SWNOVELXO Chapter 346: One Who Brings Forth Ruin
'Unlike you, my power hasn't diminished. Not since the eons you sealed me away. With the strength I possess, saving her would be as effortless as lifting a finger.'
Alister's body trembled, his fists clenching weakly. Despite the pain wracking his body, he managed to force out a hoarse, instinctive reply.
"No..."
The voice chuckled darkly.
'Ah, how predictable. Even with your memory hazy, you still cling to that stubbornness. I see why you sealed me away... because you feared me.'
Alister gritted his teeth, forcing himself to focus as he responded.
"If I was forced to seal you away..."
"Then you must be a lot more... problematic to deal with than you're letting on."
The voice laughed again.
'Problematic? Perhaps. Dangerous? Most certainly. But even you can't deny the truth, brother.'
It paused, the weight of its words sinking in before continuing.
'Do you truly have a choice in this scenario? If you don't let me out, then not only will your friend there bleed out on the sands, but you will perish as well. Any moment now, either one... or both... could easily become a reality.'
Alister's heart pounded, each beat louder than the last, as the voice's tone grew colder and more intense.
'So... pick, brother. Time is running out.'
Watching as Ju'Nero was practically steps away from Cinder, watching as he raised his claws and prepared to strike, the voice began to mimic the sounds of a clock.
'Tic... Tok... Tic... Tok...'
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Find adventures on empire
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"OK... You are free to take over... Please save her!" Alister suddenly said. There was a long pause after he spoke.
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'See, I knew you'd come around,' the voice said with a sinister chuckle.
Suddenly.
VOOSHHH
Alister's body erupted in black flames, their intensity so fierce that the sands around him hissed and melted into glass.
His battered body slowly lifted off the ground, the crimson stains of his wounds vanishing as his flesh knitted itself together.
Ju'Nero froze mid-step, his instincts suddenly screaming at him to retreat.
His claws hovered in the air, inches from Cinder. He could feel it... the shift, the sudden overwhelming aura radiating from Alister.
"W-What is this...?" Ju'Nero muttered, his voice a low snarl. Every fiber of his being urged him to flee, but he hesitated, knowing that turning his back might mean instant death.
Cinder, lying motionless on the blood-soaked sand, stirred weakly. Her vision blurred with pain, but even in her disoriented state, she felt it... something... was wrong.
Her lord's presence was changing.
"My lord… what is happening to you?" she whispered, her voice trembling as fear crept into her heart.
Alister stood upright now, his black aura casting a monstrous shadow across the battlefield.
The sound of his dragon scale armor cracking echoed in the still air. The shards splintered off his body, disintegrating into ash as new black and purplish-hued ones grew in their place. His eyes had turned a cold, soulless gray. His pupils glowed white like twin moons in a stormy sky.
His black hair lengthened, going down his back as it morphed into a luminous silver.
His wings shifted into a haunting shade of violet. Horns curled upward from the crown of his skull, their jagged edges gleaming like obsidian with a soft purple hue. His teeth elongated into sharp, jagged fangs, a sinister grin spreading across his face.
Ju'Nero took an involuntary step back, his claws twitching nervously. "W-What... are you?" he growled, his voice lacking the confidence it held moments ago.
Suddenly, a black status window materialized in Alister's vision, its edgy white text standing against the void-like background.
[Player information is being rewritten... Integrating new data.]
〘Error! The player seems to possess Dragon Overlord status without any record of fulfilling the condition necessary for the qualification!〙
〘Notice... It has been discovered the player possess an Overlord Title!〙
〘⋄Title effects calibrating...⋄〙
Suddenly Alister... No... Whoever this was now, stretched out his hands to the side as he looked up to the sky with a look of delight on his face as he spoke.
"Ah, the stifling embrace of eternity undone! How sweet the air tastes when filled with the promise of ruin. To be caged by your own kin, bound by his trembling fear... how poetic, how... pathetic. My dear brother always fancied himself the hero, didn't he? A champion of order, a savior to the weak. Yet here I stand, FREE, and he slumbers now, forgotten in the dust of his righteousness."
Ju'Nero's clawed hand shot out, pointing at the figure standing in Alister's place, his voice trembling. "Who... Who are you?" he demanded, his eyes narrowing.
"What happened to the boy from earlier?"
The man — no, the thing — standing in Alister's body turned slowly to face Ju'Nero, a twisted, sinister smile spreading across his face.
The moment their gazes locked, Ju'Nero felt a chill snake up his spine, his heart pounding in his chest. The air around them seemed to warp, thickening with pressure.
The man's cold and soulless eyes glinted with amusement. As he met Ju'Nero's gaze, the wolf-man shuddered involuntarily, his confidence faltering for the first time in what felt like ages.
The figure spoke, his voice smooth and condescending.
"Mongrel... You dare to demand my name?"
"While I'm not one to waste my words on low-born creatures such as yourself..."
"I must thank you."
"If not for your dazzling efforts, I would not be standing here today."
He took a deliberate step forward, his presence overwhelming, each movement he made made Ju'Nero's senses suddenly sharpen as if fearing an attack. His body was in a flight-or-flight state, hoping to be able to counter what it sensed could easily be a killing blow.
'W-What is this... I can't breathe... I can't even focus and I'm trembling all over...' Ju'Nero thought, breaking out in cold sweat.
The man's tone suddenly grew darker, more intense as he continued.
"So, as a token of my... gratitude, I will grant you the honor of hearing my name."
There was a pause, the silence stretching long enough for Ju'Nero's mind to race. He braced himself for what was to come, fear creeping into his chest.
With an almost theatrical flourish, the figure placed a hand over his chest gracefully, his posture straightening as he spoke with an intense sense of pride, his eyes narrowing.
"I am Alameck... Dragon Overlord of Ruin."
"And as my brother has desperately pleaded, I will now save his bleeding bride over there..."
He smiled sinisterly, revealing his sharp jagged teeth as he then spoke in a more intense tone, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
"As well as putting an end to your irritating existence."
〘Title: The One Who Brings Forth Ruin. 〙
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[A/N:Happy new year in advance guys! I'm sorry this battle dragged out for nearly twenty chapters but it will be ending soon, also check out Alameck's character Illustration.]
[I'm grateful to each and every one of you who are still on this journey with me. I want to take this moment to thank you all for your love and support. Wishing you all an amazing 2025!]
[I'll be starting a new novel soon, so be on the look out to not miss another amazing adventure!]