Chapter 245: The Incredible Power Of Explosive Mad Charge And Its Synergy Ability

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After Riven decided to test his new Skill, he took a single decisive step forward. A massive explosion of pure energy erupted from behind him the instant he moved. His charge became so fast that he resembled a blazing meteor streaking across the open landscape. He crashed into a distant mountain dozens of kilometers away and pierced cleanly through its rocky body, leaving only a small round hole behind as momentum carried him onward.

He eventually fell downward, crashing hard and rolling into a wide river below. Another explosion immediately surged from his landing point, leaving a small but intensely burning crater as half of the surrounding river evaporated into thick white steam. Any wildlife that had not already fled either ran away in panic or was caught directly in the expanding wall of fire.

"Ugh! What the...! Cough, cough...!" Riven groaned as he slowly forced himself to stand. It felt as though his legs had almost snapped into pieces. Several of his bones had gained visible cracks, and his muscles were torn in multiple areas, sending sharp waves of painful cramps through his entire body. "Fuck, it hurts like hell!" He waved one hand through the air while his powerful regenerative cells slowly began repairing the internal injuries. "Ah... it’s done... Wow."

He glanced down and noticed that half of his clothes had completely burned away in the process. The skill truly lived up to its name as an Explosive Mad Charge.

"This is insane..."

For a brief moment it had felt exactly like he had channeled the Mad Locomotive itself as a spirit animal, becoming a literal unstoppable train of explosive destruction that tore through everything in its path.

"Okay, calm down," he sighed, sitting heavily on a nearby rock and carefully flexing his arms and legs to test the repaired muscles. "I’ll need to train this thing properly before I use it in a real fight... it’s really damn strong."

For now he decided to try the synergy ability that had appeared alongside the new skill.

"What’s this about— Woah?!"

His eyes widened in even greater shock as his Draconic Power suddenly combined with the Explosive Mad Charge Skill. For a single breathtaking moment a giant, aberrant Mad Locomotive manifested in the air before him. It rapidly fused with the surrounding dragon essence, transforming into a massive train constructed entirely of living flames. The front of the train took the shape of a roaring dragon head, while overlapping scales lined its entire body. The construct was completely composed of dense spiritual energy that pulsed like living flesh, materializing so solidly that it almost seemed physical.

"A Dragon Train?!"

He could hardly believe what he was seeing. He had just summoned... a Dragon Train Spirit? Just what kind of ability was this? As the question formed in his mind, Ignias heard his silent inquiry. Moments later she appeared as a small dragon perched lightly on his shoulder.

"Riven, I suppose I’ll become your guide for these kinds of things, huh?" she said with a faint note of amusement. "Not that I mind. After waking up from my long slumber, I am really quite bored. Now let’s see— Oh?! This is...! Incredible, a Spiritual Construct! Did you make it yourself?"

"I think so. It’s a synergy ability," Riven explained while still staring at the flaming train.

"Synergies... oh, the power that can manifest through the combination of two Skills! I see," Ignias replied. She clearly possessed deep knowledge of such matters. "This is an incredible Spiritual Construct. With this you can travel long distances and destroy everything in your path, or also... hmm, perhaps with enough mastery you can use it as a way to travel between Planes, Realms, and even Dungeons."

"Really...?" Riven asked in genuine disbelief. "It has that much potential?"

"Yes, yes, but so far, right now, it cannot do much other than move you and a group of friends from one place to another," she clarified.

"It consumes Spiritual Energy like crazy though," Riven noted as he felt the steady drain on his reserves. "But it’s pretty cool, not going to lie. Is it a Spirit then? No wait, what exactly are Spiritual Constructs?"

Ignias floated forward and hovered in front of the massive train. She noticed how the metallic glowing eyes of the construct followed her every movement and the gentle fluttering of her wings. "Spiritual Constructs are exactly what their name suggests—constructs forged from Spiritual Energy and Spirits themselves. You combine many of them along with Spirit Energy and sometimes Spiritual Treasures to create massive Constructs. These can range from something as simple as Formations and Magic Circles to Vehicles, Houses, Temples, Castles, Weapons, Armor, and even... entire Realms! Spiritual Realms, in theory, are themselves a type of Spiritual Construct. Did you know that?"

"Hoh..." Riven nodded slowly as he absorbed information he never could have learned on his own. "Did you dragons use them regularly?"

"Yes, fairly regularly. It is something only higher beings like us can create without years of dedicated work and resources," Ignias explained. "For ordinary mortals, such constructs are usually treated as the greatest treasures of their families or clans."

"Amazing..." Riven nodded again, still studying the flaming train. "Do you think it’s possible for me to make more of them?"

"As you are right now? Likely, but I would not recommend it. Concentrate on growing stronger on your own first," she advised firmly. "It is not something you are going to need for the time being... but I do remember something after seeing this. The other Ancient Dragons that left my world... they departed inside these giant Spiritual Constructs—Dragon Towers, Dragon Castles, or even Dragon Mountains. They are especially useful when moving between realms, worlds, or when traveling into the vastness of space."

"Ah..." Riven muttered, the scale of such possibilities settling over him. "No, that’s pretty... out of my current scope right now, yeah."

"I told you so," Ignias nodded in agreement. "Anyway, I would recommend unsummoning it for now. It is draining your spirit energy like crazy."

"I know..." he said, directing his will firmly toward the Spiritual Construct. "Disappear for now." He reached out and touched the side of the Purgatory Express. The entire giant train immediately dissolved into countless particles of red and yellow light mixed with drifting flames before vanishing completely from sight.

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