CHAPTER 109: CHAPTER 109: KALAMUS HOUSE (7)

The demon stood before me, every fiber of its being radiating power that made the entire mansion tremble. Its hollow eyes scrutinized me as if they knew my soul better than I did. For the first time, I understood the magnitude of what I had unleashed. It could destroy cities with a single move, devour armies in seconds. But I wanted more. I needed more.

I knelt before it, fearless, with the arrogance only an arcanist of my lineage could possess.

"Listen," I said, my voice firm. "I want your power. I do not ask, I take... but not without offering something in return. My soul will be yours, and your strength will join mine. Make me... invincible."

The demon leaned forward, and its voice echoed in my mind like thunder:

"Your ambition is worthy, Arcanist. Your will is strong. Your soul... will be the key."

I accepted. My blood, my life, my essence were sealed in a pact no mortal being could break. A torrent of dark energy surged through me, merging my abilities with the demon’s. I felt my level rise, felt every cell in my body transform. 95... 96... 97... 98. I had never felt so much power concentrated within me. It was as if all the mana in the universe answered my call.

I rose, feeling centuries of strength compressed into my being. Elkid, my loyal vassal, bowed before me:

"Master... again?" he asked, knowing the battle ahead would be worse than any other.

"Yes, one last time," I said. "Follow me, and together we will see if the heavens dare to challenge us."

Without losing a moment, we opened the portal to the world of dragons. Energy vibrated around us as we crossed the boundary between worlds. Light twisted, and a distant roar hit us like a wave. There it was: the battlefield I had left behind, now a chaos of burned mountains and seas shattered by the surviving dragons.

The sight was breathtaking, terrifying, and perfect. Hundreds of dragons raised their wings, their scales shining like war armor, their eyes burning with hatred and power. Those who had destroyed my empire... they were all there. The roar from my throat was not just sound; it was pure fury, history and vengeance condensed into a single moment.

"For the empire!" I shouted. "For those who fell! For every tear, every drop of blood spilled!"

Elkid roared beside me, lance in hand, ready to break the line of dragons daring to challenge our path. The demon’s power in me vibrated through every muscle, every thought, every strike I was about to deliver. The dragons, even the most powerful, level 95, and the general level 96, could barely withstand our combined energy.

The first dragon fell before even fully taking flight. Its scales sparked under the contact of my magic, its claws shattered upon hitting the ground, and its enormous, fearsome wings tore apart like paper. The second wave of beasts tried to flank us, but every spell I cast was not just magic; it was absolute destruction. Pools of fire, gusts of wind, lightning that split mountains... every creature that stood in my way fell in a silent scream, disintegrated, reduced to ashes.

Elkid moved beside me with lethal precision, a single leap enough to pierce wings and scales, his lance cutting through any counterattack. Each of us was a tornado of death, and together we were unstoppable.

My roar echoed, and the dragons closest froze in terror. My fury was not only for my lost power, but for every fallen empire, every arcanist incinerated, every tear shed for my people. There would be no mercy. No escape.

And so began the battle of total destruction. The world of dragons became our battlefield. Every move was precision and devastation, every spell a cataclysm, and every roar a reminder: the heir of the Arcane Empire had returned... and no one, not even the gods of war, would dare stop us.

The roar that had filled the sky until now was eclipsed by a new one, deeper, older. A golden shadow descended upon the battlefield. Its size was colossal: a hundred meters long, wings that could cover the entire sky, scales gleaming like molten gold, and eyes radiating centuries of wisdom and power. The Dragon Emperor had arrived. Level 98, as ancient as the first arcanists, with power capable of pulverizing entire armies with a single move.

It perched on a shattered mountain, observing us calmly as its voice boomed through the air:

"So... the arcanists and their infernal toys have arrived. Hmm... the scent... the aroma of demons. How little you have learned! You have fallen far too low."

Its laughter rolled like thunder, and a shiver ran down my spine, awakening the most primal combat instinct. It was not mocking me alone; it mocked my entire race, everything we had built.

"Do not mock me," I growled, feeling the demon’s power thrum in my veins. "Today you will learn what it means to challenge the heir of the Arcane Empire."

The first attack came in the form of spears of light, colossal projectiles that cut through mountains and burned everything in their path. Each seemed forged from concentrated sun, and their precision was supernatural.

I did not hesitate. Demonic power flowed through me, and every spell I cast was a wave of pure destruction. Dark lightning clashed with golden light, creating explosions that lifted the earth and air into clouds of fire and ash. My roar joined the demon’s, and together we were a vortex of power challenging even this legendary creature.

The Dragon Emperor did not move as fast as the other dragons. Every move was measured, calculated, and yet so devastating that not even an army of arcanists could evade its power. Every flap of its wings raised storms of wind and golden lightning.

"Foolish arcanists!" roared the dragon. "You thought demonic corruption could match me!"

"Accursed arrogant fools, I will show you the power of a true dragon, and when I finish with you, I will go to your world to finish what we began."