Chapter 26: Pursuit and Spell
The scene before him was utterly different from what he had seen earlier. Where once the air had been scorching, now it was darker, colder—almost suffocating in its depth. The cavern opened into what felt like a miniature world, vast and unforgiving, with jagged, treacherous terrain and rock formations covered in strange, otherworldly flora.
Kai Xiusu recognized a few of the plants—Spore Mushroom, Algae Dust, Mad Frog’s Horn—all of which thrived only in the deepest, most remote reaches of the underworld. Faint glows emanated from Luminous Rock, Nightlight Crystals, and patches of Bioluminescent Moss, Lichen, and Fungi, casting a dim, ghostly light across the chamber. Clusters of Unknown Crystals lined the cliffsides, pulsing with eerie blue luminescence, tinging the surrounding stone a deep, velvety indigo.
“This… is the Underdark?”
“No.”
The depth here was far beyond any natural cave system. This was the true Underdark—the shadowed, hidden realm beneath the surface, a world unknown to surface dwellers. Yet this section of the Bottomless Grotto seemed sealed off, disconnected from the rest of the subterranean network. It wasn’t a natural formation—it felt crafted, unnatural, a pocket universe forged in darkness.
The Red Dragon extended his forked tongue, savoring the air with his hyper-acute senses, tasting the faint trails of pheromones suspended in the stillness. At last, he caught it—familiar, unmistakable. The scent of Azure-Footed Dragon Serpent’s blood.
His gaze locked onto a corner of the rock wall, where the glow of a Nightlight Crystal revealed a patch of color different from the rest. There, smeared across the stone, were faint traces of blue-tinged blood. Following the trail would be effortless.
“I’ve found you.”
“Azure-Footed Dragon Serpent.”
This time, he would not let his prey escape. One strike. One kill.
Kai Xiusu had just emerged from a grueling battle, his Spell slots drained. Now, he channeled the raw power of Arcane Surge, drawing upon its strength to restore his magical reserves. A surge of arcane energy flooded his body.
“Invisibility Spell.”
He whispered the incantation, and the seven-meter-long form of the Red Dragon vanished once more into the shadows.
In a secluded corner, the Azure-Footed Dragon Serpent lay weak, licking at its wounds. Once seventeen meters long, its body now barely reached ten. Its rear end was no longer a tail, but a jagged, monstrous wound—a brutal, gaping gash. Exposed muscle, shattered organs, and a steady stream of glowing blue blood seeped from the injury. The damage was catastrophic.
If no miracle occurred, the serpent would never fully recover. It would spend the rest of its life healing slowly, crippled—forever a broken relic of its former self, despite still possessing seven pairs of powerful limbs.
“Damn you, Dragon…” it muttered, its voice a raspy whisper.
The thought of the one responsible—the strange, sorcerous Dragon—sent waves of rage through its being. Bloodline hatred, deep and primal, mingled with the fury of its wounds. It had never nested in places where other dragons dwelled. If a dragon dared build a nest within fifty miles of its territory, it would be forced to destroy it—either by killing or driving it out. Only when the threat was too great would it retreat, seeking a new home.
This was the second time in its long life it had been forced to flee.
A sudden, unnatural breeze brushed the dark rock wall. The Azure-Footed Dragon Serpent shuddered.
This feeling…
For no reason it could name, a deep, instinctive tremor wracked its soul. Instinct screamed danger. It reared up instantly, seven pairs of limbs digging into the rock in a desperate grip.
But it was too late.
“Got you.”
The Red Dragon descended from above—materializing out of thin air—and seized the serpent by the neck with both massive claws. Not the body. The neck.
Kai Xiusu had drawn upon his accumulated Experience Points. He wasn’t about to let this beast escape again—especially not by severing its head.
“Grrroaaar—!”
The serpent stared in disbelief. Its massive body writhed violently, limbs scraping against the rock, slamming its body against the wall in a desperate bid to break free.
Crack! The rock wall shattered under the impact, stone fragments raining down.
But the Red Dragon did not relent. His jaws snapped shut around the serpent’s neck, fangs sinking deep into flesh. His thick, powerful tail lashed out again and again, striking the wound with brutal force, spraying blood across the chamber.
The serpent’s cries grew weaker, fading into whimpers. Its struggles dwindled.
The Red Dragon held on—tighter, harder—pushing his strength to the brink of exhaustion.
Then came the sound: Snap.
The serpent’s bones cracked under the pressure.
Kai Xiusu released his grip. The lifeless body of the Azure-Footed Dragon Serpent tumbled from the cliff, crashing onto the cavern floor with a thunderous thud.
“Roar—!”
The Red Dragon stood atop the ridge, wings spread wide, letting out a long, triumphant roar that echoed through the depths.
[Kill confirmed: [Green-Footed Dragon Snake-Mana]]
[+7,200 Experience Points]
[Class Level Up: 5th Level]
The familiar cascade of Spell options reappeared before Kai Xiusu’s mind—his heart soaring with exhilaration. There was nothing more satisfying than the reward after a hard-fought victory.
Now at level 5, his Sorcerer class granted two additional Third-Level Spells. Yet, instead of choosing the legendary Fireball Spell, Kai Xiusu opted for utility. His Dragon ability, Maximized Breath Weapon, already delivered devastating damage. Fireball was redundant.
After a moment of thought, he made his choice.
[You gain two additional Third-Level Spells: [Teleportation], [Protection from Energy Damage]]
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[Teleportation]
3rd-Level Conjuration Spell
For the duration of the spell, you have a 50% chance to vanish from your current plane and reappear on the Astral Plane. While on the Astral Plane, you can see and hear your original plane, but all visual perception is in grayscale. Only beings present on the Astral Plane can affect you—or be affected by you.
[Protection from Energy Damage]
3rd-Level Abjuration Spell
For up to 1 hour, a willing creature you touch gains resistance to one type of energy damage of your choice: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder.
Had the Red Dragon possessed these spells during his battle with the Azure-Footed Dragon Serpent, he wouldn’t have been forced into close combat—nor would he have had to endure the serpent’s deadly lightning breath.
Now, these two spells bloomed in Kai Xiusu’s mind—complex, intricate, layered with meaning. At first, he couldn’t grasp them. Their mechanics were far beyond anything he’d encountered before. He stood still, staring into the void of understanding, his mind struggling to process the new weave of magic.
But then, slowly, clarity emerged. He began to grasp the fundamental logic. He could feel the spell’s structure, not through calculation, but through intuition—through the art of magic.
Because Kai Xiusu was an Artificer Sorcerer. He didn’t need to build the spell from scratch. He only needed to feel its rhythm, twist reality with his will, and let the magic flow.
And so, at last, he stepped forward—into the third layer of the Weave of Magic.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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