Chapter 376 The Well, Part 2/3

The cloud of smoke with purple light flickering inside flew through the tunnel like a fireball. The dragon hidden within it could feel the growing concentration of the mana before him, making him increasingly nervous, 'Baptism of elements....'

The pulsing point of mana in the distance was getting closer and closer, all the mana flowing and falling towards it like matter and light into a black hole. Its magic radiation pierced through the walls as if they were made of thin paper.

The purple-black flames lit up in his mouth, and his breath descended upon the tunnel. The fiery wave swept through the crowds of monsters. Their bodies incinerated within the fiery storm and turned into ash only to freeze a split second later, the quick shift in temperature pulverizing even the ash.

[+350XP]

[+900XP]

[+1200XP]

Ding!

//

Quest accomplished!

Rating: B

Reward: 2 X Instant level up; 10 X Water Elemental Cores; 10 X Wind Elemental Cores; 10 X Fire Elemental Cores; 10 X Darkness Elemental Cores;

//

Ding!

//

You are now level 97

All stats increased!

+5 stat points

+1 ability point

//

He could already see his destination.

The single humanoid figure hovered above the swirling vortex of the mysterious liquid. It spun and rotated, falling into a massive abyss-like hole in massive waterfalls.

Billions of glowing droplets rose, entering the mage's body like a reverse gravity rain.

'This time I will not let you run away.'

The mage said nothing and waved his staff silently, and the air crackled.

A thick, blue beam of mana shot forward, glowing like thousands of suns, and Its blue radiance erased all the shadows.

Vesuvius reacted in a split second and tilted his wings as he rolled sideways. His armor gleamed under the blue light as the short pulse of the beam narrowly passed by him. The waves of energy washed over him, the surface of his armor disintegrating and causing him weak pain.

'I need to get closer, for my ring to work.'

The dragon's ring itched on his claws, lightning crackled around him as he speeded up, and the dungeon turned into a blur.

The blue light on the tip of the mage's stuff intensified again, and the next moment as if a frame was skipped, a bright blue ray of mana burst out again, heading straight at the dragon.

'Until now he couldn't predict my actions. So that likely means it is hard to do it fast enough or maybe there are some other limitations to it.'

The space warped around him, and magic runes lit up before him, spinning in a double-ring shape. A giant portal opened in his path, swallowing his entire body as if he was a train entering a tunnel.

Instantly his vision shifted, and the mage was only a few hundred meters away as the dragon flew out the thin air while keeping his velocity. The shockwaves of the burst ray's impact still reached him, accompanied by a loud rumbling and a flash of light.

'Now! Copy the time magic power!' His goal was right within his grasp, his greed growing stronger with each meter he passed.

The dragon's ring glowed slightly, making the dragon's two hearts pound like the bells of a cathedral.

Ding!

//

Warning, the learned ability is too dangerous!

The copied power is outside the system's scope

The attempt to copy and learn it was blocked

Please choose a different power to clone

//

'No, don't do this to me, system! You have said nothing about this beforehand! This is simply scamming me. This wasn't part of the description! You are trying to cheat me, system!'

Ding!

//

Your case was submitted to the administrator

Please wait for the end of the investigation

//

The mage vanished again, leaving behind only an empty space. However, Vesuvius immediately sensed him as he reappeared higher than before, the crystal on the tip of his staff brightly shining like a miniature star.

Suddenly the black shadow of the reaper appeared right behind the mage, looming over him with its double height like a giant shadow of death. The scythe gleamed in deadly purple light as it swished through the air so quickly that even the dragon could only see its purple, blurry afterimages.

The mage vanished again and reappeared even further away. However, the reaper still loomed above him, and the terrifying aura and domain of death spread through the cave, the scythe's blade quickly approaching the mage's neck.

'What is this power?'

Vesuvius felt the mortal's terror and horror as he vanished again. The dragon's eyes shone as the mortal and reaper appeared and vanished, repeatedly, every second, with each jump, the blade of the scythe getting closer and closer.

He wanted to strike his throat, throbbing him to unleash his breath, but he kept his cool and remained on halt, 'Their movement is too unpredictable. If I attack now, I will also hit the reaper.'

"Death is absolute mortal. You can run, but you can't outrun it. Eventually, it will catch up to you." The reaper's monotone and cold voice boomed through the dungeon, passing through walls and space.

'So, the saying was true. A reaper's scythe is like fate, it is unavoidable.'

The world slowed down, and the scythe, the flapping of the dragon's wings, and even the glowing river's current turned to a crawl. The reaper and the mage resurfaced in the distance, the reaper moving in slow motion.

'Again this one.'

The crystal on the tip of the mage's staff pulsed, and a searing, blue wave of mana exploded from his body as if he had turned into a supernova. It slowly expanded out like an inflating balloon. Its bright shine, and energy annihilated everything it touched as it expanded outwards.

Everything happened so fast that the dragon could just observe from the distance as the reaper vanished within the wave of energy.

The dragon opened his mouth, fire and all his elements gathering in his throat. The air warped before him, and a bright glow lit up the cave as if he had swallowed a sun.

Mana and divine energy flowed into his breath glands.

However, the next second the expanding sphere of blue energy turned into sparkling dust, revealing the menacing form of the reaper with the scythe brightly shining in purple light.

'Did, the mana just rotted away?! This is bending the concept of rot too far, I think. It is one thing to incinerate mana, but to rot it?'

Even the dragon felt dread as he watched it, making him realize he still lacked in power, 'This reaper should be equivalent to a dragon lord like me. However, they are an ancient being that lived for who knows how long. Their raw power, experience, and tricks are incomparable with mine. I need more power!'

It was as if someone had poured cold water on his head. Until now, he planned to wage war against the world, but now he realized how wrong he was.

'If I provoke angels too much and will have to face an angel of the highest order like the seven great virtues or lesser virtues, I will have no chance. I will probably die so fast I wouldn't even know what happened. Even this mage is the proof of me underestimating mortals.'

He no longer felt like a dragon lord. He felt like just some discount, cheap version of a dragon lord, 'I though I was finally strong enough. However, I was wrong.'

"No!" The mage appeared one last time, the scythe's blade only a hair's width away from his neck. His glowing green eyes locked with the dragon's, filled with ancient fury.

The spinning vortex below the dragon burst, and the glowing liquid shot out like someone had detonated a giant charge on its bottom. The liquid reached the dragon and swallowed him down.