
A wave of darkness split the air—
Antares' head was severed clean off.
His body faltered… then the head instantly grew back, eyes blazing with fury.
> Antares: "Manipulation of Domain Laws… Here, only I decide what can exist."
Sweat dripped from Lya's brow. Her shadows vanished — erased by the dragon's authority.
Antares charged again, his bestial roar shaking the realm.
Lya barely parried the blow with her blades, only to be hurled across several rocks.
> Antares: "This domain is mine. I can alter its laws at will."
Lya stabbed her daggers into the ground to stop her fall, panting.
> Valor: "Things are going south fast…"
Ryn stepped forward, her violet eyes glowing.
Her aura thickened, her strength amplifying.
> Ryn: "Guess it's my turn. Reinforcement – Triple Impulse!"
She darted forward with incredible speed and struck Antares with a punch charged with pure energy.
The dragon blocked with his claws, barely deflecting it.
He countered with a kick, which Ryn blocked — then retaliated with a right hook.
Antares ducked, his claws slicing the air.
Ryn raised her arm to defend, but her forearm exploded under the sheer power of the blow.
> Valor (shouting): "Ryn!"
She instantly regenerated her arm in a flash of light and leaped back into the fight, delivering a kick.
Antares caught her leg and hurled her across the lava field.
Before he could pursue, Valor raised his hand:
> Valor: "Mana Distortion – Spatial Prison!"
Space warped around the dragon, compressing him within a sphere of unstable light.
But an energy wave burst from Antares' body, shattering the spell with a single roar.
> Antares: "Your magic is insignificant before mine!"
Drake seized the opening, appearing behind him.
> Drake: "Titan's Strike – Vertical!"
The impact split the ground apart.
The dragon's arm exploded under the blow, devoured again by the black fire.
> Antares (furious): "Enough! Dragon's Breath!"
A torrent of fire engulfed the battlefield, even extinguishing Drake's supposedly eternal flames.
Covered in ashes, Drake gritted his teeth, grabbed the dragon's head, and roared:
> Drake: "Die!"
He smashed Antares' head into the ground, crushing it with a swing, then hurled it against the volcano's wall.
But before it even touched the rock, the head regenerated completely.
Antares roared, his entire body igniting in infernal light.
> Antares: "Enough games… Feel the true fury of a Dragon!"
A pillar of fire erupted, piercing the sky.
The realm trembled, turning into an inferno of flame and magma.
The ground melted beneath their feet.
Even Nova, who had stayed back, narrowed his eyes at the sheer power.
> Nova (darkly): "…He's unleashing his true form."