1338 First Ancient Dragon Slain
As Michael plunged his sword deeper into Malevolous's heart, a torrent of thick, crimson blood erupted from the wound. The liquid was so dark it almost appeared black, gushing forth with tremendous force.
"Holy shit!" Michael gasped as the blood splashed across his face, nearly drowning him in its volume.
The colossal heart, still beating despite the grievous injury, pumped out gallons of blood with each labored contraction. Michael found himself struggling to keep his footing, the sheer quantity of the fluid threatening to sweep him away.
Steam rose from Michael's armor as the dragon's blood made contact. The heat was intense, far beyond what normal blood should be. Michael's face felt like it was on fire, the skin blistering and peeling away almost instantly.
"Fuck, that burns!" he growled through gritted teeth.
His Automatic Potion Dispenser kicked into overdrive, flooding his system with healing potions. The device whirred and clicked, working frantically to repair the damage caused by the blood's intense heat and acidity.
Michael's flesh knitted back together almost as quickly as it was burned away, but the pain was excruciating. He realized with grim clarity that a dragon's blood, especially that of an ancient beast like Malevolous, was no joke. It was a weapon in its own right, capable of melting through armor and flesh alike.
"Should've... brought... goggles," Michael muttered, blinking furiously to clear his vision.
Despite the agony, he maintained his grip on the sword, determined to see this through. From her vantage point, Rowena watched the brutal scene unfold with a mixture of awe and horror. A chill ran down her spine as she witnessed the sheer violence of the confrontation.
Even from a distance, she could feel the intense heat radiating from the dragon's blood. The sizzling sound of Michael's armor and flesh being burned filled the air, audible even over Malevolous's agonized roars.
"My God," Rowena whispered, her eyes wide with disbelief.
She watched as the massive dragon trembled, its entire body convulsing in agony. Each movement sent waves of scorching blood cascading over Michael, who somehow managed to maintain his position despite the onslaught.
The ground beneath Malevolous shook with each of its death throes. Cracks spread across the frozen landscape, steam rising from where the dragon's blood touched the icy ground.
Rowena found herself holding her breath, her heart pounding in her chest. The sight of her brother - this god she barely knew - locked in mortal combat with an ancient dragon was almost too much to comprehend.
"Come on, Dean," she muttered, her fists clenched at her sides. "Finish it."
Despite the grievous wound in its heart, Malevolous refused to succumb. With a roar that shook the very foundations of the pocket dimension, the dragon cursed Michael.
"You... insignificant... gnat!" Malevolous bellowed, each word accompanied by a spray of scorching blood.
Summoning its remaining strength, the dragon flapped its massive wings. The ice encasing them shattered with a sound like breaking glass, raining frozen shards onto the ground below.
Still clinging to his sword embedded in the dragon's heart, Michael found himself suddenly airborne. From her position on the ground, Rowena watched in disbelief as the titanic struggle took to the air. Her eyes widened as she traced their path across the sky.
"Oh my..." she gasped, her voice barely a whisper.
Michael's skin felt like it was on fire, every nerve ending screaming in agony. His godly constitution was being pushed to its absolute limits. The combination of the dragon's internal heat, the friction from their insane velocity, and the caustic blood created an environment that would have instantly vaporized any mortal foolish enough to be in his position.
"Fuck, this is intense," Michael growled through clenched teeth, his words almost lost in the roaring wind.
His armor, designed to withstand godly battles, was beginning to warp and buckle under the extreme conditions. Pieces of it were peeling away, unable to withstand the hellish temperatures and air pressure.
If it had been anyone else - even a being at the celestial stage - they would have been ripped to shreds in seconds. Flesh would have been stripped from bone, and bone would have disintegrated into ash. The fact that Michael was not only surviving but maintaining his grip on the sword was a testament to his divine nature.
The world around them became a blur, the landscape below rushing up to meet them at a terrifying speed. Michael could feel the very air molecules splitting around them, creating a visible shockwave as they neared the sound barrier.
"Come on, you overgrown lizard," Michael snarled, pushing more dark energy into his sword. "Just die already!"
As Michael clung to his sword, battling against the incredible forces threatening to tear him apart, a familiar chime rang in his head:
[Ding! The Host is close to slaying first Ancient Beast. Successful slaying of the dragon will grant one free spell from the system spell store.]
Despite the excruciating pain and the dire situation, Michael felt a surge of excitement. It had been far too long since he'd added a new spell to his arsenal, and he knew he desperately needed an area-of-effect spell to round out his abilities.
"Now that's some goddamn motivation," Michael grinned through the pain.
The spells available in the system were incredibly powerful, and this freebie couldn't have come at a better time. With the full force of Skyhall looming on the horizon, a new, devastating spell could be the edge he needed.
[Choose wisely, Host. This opportunity may significantly impact future confrontations.]
"No pressure," Michael muttered, redoubling his efforts to finish off the dragon.
With renewed vigor, Michael channeled an even greater torrent of dark flames through his sword. He then unsheathed his second dark sword, plunging it into Malevolous's heart alongside the first. The twin blades tore through muscle and sinew, shredding the massive organ with terrifying efficiency.
Malevolous let out a bone-chilling roar, its voice filled with agony and despair. As more blood gushed from its wounds, the dragon's strength began to falter. Its ability to cast spells waned, leaving it with nothing but its rapidly diminishing physical prowess.
"This ends now!" Michael shouted, twisting both blades.
The dragon's flight became erratic, then ceased altogether. They plummeted towards the ground, picking up speed with each passing second. The landscape below rushed up to meet them, growing larger by the moment.
With a earth-shattering impact, dragon and god crashed into the ground. The collision sent out a massive shockwave, flattening the surrounding area and kicking up a thick cloud of dust and debris. A crater, easily a mile wide, formed at the point of impact.
Rowena, having seen the plummeting figures, limped towards the newly formed crater. The ground beneath her feet was cracked and uneven, making her progress slow and painful.
As she approached, she could see nothing but billowing smoke and dust. The air was thick with the acrid smell of blood and scorched earth. Flashes of residual dark energy crackled through the haze, creating an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere.
Slowly, the smoke began to clear. In the center of the devastation, a massive form began to take shape - the broken body of Malevolous. And there, standing atop the dragon's head, was Michael.