Chapter 230: Fighting Against An Ancient Dragon!

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After hearing Riven’s words, Ignias’ voice rose into a full-throated roar that shook the entire Whispering Caves to their foundations. What poured from that roar was pure, unfiltered Divine Wrath, a force so intense it made the air itself tremble and the stone walls vibrate with ancient fury.

"I AM THE QUEEN OF THE BLAZING LANDS! I SHIELDED MY CHILDREN WHEN THE COSMOS ITSELF TURNED AGAINST US! NO MORTAL—NO LORD FROM ANOTHER STAR—SHALL COMMAND WHAT I DIED TO PRESERVE!"

The flaming skeleton lunged forward with overwhelming fury, completely offended by Riven’s insolence in daring to claim ownership of her precious dungeon. This place was the last remnant of her lost world, the final sanctuary she had protected with her life, and she would not surrender it without a fight.

Riven could not blame her, nor could he bring himself to hate her for it. In many ways she was justified in feeling such deep hatred toward him. He had planned to leave her in peace and even offer her full control of the dungeon once more, yet she had chosen to attack first.

FLASH!

She moved with impossible speed for something so large. One massive claw, still half-bone and half-magma, swept across the chamber in a wide, devastating arc.

CRAAASH!

Riven’s main body blurred sideways using a precise combination of Abyssal Shift and pure physical ability. The claw missed him by several meters yet still generated a shockwave powerful enough to carve a deep trench through solid stone.

BOOOM!

A searing wave of fire rushed toward him immediately afterward. He covered himself in a hastily forged armor of ice and resisted the flames as best as he could, though he still felt his skin boiling underneath the protective layer.

"Such intense flames...! I’ve never faced anything like this before...! Is she as strong as she was originally?!" he panicked internally, the heat pressing against him like a living force. "No... if she truly retained her full original strength, I would have died already..." he rationalized, forcing himself to stay focused.

Vladimir rolled in the opposite direction with axes raised high. He managed to hold his ground once more as he transformed fully into his werewolf form. His Kobold King’s Arm swelled dramatically and regained its original, immensely muscular appearance, blazing with concentrated dragon power. "I guess there’s no point in further negotiations, Riven! This bitch wants us dead!"

Meanwhile the Shadow Self split into three afterimages that darted in different directions across the chamber. The Dragoness followed them in pure madness, firing continuous beams of flames from her mouth while her claws struck the ground again and again, sending showers of molten rock flying in every direction.

"GRAAAAAARRRR!"

As she roared with unrestrained madness, her massive body charged forward at high speed, destroying ancient pillars and causing heavy boulders to rain down from the ceiling. Riven and Vladimir quickly darted away from the falling debris as they tried to flank her, but she swept her long tail in a powerful arc that sent Vladimir flying through the air. At the same time one of her claws lunged toward Riven at lightning speed.

CLAAASH!

"Ugh!"

Riven grit his teeth hard as he held Fenrir’s Fang in one hand and the King’s Sword in the other. Through his Psionic Avatar and Spiritual Manifestation stacked together within his Aura, he also controlled several other SS Rank weapons at once, barely managing to hold against her massive power.

"She’s definitely not as strong as she was at her peak, but she’s still most likely an A Rank powerhouse!" he shouted over the chaos. "Ah!"

CLAAASH!

BOOOM!

Riven was unable to fully withstand her overwhelming strength. He was sent flying backward through a thick stone wall and crashed into an expanded area that appeared to be the remains of an ancient castle carved directly into the mountain itself.

"USURPER OF MY THRONE...! YOU WILL FACE THE WRATH OF THE QUEEN OF THE BLAZING LANDS!"

Without any further room for negotiation, Ignias lunged after him with even greater fury. Her footsteps created deep tremors that shook the entire structure, and her speed remained surprising for her enormous size as she chased Riven through the ruined halls. Her claws rushed toward him again and again, leaving trails of magma in their wake.

Riven groaned and quickly channeled the full power of his Genes. Black Dragon Scales rapidly grew across his body. His Tyrant Embodiment and Werewolf Transformation stacked together with his Immortal Alien Body Form. A pair of tentacled wings sprouted from his back, his hair turned pure white, and he gained two additional pairs of arms along with several extra eyes that opened across his face and shoulders.

His Aura skyrocketed as his stats rose massively in response to the stacked transformations. Ignias clearly felt the sudden surge in his strength, yet she did not falter for even a moment. She continued swinging her claws with relentless force, digging deep trenches into the floor wherever he stood while unleashing explosion after explosion of dragon flames and molten magma. Riven groaned under the pressure, resisting as best as he could by forging the strongest biological armor his body could produce.

CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!

He began clashing directly against the titan using all four of his weapons at once, unleashing a continuous series of Abyssal Assault Arts. Death Guillotine and Abyssal Guillotine tore through the air one after another, followed by Guillotine Cascade. At the same time he conjured his new Spell Domains, creating gardens of blooming ghostly swords that fired toward her in waves and exploded on impact. Even so, the combined assault barely managed to leave a dent in her incredibly hard bones.

"Vladimir—flank left! Shadow—support me!" Riven called out as he continued holding her back however he could.

He thrust both palms forward with full force. Psychic power and Abyssal mana erupted together in a concentrated beam of pure tearing energy. Soul-Tearing Beast Claw Assault, amplified by Netherworld King Swordsmanship and Abyssal Assault Arts, was unleashed in full. At the same time a giant figure made of bones and rotten flesh manifested beside him. The Great Abyssal King of Rot Phantasmal Spirit Guardian emerged to protect its master, wrestling against the giantess even as her flames began to burn it away. The guardian would not last long against her overwhelming heat, but it bought Riven the precious time he desperately needed.

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