Chapter 92: Necross Dragon

Amphere Harrison

Nox's power emerges with overwhelming force, a mere gesture conjuring a nuclear shockwave from thin air. The sheer magnitude of that radioactive gust could easily prove fatal should anyone become ensnared by its reach. After all, Nox is the herald from the Underworld, embodying unparalleled might.

However, a wry thought lingers - Rudolf and Estoff might have brushed off the radiations' effects unscathed. As zombies, they possess a certain immunity to such hazards.

"We stand no chance confronting him alone!" Rudolf's resounding cry reverberates endlessly, a proclamation of their dire situation. "Kyrie!"

From above, the resplendent Chaos Dragon, cloaked in a shroud of dark flames, descends in a surge of power. Its claws extend ominously, launching an unyielding assault upon the knight of the netherworld. Nox maneuvers adeptly, dodging the initial onslaught, yet succumbs to the barrage of the third, fourth, and fifth scorching slashes.

"DRACARYX!!!" Estoff's voice resounds, laden with authority. "Invoke the Crusader Arrow!"

In this critical juncture, the fallen leader of the terrorists channels energy into a white astral bow, its luminescence matching the vigor of the charged arrow. Three shots pierce Nox's repulsive flesh armor, detonating upon impact. The ensuing explosion takes form as a majestic golden cross.

As the incandescent remnants dissipate, Nox's once-formidable armor lies in tatters, a fragment shielding only his upper right shoulder. Yet, the assault remains unrelenting. Rudolf channels his innermost energy, arms raised in preparation. "DRACARYX!!! Activate the Sword of Eternal Light!"

A torrent of hundreds of resplendent golden swords descends from the obsidian heavens, striking with lightning precision at the underworld messiah. They impale his arms, shoulders, neck, legs, feet, and ultimately his heart. The coup de grâce arrives as the final sword finds its mark within Nox's brain, rendering him immobile but astonishingly alive. This man, it appears, is an indomitable force, untouched by mortality's grip.

Yet, even a semblance of motion becomes elusive for him. The Swords of Eternal Light have achieved their primary purpose - impalement rather than destruction - rendering him entirely immobilized.

Despite his predicament, the sinister messenger's consciousness remains intact. His malevolent grin widens as our trio approaches, and his blood-red eyes, fixed upon me, radiate an unsettling intensity. Perplexingly, his gaze remains affixed on me, despite my minimal involvement in this harrowing clash.

"Surprising, isn't it? Your mastery of Dracaryx's power, fueled by love, has exceeded my expectations. But my triumph is already etched in stone," he taunts.

As we raise our gazes, the disquieting red planet above unveils its ring, reminiscent of Saturn's celestial adornment. The snow-covered landscape beneath us succumbs to a thaw, and portions of the earth are wrenched away, transformed into suspended islands. Concurrently, the temperature escalates ominously as the nexus between the underworld and the planet inches closer. Dread washes over me - has the threshold of casualties been reached?

"Necross!"

A breathless yet resolute voice pierces the tumult. Dragunov descends slowly to the entrance, his exertion evident in his panting breaths. Despite his fatigue, his voice resounds with unwavering clarity. "The ritual approaches completion! A solitary death remains!"

Nox's mocking laughter interjects, and in the blink of an eye, his corporeal form dissolves into ash. A disconcerting twist reveals the dark messiah now aligned with the nefarious duke. Astonishingly, even encased by Dracaryx's seal, he commands arcane forces. A torrent of effort seemingly squandered. Ah, but then again, it was Rudolf and Estoff who bore the brunt of this struggle.

"I propose that Amphere Harrison should be our final conquest," Nox suggests, a sinister grin playing across his lips. "Let the culmination commence!"

"Of course, my Lord Necross," Dragunov acquiesces with a respectful bow, hand placed solemnly upon his chest. Abruptly, an eerie, peculiar dark luminescence emanates from both their chests. "Initiating Vesryn Pulse!"

