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

Chapter 2344: Oda Nobunaga’s Endless Castle [62]

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(A few minutes ago...)

"Everyone! Stop! Please stop! You have to wake up!"

Surtr kept screaming, calling out to the souls of his brothers and sisters. But they only roared back, their fiery red forms twisted into purple and black, corrupt spirits. Large black cursed runes appeared across their souls, and their power, once his ally, was now turned against him.

Ame-no-Koyane had completely caught Surtr off guard, seizing the souls of his family and turning them into weapons. His runes could rewrite the nature of reality, altering surroundings, living beings, and even souls themselves. With this terrifying power, the Kami had corrupted them using his runes and seals, exploiting the very souls Surtr relied on for his attacks.

This time, Surtr faced an enemy who could push him to his limits and even negate the power of his Ascendancy Law. His body was battered, riddled with wounds and gaping holes. His scales were falling away, and his regeneration faltered. He kept trying to reach his family, appealing to their souls, their consciousness, but nothing worked.

"They won’t listen to you. How many times must I say it? My runes and seals are the strongest in Zipangu—and now in Yggdrasil too!"

Ame-no-Koyane pointed his brush at Surtr, stroking his long beard with a confident smile.

"Destroy him!"

With a single command, dozens of spectral divine fire dragon souls surged toward Surtr, roaring as they unleashed breath attacks from every direction.

"Everyone! Stop!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Ame-no-Koyane smirked as Surtr’s silhouette emerged from the smoke. He looked even worse; miasma and dark flames burned across his body. His face was devastated, his eyes unfocused. He felt lost, sinking into despair. Most of his powers were unusable now, as they would only turn against him. He couldn’t bear to see more dragon souls corrupted, especially not his own mother.

"This battle will end soon, won’t it? Your spirits will serve me well, your soul and body too. I won’t waste a single piece."

FLAAASH!

Ame-no-Koyane swung his brush, painting in midair. Countless runes and seals manifested, forming a massive floating array of Kanji-like symbols. The formation rotated, overflowing with power.

"You’re not even moving. Have you lost the will to fight? I never imagined using these souls would affect you so deeply. Perhaps I overestimated you. Maybe the dragons of Yggdrasil aren’t so threatening after all. Hold him down!"

"Unnggh?!"

Surtr groaned as the monstrous specters of his family wrapped their tails around his limbs. Giant ethereal claws pinned him to the ground.

"Everyone...! Stop...! Stop this...!"

Tears streamed down Surtr’s face. He felt broken.

He wasn’t like Drake. Though he had trained hard and gained immense power, it was all thanks to his family. He had always relied on them. They had helped him defeat foes like the Savage Sun Venerable. Without them, he wouldn’t have become a Venerable at all.

"It will be over soon. Once it’s done, there will be no more pain. You’ll serve me well—as a powerful Jiangshi."

Ame-no-Koyane’s voice echoed through Surtr’s mind. Part of his consciousness drifted into another plane, the Realm of Fire Dragon Souls.

"Surtr, stop this at once!"

"If you don’t fight back, you’ll die!"

"It doesn’t matter how many of our souls you must sacrifice!"

"You have to keep fighting and win!"

"My son, please stop this!"

His brothers, sisters, and mother called out to him. He stood frozen in the fiery realm.

"But what if you get captured too?! I can’t risk that! I..."

"Damn it, Surtr! Is this how you’re going to act after everything we’ve been through?!"

Suddenly, the tallest of the Fire Dragons—aside from Muspel—stepped forward. A giant, fiery warrior, still respected among dragons.

Asmodeus.

BAAAM!

He kicked Surtr, sending him flying with a groan of pain.

"What are you doing, Surtr?! Stand up and fight!"

"I want to fight! But I don’t want you to become his slaves! What else can I do?!"

"Are you seriously asking me that?! After everything you’ve learned?!"

"But brother—"

"No buts! You have to fight and win, no matter what! That’s what it means to be a Fire Dragon. We are warriors at heart!"

"..."

"Asmodeus isn’t wrong, though he could’ve said it better," Muspel said, gazing at her son with sorrow. "Surtr, I know you’re young. You’ve been forced into terrible situations. I wish you could’ve lived a peaceful life, one without constant threats."

"Mother..."

"But you have a living family out there. Your wives—Nadia and Mina. Your children—Mirtr and Sudiartr. Your sister Lucia," Muspel smiled.

"That’s... right..." Surtr’s eyes widened.

His greatest weakness was his tendency to spiral into negative thoughts, forgetting everything else. It had happened before, when he thought Ignisefer had killed his wives, he lost control, even though they were still alive. If only he had looked around instead of jumping to conclusions...

"You’re too sensitive, my son. Very emotional. Traits from your past life," Muspel said. "But that’s what makes you special. That’s why we love you."

"You still have a long way to go, brother. I’m sure Drake would say the same," Asmodeus added.

"..."

"But you have to choose. What matters more? Us, who are already gone... or your family, waiting for you to return? Nadia and Mina must be worried."

"Nngh..."

Surtr shed a few tears, gritting his teeth. Slowly, he stood up.

The souls of his family gathered around him, fusing into his astral avatar, lending him their strength.

"We gave our souls because we wanted you to save our home—and this world."

"We believe in you."

"Don’t worry about us. We’re already dead."

"Tap into your soul. Into your dragon heart."

"Release it all. Fight without hesitation."

"You have to win, Surtr."

"Reach deep into your being, my son. I know you’ll awaken what you’ve been suppressing all this time!"

Muspel’s massive soul reached Surtr, fusing with him and granting even more power.

"You’ve got this, Surtr. No matter what happens to us—you must keep going. You must live."

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