Roxana Volcaria stood alone in the heart of a barren wasteland, far from the safety of the Celestial Academy, her sharp gaze locked on the darkening sky above. The air crackled with raw, unstable energy, and an ominous tension spread through the atmosphere. Thunder Tribulation was on its way.The overwhelming surge of power from absorbing the Volcanic Dragon Core had pushed her to the brink of a breakthrough—from six-star to seven-star. Her mana was overflowing, and the only thing standing between her and her next level was the trial by storm that awaited her.
That's why she had left the academy so fast. No one could be around for this.
Dark clouds gathered, swirling above her like a predator circling its prey. Lightning flashed ominously in the distance, the rumbling of thunder growing louder with each second.
Roxana smirked, her lips curling as she felt the energy in the air shift, the storm preparing to strike. "Come on, then," she muttered, her voice low and filled with confidence. Her eyes gleamed with a mixture of excitement and anticipation.
She had faced tribulations before—she knew exactly what was coming.
The first thunder strike came down like a spear of light, aimed directly at her. Roxana didn't flinch. The lightning hit her squarely, but it was little more than a tingle against her skin. She felt the surge of energy but remained unaffected. Searᴄh the novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
She let out a soft chuckle, amusement playing across her face. "Is that all you've got?"
The second strike came faster, fiercer. It cracked against her, but her body barely registered the hit. The third followed quickly behind it, then the fourth, the lightning growing stronger with each one, the strikes hitting her like a drumbeat from the sky.
Still, Roxana stood firm, her smirk never leaving her face.
"Come on, I'm not here to play with you," she muttered, rolling her shoulders as if shaking off the last bits of static clinging to her skin.
By the time the fifth strike hit, the ground around her was charred and smoking, but Roxana had barely broken a sweat. She could feel the immense power coursing through her veins, the flames of the Volcanic Dragon Core roaring within her.
But Roxana knew better than to let her guard down.
Her eyes narrowed, a spark of anticipation flickering in their depths as she glanced up at the dark clouds swirling ominously above her. The air had grown heavy, electric with raw power. She could feel it in her bones—the real challenge was about to begin.
"The sixth strike is the real test," she muttered to herself, her expression hardening. There was no room for overconfidence now.
With a determined breath, she activated her Volcanic Dragon Transformation without hesitation. Her body began to shift, bones cracking and muscles bulging as her form morphed into something far more fearsome—a perfect blend of human and dragon.
Dark red scales, like molten armor, spread across her skin, glowing with intense heat. Her hands extended into sharp, menacing claws, gleaming with a fiery edge.
From her back, massive wings unfurled, casting a shadow over the scorched ground beneath her. Twin horns curved sharply from her forehead, giving her a predatory appearance.
She was no longer just Roxana—she was something else entirely. A living, breathing force of nature.
The sky seemed to recognize her transformation, rumbling in response as the sixth thunder strike began to descend. It was unlike the others—charged with a power so intense that even the ground trembled beneath her feet. Roxana's eyes blazed with fury and determination.
"Come here!" she roared up at the heavens, her voice thunderous and filled with defiance.
The lightning tore through the sky, hitting her with a force that would have obliterated anyone else. This time, the strike left its mark.
The searing energy coursed through her, ripping at her body with a pain that was almost unbearable. Roxana gritted her teeth, her dragon claws digging into the earth as the sheer intensity of the thunder tribulation tried to break her.
Her fiery scales crackled under the pressure, the heat radiating from her body clashing with the energy from the sky. Pain surged through her veins, her muscles tightening with the effort it took to stay upright.
"Is that all you've got?" she hissed through clenched teeth, refusing to show weakness. Sweat poured down her face, evaporating almost instantly in the heat of the moment. But her eyes never wavered—they stayed locked on the storm above, burning with fierce resolve.
Her dragon form glowed with fiery resistance, the power of the Volcanic Dragon Core roaring within her, fueling her strength. She had prepared for this. She knew it would hurt, but pain wasn't enough to bring her down. Not today.
With a deep breath, Roxana forced herself to stand tall, her wings flaring out behind her as the energy from the sixth strike finally began to fade. Her body trembled, but she remained firm, her breath coming in ragged gasps as the storm around her seemed to calm.
Breathing heavily, she glanced up at the sky, expecting the tribulation to be over.
"That's it?" she muttered, a slight smirk tugging at her lips. But before she could fully recover, the air around her shifted once again, and her expression immediately changed.
The sky darkened even more, and a new presence loomed above her—a presence far more dangerous than anything she'd felt before.
Roxana's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait... what?"
A sense of dread washed over her as the clouds began to churn with even greater ferocity. She felt the pressure building above her, far worse than anything she had prepared for.
"Dammit!" she cursed under her breath, her expression twisted with frustration. "A seventh strike?"
Her heart raced, adrenaline pumping through her as she braced herself for the final, unexpected blow. Her claws flexed, and her wings tensed, preparing for what was about to come.
"Why didn't anyone tell me about this?" she growled, her voice a mix of anger and determination. There was no turning back now—no running from this final test.
As the sky roared with unrestrained power, the seventh thunder strike gathered, its energy crackling with terrifying force. Roxana could feel it building, bearing down on her like the weight of the world itself.
She gritted her teeth, her body tensing as she readied herself for the strike. "Come on, Roxana," she muttered to herself. "You've got this. Just hold on."
And then, with a deafening crack, the seventh thunder strike descended, aiming straight for her.