From the abyssal expanse that now claims a quarter of the sky, a searing crimson beam of light pierces the heavens, converging upon the two malevolent figures. The radiance is so intense that we are compelled to shield our eyes.

As the brilliance gradually subsides, an unholy dread settles in our veins. Our toes tremble involuntarily, and an icy shiver courses down our spines. Before us stands an incarnation of terror, the zenith of the messiah's dominion.

Standing a staggering hundred meters tall, the creature is adorned in dark diamond scales, a formidable armor shielding its form. The accursed numeral, the mark of the beast, is etched upon its forehead, fiery eyes, and chest. With a robust physique, the dread underworld dragon boasts razor-sharp claws and a brawny build, surpassing all recorded dragons in sheer might. Twelve ominous, feathery wings extend from its massive frame, while its tail spans the length of three railway trains. Crowned with ten devilish horns, it bears an eerie semblance to a sinister diadem.

This entity rightfully christens itself the Necross Dragon.

Beyond its ominous attributes, it wields the very flesh-sword once brandished by Nox, though this iteration dwarfs its predecessor at a staggering eighty meters in length.

"YOUR EXISTENCE SHALL NOW BE EXTINGUISHED FROM THIS REALM!!!"

Necross's words reverberated through the channels of telepathy, a communication that left my head throbbing in response. Raising my gaze to the heavens, I beheld the fleshy broadsword hurtling toward our position. Instinct propelled me onto my Chimeratech Dragon, my comrades following suit on their respective mounts. We embarked on a desperate flight, but our efforts proved futile against the broadsword's peculiar air pressure, which sucked us inescapably toward the impending impact. The forces resisting liftoff were insurmountable.

Just as despair seemed to eclipse us entirely, an unexpected savior emerged. A colossal portal tore open the sky, ushering forth an airship that rammed into the chest of the gargantuan super demon. The collision resulted in the utter decimation of the airship's front hull. Could it be the S.S. Liberty?

The cataclysmic impact forced the colossal demon to plummet, its trajectory guiding it toward the demonic cathedral below. Debris erupted into a chaotic frenzy, and billowing smoke obscured the scene. Shielded by Airi, I remained oblivious to the ensuing chaos, safeguarded from the onslaught of airborne projectiles. All I could discern was the Necross Dragon's descent.

In the wake of the tumult's subsidence, I dispelled the Vesryn Pulse, allowing Airi to revert to her humanoid form, as our usefulness had been compromised for those critical moments. Similarly, Rudolf and Estoff underwent the same transformation. Evidently, Kyrie and Elumina had reached their limits within this relentless battle.

"Task Force Libera has descended!" General Holster's proclamation resonated, his landing accompanied by the united presence of the squad. A collective assembly of forces including Richard, Cleru, Jasmine, Iris, and the entire cadre of dragon knights stood before us. Remarkably, our ranks remained unscathed, devoid of casualties. A glimmer of hope amidst the abyss.

Yet, the daunting question lingers - how do we vanquish an immortal behemoth, a demonic dragon that rivals the very essence of Satan? Conventional methods of containment or brute force seem ineffectual against such an overwhelming adversary.

"I've hatched a plan, believe it or not!" Airi chimed in with an uncharacteristically upbeat tone. "Why not employ Requiem Aeternam?"

An appealing notion, no doubt, but a critical oversight mars her proposition. In response, a feeble karate chop from me lands on my girlfriend's head, prompting an endearing groan from her. "Silly girl. I can't execute it yet. The cooldown extends for seven days, and we're just on the sixth day since I last used it, against your ex."

My attention shifts to Exceria, who's been lingering behind me. She maintains a bowed posture, seemingly burdened with self-imposed blame for our inability to wield Vesryn Pulse or Dracaryx.

"You're the true goofball, totally!" Airi teases, prodding my right cheek. "Remember? Vesryn bestowed all her powers upon me."