Chương 167

The air at the top of the frozen peak cracked with tension. Vritra didn't give a countdown. The White Serpent just moved. [Hidden Quest: Trial of the White Storm Serpent] [Difficulty: SS] [The mutated White Storm Serpent, Vritra, wants to test you. If you are weak, you will turn to frozen ash.] [Clear Condition: Survive Vritra's onslaught.] [Quest Clear Reward: Contract with Vritra.] [Quest Failure: Death.] Rudra accepted the quest in a split second. He didn't hold back. He couldn't.

A quick scan with his eyes had revealed the terrifying truth hovering over the snake's head. [Vritra - Lv. 485]"Level 485," Rudra grinned wildly.

"Ohh, this is going to fuckin hurt." One second Vritra was coiled in the center of the crater. The next, the massive serpent was right in front of him. The giant snake moved like a whip. It swung its heavy tail in a low, horizontal arc aimed right at Rudra's ribs. Rudra gripped his heavy black staff, Extortion, with both hands and planted his boots on the ice. CLANG! The dark metal staff sparked violently with blue lightning as the tail smashed into it. The impact sounded like a bomb going off.

Rudra's boots dug deep trenches into the solid black ice as he was violently pushed backward. His arms shook from the heavy impact. He felt the shock travel straight into his bones.

"You hit like a baby," Rudra grunted, spitting a drop of blood onto the ice. Vritra didn't reply. The serpent just opened its jaws. A barrage of sharp, jagged spears made of black ice shot out of its mouth. They flew through the air like missiles. Rudra didn't try to dodge. He stepped forward and spun Extortion in a rapid circle.

"[Typhoon]!" [100 Staff Energy consumed.] A violent vacuum erupted from the spinning staff. The extreme wind pressure caught the flying ice spears, dragging them inward before Rudra slammed the staff against the ground. The trapped air exploded outward in a massive shockwave, completely shattering the ice spears into harmless snow.

"My turn," Rudra yelled. He kicked off the ground. He triggered [Abyssal Step], creating an invisible platform in the air to launch himself directly at Vritra's massive head. He didn't pull his punches. He gripped Extortion tight and triggered his combo.

"[Avalanche]!" He brought the heavy legendary staff down in a brutal arc. Thwack! The black metal smashed into Vritra's white scales. The impact was deafening. Blue lightning exploded across the serpent's face. Rudra rode the heavy recoil, spinning his body and bringing the staff right back around for a second, faster strike. Thwack! CRACK! He hit the beast three times in a row, the staff getting heavier and faster with every swing. But the results were incredibly frustrating. [You have dealt 4, 200 damage!] [You have dealt 5, 100 damage!] Because of the insane 200+ level gap, his damage was severely suppressed. Vritra's massive health pool barely even chipped. The serpent just shook its head, totally unbothered by the heavy blows. Vritra slithered backward, its white scales gliding smoothly over the ice. Then, it pushed off the ground and shot straight up into the dark sky. The clouds above the crater started to swirl. The sky turned a bruised, angry purple. BOOM!

A massive bolt of blue lightning struck the ice right where Rudra was standing. Rudra barely managed to throw himself to the side. He rolled across the freezing ground, dodging the blast. The lightning melted the black ice, turning it into a pool of boiling water. If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. Before Rudra could even stand up, three more lightning bolts rained down. He scrambled to his feet.

He dashed across the crater, letting his high agility carry him out of the blast zones. The blue lightning chased him, exploding against the rocks and throwing chunks of sharp ice into the air. You are fast, Vritra's telepathic voice echoed from the clouds. But you cannot outrun the cold. The temperature in the crater plummeted. Rudra's breath turned into thick, white fog. The puddles of melted ice instantly froze over again. The black ice beneath his boots started to grow.

Sharp, jagged spikes of frost shot up from the ground, trying to trap his legs.

"I'm not sitting still for that," Rudra muttered. He spun Extortion and smashed the rising ice spikes to pieces. The blue lightning stored in his weapon sparked, melting the frost around his boots. But Vritra wasn't giving him a break. The serpent dove down from the clouds. It didn't aim for Rudra. It smashed its massive head directly into the frozen floor of the crater. The impact caused an earthquake. The ground violently shook. Massive cracks appeared in the black ice.

A wave of freezing, dark blue energy erupted from the serpent's body and rushed outward like a tsunami. It was a massive area-of-effect attack. There was nowhere to run. Rudra didn't have his old blocking skills. He just gripped his staff, dropped his hips, and braced for impact. The wave of freezing energy slammed into him. The physical push sent him sliding backward. He crashed hard into the stone wall at the edge of the crater. [-18, 500 HP] Rudra coughed, gasping for air.

