Chương 248

The heavy oak doors of the Alchemy Tower swung open. Rudra stepped out into the late afternoon sun. He took a deep breath of fresh air. The smell of burnt sugar and ozone from the laboratory finally faded away. Mumud walked out right behind him. The silver-haired mage didn't float anymore. His boots actually clicked against the cobblestones. He looked down at his own hands, opening and closing his fingers. He still couldn't believe it. He was entirely human again.

"How does it feel?" Piaro asked, walking alongside the mage.

"Heavy," Mumud admitted quietly.

"Having a physical heartbeat again is strange. But it is a good kind of heavy." Elysia and High Witch Elara followed them out. They were both carrying thick notebooks. They were already debating how Mumud managed to bend the rules of resurrection using pure willpower. Alex bounded out last. The half-witch blacksmith was practically glowing with excitement.

"Sir Mumud!" Alex cheered, pulling a measuring tape from his pocket.

"I need your exact shoulder measurements! Your old Lich robes are completely ruined. I have to forge you a proper set of armor. Something that fits a Magic Saint!" Mumud smiled gently.

"There is no rush, Alex. I am fine with plain clothes for now."

"Unacceptable," Alex insisted, jotting down numbers on a scrap of paper.

"You represent Stormbreak now." Rudra watched his team. He felt a deep sense of pride. His territory was growing into a true powerhouse. He had a Sword Saint, a Magic Saint, a High Witch, a master alchemist, a brilliant blacksmith and multitude of strong knights. Everything was falling perfectly into place. Then, a loud, rumbling noise broke the peace. GURGGLE. Everyone stopped walking. They turned to look at Rudra. Rudra rubbed his stomach and let out a tired laugh.

"Right," Rudra said." I think it's about time I cook us a feast."

"You did promise us a feast, My Liege," Elysia reminded him with a faint smile.

"I did," Rudra agreed. He looked around the bustling courtyard.

"But a normal kitchen isn't going to cut it. I have a lot of mouths to feed today. I should probably call my ride down first." Mumud tilted his head.

"Your ride?"

"Yeah. The big guy gets cranky if he misses dinner," Rudra said casually. Rudra took a few steps forward into the open courtyard. He didn't pull out his staff. He just looked up at the clear, bright blue sky. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. He tapped into his mana pool. [Summon: Vritra] [1, 000 Mana has been consumed.] For a single second, nothing happened. Then, the ambient temperature in the city plummeted.

The warm afternoon sun vanished completely. Thick, pitch-black storm clouds rolled over Stormbreak with terrifying speed. They blotted out the light. A freezing, violent wind ripped through the streets. Crack! Purple lightning arced across the black clouds. Thunder shook the stone walls of the city. Total panic erupted. Down by the main gate, an old woman was haggling with a vendor over some blue sea-glass. When the sky turned black, she dropped the jewelry and screamed, running for the nearest tavern.

In the training yard, the militia trainees completely lost their focus. A trainee yelled in terror and dropped his favorite wooden training sword right into a deep mud puddle.

"Form a defensive line!" Dante roared over the wind. The elderly knight drew his steel sword, his eyes scanning the dark sky.

"Protect the civilians! To the walls!" Up in the main manor, a window banged open. Silas leaned out, his eyes wide with sheer horror.

"A monster raid?!" Silas screamed, his voice cracking. In his panic, the young administrator fumbled his grip. A massive stack of tax ledgers slipped from his hands. Hundreds of white papers fluttered down like snow, scattering across the muddy courtyard. Down below, Silas's junior clerk fell to his knees. The poor kid started quietly weeping as he scrambled through the dirt, trying to save the ruined financial reports.

"Everyone, calm down!" Rudra yelled, holding his hands up. But the wind was too loud. A massive, pure white shape tore through the black clouds. It fell from the sky like a meteor. The giant mutated Storm Serpent descended with terrifying speed. Blue lightning sparked violently off its pristine white scales. BOOM. Vritra landed heavily in the very center of the main courtyard. The impact cracked the cobblestones. A shockwave of freezing wind blasted outward, knocking several guards right off their feet.

The White Serpent raised its massive head. It opened its jaws, ready to let out a telepathic roar to demand premium grilled meat. But the roar died in its throat. Vritra completely froze. The giant snake's glowing blue eyes darted across the courtyard. It wasn't looking at the screaming civilians or the terrified militia. It was looking directly at the people standing behind Rudra. Vritra looked at Piaro. The man was wearing a straw hat and holding a hand plow. He looked like a simple, dirty farmer.

But Vritra's instincts screamed in terror. Hidden beneath that calm, earthy presence was a world-cutting sword energy. It was a fatal threat. A true Legend. Vritra turned its massive head and looked at Mumud. The boy looked frail and pale. But the serpent could see the truth. The human vessel contained a bottomless, terrifying ocean of pure, condensed mana. It was a magical density that resembled the dragons. Finally, Vritra looked down at Rudra. The human was just standing there with his hands in his pockets.

But the aura radiating from him had exploded since the last time they spoke. The scent of the Ocean God's trials clung to his coat. His baseline presence was overwhelmingly heavy. Partner, Vritra's deep voice echoed cautiously in Rudra's mind. What kind of monsters are you breeding in this stone cage? Rudra laughed out loud. He walked forward and patted the giant snake right on its freezing white scales.

"It's good to see you too, Vritra," Rudra said.