Chapter 1339 New Spell and Broken Heart

Chapter 1339 New Spell and Broken Heart

As Michael sat atop the fallen dragon, catching his breath, a series of system notifications chimed in his head:

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for killing Malevolous, the Ancient dragon. The reward is 250,000 Experience points and 2 million Badass points]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully being a badass. The reward is 5 million Badass points]

[Warning! The Host may now choose one spell of choice from the system store for free]

Michael's exhaustion was momentarily forgotten as he processed these rewards. But before he could fully appreciate them, another notification appeared:

[Congratulations to host 'Michael' for leveling up. The current stage is Celestial Resonance Realm]

[Warning! The Host can reach this new stage upon return to the realm of gods. The system will go offline for four days during the breakthrough. The host must find a secluded spot for breaking through during these four days] Fôll0w current novÊls o/n n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(c/o/m)

A mix of excitement and concern washed over Michael. The rewards were substantial, and the promise of a new spell and cultivation level was enticing. However, the thought of the system going offline for four days during a crucial time was worrying.

"Well, isn't that just perfect timing," Michael muttered sarcastically. He knew he'd have to plan carefully to ensure he could safely undergo this breakthrough without leaving himself vulnerable to Skyhall's machinations.

As he pondered these developments, Michael's gaze drifted to Rowena, who was approaching the crater. He realized that despite the victory and rewards, their ordeal was far from over. They still needed to escape this pocket dimension and deal with the Skyhall elders.

At that moment, Michael stood atop Malevolous's massive head, a mix of exhilaration and fatigue coursing through him. The thrill of slaying his first ancient beast was intoxicating, a testament to his growing power as the God of Darkness.

However, amidst the triumph, a pang of loss struck him. The Doombringer, his trusty weapon since he first stepped into the role of Lucifer, was gone. It felt like losing an old friend, a companion that had seen him through countless battles.

"You served me well, old friend," Michael murmured, a moment of silence for the sacrificed weapon.

But he quickly shook off the melancholy. Now wasn't the time for sentimentality. There were more pressing matters at hand.

"Right, let's see what new toy I can get," he said, focusing on the system's spell store.

As he was about to browse through the available spells, Michael's mind raced with possibilities. He needed something powerful, versatile, and an area-of-effect spell that could turn the tide against Skyhall.

"Time to upgrade, get the hell out of this pocket dimension, and show Skyhall what happens when you piss off the God of Darkness," Michael muttered and turned to see the colossal corpse of Malevolous. The ancient dragon's body was a treasure trove of valuable materials - scales, bones, organs, each part potentially useful for potions, weapons, or magical artifacts.

"Damn, what a waste," he muttered, realizing the dragon's massive size made it impossible to store in his system storage.

The color drained from Rowena's face, leaving her ashen and ghostly. Her eyes, wide with disbelief, searched Michael's face for any sign that this was some cruel joke. But all she saw was grim truth. A maelstrom of emotions whirled within her - shock, disbelief, anger, grief, all crashing together in a devastating tsunami. Her legs felt weak, threatening to give out beneath her as the full weight of Michael's words sank in.

Noah, her little brother, the one she'd watched grow up, the one she'd protected and loved... was gone. And the one responsible was standing right in front of her, wearing the face of another brother she barely knew.

Tears welled up in Rowena's eyes, spilling over and streaming down her face. A flood of memories crashed through her mind - Noah's playful teasing, his unwavering love that pierced through her icy demeanor, shared meals filled with laughter, nights spent comforting him after nightmares. She remembered cradling him as a child, his small hands clinging to her, his bright eyes looking up at her with pure adoration.

The weight of these memories, now tainted with the knowledge that they were all that remained of her beloved brother, was too much to bear. Something inside Rowena snapped.

With a cry of anguish, she slapped Michael across the face. The sound echoed through the pocket dimension, sharp and startling.

But it wasn't enough. She slapped him again. And again. And again.

Each strike was fueled by her grief, her anger, her disbelief. The sound of flesh hitting flesh punctuated her sobs, a physical manifestation of her emotional agony.

"How could you?!" she screamed between slaps, her voice raw with pain. "He was our brother! How could you do this?!"

Rowena's assault continued, her hand reddening from the impact, but she didn't stop. It was as if by striking Michael, she could somehow undo what had been done, as if she could bring Noah back through the sheer force of her grief and rage.

On the other hand, Michael stood there, accepting each slap without resistance. He knew this wouldn't bring Noah back or ease Rowena's pain, but it was the least he could do. Each strike was a testament to the depth of her grief, a pain he could understand even if he didn't share it.

Although Michael had never developed the brotherly bond with Rowena or Noah that they shared with each other, he wasn't blind to their love. He could see it in Rowena's shattered composure, in the way her usual icy demeanor had crumbled into raw, unrestrained emotion.

"Why?" Rowena screamed, her palm connecting with Michael's cheek again. "Why did you kill him?" Another slap. "Why?" And another.

Each "why" was punctuated by a strike, her voice growing hoarser with each repetition. Her usually composed features were contorted with anguish, tears streaming down her face unchecked.

Michael stood firm, accepting each blow. He watched as the normally unflappable Rowena broke down completely, her pain manifesting in this physical outburst. Her fists began to pound against his chest as her energy waned, but still she persisted.

"Why, Dean? Why?" she sobbed, her strikes becoming weaker but no less filled with pain.

"It was Skyhall and Salesi's manipulation—" Michael took a deep breath, attempting to explain. His words were cut short by another stinging slap from Rowena. Her eyes blazed with fury, her weakness the only thing preventing her from unleashing magical fury upon him.

"Were they the ones who put a sword through his heart?" she demanded, her voice trembling with rage. Deep down, she knew only family could have killed Noah, but the question hung in the air, demanding an answer.

Michael's silence spoke volumes, confirming her worst fears. Rowena's face contorted with a mixture of grief and disgust as she looked at him.

"I was wrong," she spat, her voice dripping with venom. "I was wrong to believe you weren't the cursed child, that you weren't the Dark Lord destined to bring pain and destruction. But that's exactly what you are. You're nothing but a curse upon this world, upon our family."