Chapter 334
Turning her attention to Kaelar, who stands steadfast by her side, Althea offers a small smile amidst the turmoil. "Just like the old days, huh?" she remarks, her voice tinged with nostalgia and a hint of sadness. "We finally got a chance to fight together again. Though this time, it might be our last."
Kaelar meets Althea\'s gaze with a soft look, his eyes reflecting the years of shared history and unspoken feelings between them. "I\'m not afraid to die," he says quietly, his voice steady despite the gravity of his words. "My only regret is that I never pursued you in this life."
Althea feels a blush creep onto her cheeks at Kaelar\'s confession, her heart fluttering in her chest at the realization of the depth of his feelings. For years, she had harbored her own secret affection for him, but their duties and responsibilities had always kept them apart.
Althea laughs, a mix of amusement and sadness in her tone. "You never changed, always spouting nonsense at the least appropriate times," she chides him gently. But in her mind, a whirlwind of emotions rages. How dare you make a move when we are about to die? she thinks, torn between frustration and a bittersweet appreciation of his timing.
"ROAR!!!"
Their moment is shattered by the roar of one of the monsters, a deafening sound that reverberates through the air, shaking the very ground beneath their feet. Althea and Kaelar exchange a determined glance.
Their attention snaps to the source of the roar, an unfamiliar creature in the middle-stage of the Soul Strengthening Realm. Its scales shimmer with an otherworldly glow, reflecting the chaos around it as it finishes off two demons with power comparable to Kaelar and Althea. The beast\'s eyes, cold and merciless, lock onto them, recognizing them as the next worthy opponents.
"We\'ve got trouble," Althea murmurs, her voice tense with apprehension as she assesses the situation. "That\'s no ordinary monster."
Kaelar nods grimly, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. "Indeed. We\'ll need to fight with all our strength if we hope to survive this encounter."
With a shared nod, they brace themselves for battle, their senses heightened and their focus sharpened as they prepare to face their formidable foe. The Aetherial Dragon lets out another deafening roar, its breath forming clouds of mist that hang in the air like an ominous harbinger of doom.
As the dragon charges towards them, Althea channels her light-type cultivation, summoning a protective barrier to shield herself and Kaelar from the onslaught. The barrier shimmers with ethereal energy, deflecting the dragon\'s initial attack with ease.
Meanwhile, Kaelar leaps into action, his lightning-elemental sword crackling with electricity as he unleashes a flurry of lightning-fast strikes against the dragon\'s armored hide. Each blow lands with precision, carving deep gashes into the dragon\'s scales and eliciting a growl of pain from the beast.
As the battle between Althea, Kaelar, and the Aetherial Dragon rages on, the eyes of onlookers widen in awe and horror at the spectacle unfolding before them. The sheer intensity and ferocity of the fight surpass anything they\'ve ever witnessed, leaving them both mesmerized and terrified.
08:05
But the Aetherial Dragon is no mere opponent. With a flick of its tail, it sends Kaelar hurtling through the air, his body crashing to the ground with a bone-jarring impact. Althea watches in horror as Kaelar struggles to his feet, bloodied but undeterred in his resolve.
Gritting her teeth, Althea channels her energy once more, this time unleashing a barrage of searing light beams at the dragon\'s vulnerable spots. The beams cut through the air like arrows, finding their mark with deadly accuracy but it only scratched the dragon\'s scales.
The Aetherial Dragon, enraged by the attacks, unleashes a powerful roar that sends shockwaves through the battlefield. It rears back, its massive wings unfurling as it gathers a swirling mass of elemental energy between its jaws. With a thunderous roar, it releases the energy in a devastating blast aimed directly at Althea and Kaelar.
Althea, recognizing the imminent danger, quickly casts "Radiant Sanctuary," a defensive technique that envelops them in a dome of blinding light. The blast collides with the sanctuary, causing the ground to tremble and cracks to form on the protective dome, but it holds, saving them from certain doom.
Kaelar, seizing the moment, channels his own power into his sword, activating "Thunderclap Strike." With lightning speed, he darts towards the dragon, his sword trailing bolts of lightning. He strikes at the beast, aiming for the small gaps in its scales. The sword connects, and for a moment, it seems as if the dragon falters under the assault.
However, the Aetherial Dragon is far from defeated. With a swift movement, it counterattacks, its claw sweeping toward Kaelar with deadly precision. Kaelar narrowly avoids the strike, but the force of the movement sends him tumbling to the side.
Althea, seeing Kaelar in distress, tries to divert the dragon\'s attention. She conjures "Celestial Flares," launching a series of bright, burning projectiles that explode upon contact with the dragon\'s hide. The flares cause the dragon to stagger, its attention momentarily diverted from Kaelar.
But the Aetherial Dragon quickly recovers, its eyes glowing with malice as it focuses its attention back on Althea. It lunges towards her, its massive jaws open wide, ready to engulf her in one fatal bite.
As the battle between Althea, Kaelar, and the Aetherial Dragon rages on, the eyes of onlookers widen in awe and horror at the spectacle unfolding before them. The sheer intensity and ferocity of the fight surpass anything they\'ve ever witnessed, leaving them both mesmerized and terrified.
Amidst the chaos, other monstrous creatures such as the Skyhunter and the Wind Dancers wreak havoc, slaughtering humans and demons alike at an alarming rate. Despite their small numbers, these monsters, each formidable in their own right, prove to be a formidable force. With their combined strength, they cut through the ranks of their enemies like a scythe through wheat, leaving devastation and death in their wake.
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