Epic of Ice Dragon: Reborn As An Ice Dragon With A System

Chapter 2342: Oda Nobunaga’s Endless Castle [60]

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(A few minutes earlier...)

"Ugh..."

Amethyst gasped for air, visibly exhausted. Her body appeared cracked, with pieces of her crystal scales falling to the ground. She was bleeding profusely, tattered, and on the verge of collapse.

Yet her eyes burned with unwavering determination, fueled by the resolve Drake had instilled in her through rigorous training. Amethyst was no longer a reckless fool. She had become a warrior, her strength honed through relentless practice and real battles.

She had even avenged herself, despite Jord’s absence. Amethyst was confident a way out existed.

There was always a way, after all.

"Amethyst, listen closely. No foe is invincible. As long as your powers aren’t vastly disparate, like a mortal against a god, there will always be a path to victory. The more abilities and techniques you master, and the further you advance in your cultivation, the greater your chances of finding that path become."

"Some battles are grueling, incredibly so... but every enemy has weaknesses. You must engage your opponent while studying them—their speech, their fighting style, their demeanor. Everything can be turned against them. With persistent training and growth, victory will always be within reach, no matter how distant it seems."

Amethyst smiled, recalling Drake’s words from the day before they journeyed to Vanaheim, only to be ensnared in a Singularity and thrust into a war that would determine Yggdrasil’s fate.

"You smile despite teetering on the edge of death? I must commend your courage, young dragon. You are indeed a warrior."

A titan of stone advanced, his palms clasped as if in prayer. Despite his stone composition, he bore a humanoid form, strikingly resembling a bald Tibetan monk.

"Of course I am, you vile bastard..."

Amethyst summoned her Archetype’s powers, which flickered due to the damage she had endured, gripping her sword tightly.

"My name is Ōyamatsumi, not ’bastard.’ Please remember it. Now, young soul, it is time to rest. I pray for your soul, hoping you may repent and ascend to heaven."

The titan stepped forward, the ground trembling with each stride. The earth beneath Amethyst rumbled as giant stone pillars surged to attack her, while Ōyamatsumi charged, his massive stone palms radiating divine heaven and earth essence.

BOOOM!

As the pillars erupted and the Kami lunged to seize her, Amethyst soared into the skies. Having fallen victim to this combination four times, she anticipated it and refused to be caught again.

"Hmph!"

Yet Ōyamatsumi swiftly manipulated the ground within his powerful Dominion, where all terrain was an extension of his power. A towering pillar elevated him toward Amethyst in an instant, his giant palms rushing at her.

"You’ve done that before, haven’t you?!"

Amethyst swung her sword at him. Ōyamatsumi smiled confidently, having blocked that small blade with his palms previously—it posed no threat...

Or so he thought.

"{Celestial Diamond Hammer}!"

RUMBLE!

Her sword absorbed Yuki’s blood and crystallized scales, transforming into a crimson, yellow, and orange hammer. It struck Ōyamatsumi’s head with blinding speed, anticipating his ascending assault.

"Wha...?!"

CRAAASH!

The Kami felt countless cracks spread across his head. His crystal eyes shattered, and he crashed to the ground with a thunderous rumble.

Amethyst smirked—she had finally landed a blow!

"It took me a while to master this... Modifying an Archetype Weapon is no simple feat!"

Yet Yuki had discovered a technique, hardening her blood and soul and infusing them into the sword to temporarily reshape it.

She solidified her soul slightly, enduring the pain, and realized the extraordinary resilience of her crystallized soul.

Nevertheless, the battle was far from over.

"Commendable, but can you anticipate this, young soul?"

Ōyamatsumi clasped his palms, causing the entire Dominion to quake. Giant stone pillars surged from every angle.

Amethyst darted downward, her body fragmenting as she fired her crystal scales as projectiles, shedding them without hesitation. Her form grew significantly lighter.

FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!

With agile midair maneuvers, Amethyst deftly evaded the incoming stone pillars, astonishing Ōyamatsumi. She then charged downward, her legs brimming with energy.

"TAKE THIS!"

CRAAASH!

"GUUUHH?!"

Ōyamatsumi barely caught her foot with his giant palms, attempting to push back, and began to succeed...

He swiftly grabbed her other leg, lifting her to slam her into the ground, as he had done before. Without her scales, her slender frame was more vulnerable.

But Amethyst was far from defeated.

"Not again!"

Her body suddenly became a hundred times heavier, catching Ōyamatsumi off-guard. His real eyes widened within the hollow sockets.

"{Celestial Body and Soul Crystallization}!"

FLAAASH!

"UUGH?!"

Ōyamatsumi’s arms cracked under Amethyst’s immense weight, shattering before he could slam her down!

He gasped in disbelief, attempting to regenerate his arms, only for Amethyst to shift, lightening her body and kicking his chin with both legs, using her arms to propel herself from the ground.

CRAAASH!

"AAAGH?!"

Ōyamatsumi could scarcely comprehend the onslaught as Amethyst twisted her body around his neck, shattering his stone neck and constricting tightly.

"Y-YOU! S-STOP...! ACK! AAGH!"

Ōyamatsumi groaned in agony, struggling to breathe as Amethyst held firm, capitalizing on his armless state.

"RAAAHHH!"

Amethyst’s legs crystallized to their utmost, her bones, blood, and muscles solidifying, making them a hundred times heavier and immensely durable.

Crack, crack...!

CRAAASH!

"UGGH?!"

Ōyamatsumi groaned in torment as his entire head shattered and detached from his body, his neck obliterated.

"GOTCHA!"

Amethyst grinned, spotting Ōyamatsumi’s true form within—a human-like god, merely twenty meters tall compared to his hundred-meter stone body.

He resembled a bald man with tanned skin and closed eyes; his face contorted in panic as he saw Amethyst’s triumphant grin.

"H-HOW DARE YOU!"

Ōyamatsumi felt humiliated, his massive stone body crumbling as his true form broke free from Amethyst’s grip and reached the ground, raising his hands.

"You won’t escape this!"

"What’s wrong? Are you scared now? Did you rely too much on your stone body?!"

Amethyst blitzed toward him, shedding her scales and deactivating her crystallization for an immense speed boost. Her body turned ethereal, radiating light.

FLASH!

"Aaahhh!"

Ōyamatsumi screamed in panic, directing his hands at her and summoning gigantic stone fists from the ground!

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