The cold bit right through his black trench coat. He immediately triggered [Extreme Energy Transfusion] and slapped the ground with his staff, draining a tiny bit of ambient mana just to jumpstart his health regeneration.

"You're really making me work for this," Rudra panted, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Vritra pulled its head out of the ice. The white serpent floated in the center of the crater. It looked at the human. Rudra was bruised, his coat was torn, and he was covered in frost, but he was still standing. You endure well, Vritra's voice echoed. Most men would have frozen to death by now. Let us see if you can handle the true storm. Vritra reared back. The serpent's eyes glowed blindingly bright.

The blue lightning in the clouds and the freezing black frost on the ground both rushed toward the snake's open jaws. The two clashing elements mixed together, forming a massive, terrifying sphere of pure, destructive energy. The air pressure in the crater got so heavy it was hard to breathe. It was Vritra's ultimate breath attack. It covered the entire crater. It was completely unavoidable. Rudra didn't smile. He didn't make a joke. He just dropped his hips and got ready.

Normally, trying to catch a massive breath attack from a Level 485 boss would drain a player's mana instantly and blow them to pieces. But Rudra was a Deep Sage. His mana pool was absolutely massive. He didn't have to hold back.

"Targeted Manifestation," Rudra said quietly. [1% of your Maximum Mana is being consumed per second.] The blue energy of his [Mana Heart] flooded his body. He directed the surging flow entirely into his arms and legs. Invisible steel cables of pure mana wrapped around his muscles, reinforcing his bones from the inside out. His grip on Extortion became absolute.

"[Atlas's Rebound]." [500 Mana and 50 Staff Energy consumed per second.] Rudra started to spin his dark metal staff. He didn't spin it fast. He just moved it in a steady, heavy circle in front of him. Vritra unleashed the breath. A massive, roaring beam of blue lightning and black ice shot across the crater. It was the size of a house. It tore up the ground as it flew, vaporizing the rocks in its path. The beam hit Rudra. It didn't explode. It didn't blow him away.

The beam slammed directly into the spinning black staff. The ancient skill caught the energy. The heavy, destructive magic sank straight into the metal shaft. Extortion screamed. The weapon violently shook in Rudra's hands. The sheer weight of the attack was horrifying. Rudra's boots started to slide backward. He dug his heels into the black ice, cutting two deep, smoking trenches into the ground. His mana bar started to tick down. Hundreds of points drained every single second to keep the skills active.

But he had tens of thousands of points to spare. Rudra gritted his teeth. He didn't take a single step back. He just kept spinning the staff, catching the endless stream of ice and lightning. He held his ground. Vritra stared at the human. The White Serpent's eyes widened. It stopped pouring energy into the breath attack. The beam slowly sputtered and died out. Rudra stood at the edge of the crater. Extortion was glowing bright red from the absorbed heat, sparking violently with trapped lightning.

He didn't swing it back. He just pointed the tip of the staff at the empty sky and let the banked energy harmlessly explode upward. A massive pillar of fire and ice shot into the clouds, safely emptying the weapon. Rudra lowered his staff. He was breathing heavily, his chest heaving. His arms were shaking slightly from the strain, but he was perfectly fine. The crater was totally silent. The storm clouds above slowly started to break apart. Vritra slithered forward.

The giant snake looked at Rudra with quiet interest. You didn't deflect it. You caught the attack directly, Vritra's voice echoed in Rudra's mind.

"It's a Titan's skill," Rudra panted, wiping the sweat off his face.

"Takes a lot of energy to hold it." Vritra tilted its massive head. I do not know much about the Titans. They vanished long before I hatched. But the old stories passed down in my lineage say the Storm Serpent King was once the partner of the Titan's Great Commander. The Commander could hold the sky's weight and redirect its energy to strike down his foes.

"Sounds like we have something in common," Rudra laughed. Indeed, Vritra said, raising its head proudly. I am a mutated evolution. My blue brethren cast me out, but they are weak. I am the apex of this storm. One day, I will rule the sky and become the true Storm King. Having a partner who carries the old Commander's weight suits my future throne. Vritra bowed its massive head, resting its snout against the black ice near Rudra's boots. I accept your strength, human. I offer you my contract.

A bright golden light flashed in front of Rudra's face. [The White Storm Serpent, Vritra has acknowledged you!]