"BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!"
Vlad watched with cold satisfaction as the Level 11 Fire Elemental exploded into smithereens, the blast sending shockwaves through the air, obliterating warriors crashing through the gate and incinerating mages atop the walls. The ground shook violently, and a blinding flash of light illuminated the entire battlefield, casting an eerie glow on the carnage below. Flames roared to life, consuming everything in their path, while debris rained down.
His smile widened as a torrent of Origin Force rushed toward him, surging into his Soul Dimension. The energy washed over him, healing his wounds and revitalizing his strength.
’I guess it was technically an alien,’ Vlad mused briefly, immediately channeling the Origin Force into his body and energy pool, improving his condition and replenishing his reserves.
The explosion had been devastatingly effective. Vlad noted with satisfaction that no more warriors or mages emerged from the fortress, seemingly trapped inside by the flames. Just as the thought crossed his mind, his instincts screamed danger, and he watched in shock as a figure began to walk across the fire covering the northern wall of the Strong Hammer Military Base.
A radiant white light surrounded the figure, protecting him from the searing flames. His presence was commanding, and his energy pool seemed to reach an incredibly high level, evident from the immense radiation emanating from his body. The air around him shimmered with power, making him appear almost divine.
The figure was neither a warrior nor a mage. Clad in pristine white robes and wearing a papal tiara, the old man exuded an aura of authority and serenity. His kind smile contrasted sharply with the destruction around him as he glanced at Vlad and the Royal Guards.
The old man’s eyes gleamed with benevolence as he raised his scepter, not showing any form of killing intent. In his mind, he was doing a service to the world by cleaning the filth.
"RUN!" Vlad felt his instincts scream in utter terror as he focused on the old man, shouting for the Royal Guards to continue running as fast as they could.
"Holy Spell: Sacred Dragon!" the old man intoned with a voice that echoed like a choir of angels. A massive amount of white force charged into the scepter, merging into a colossal dragon head nearly fifteen meters tall. The dragon’s eyes glowed with an intense light, and its ethereal form seemed to pulse with divine energy.
"BOOM!" The dragon head turned its gaze toward Vlad and the Royal Guards before launching itself at them with a deafening roar, breaking the sound barrier.
"Lightning-Fire Gate!" Jormguandr, sensing the imminent danger, pushed his energy pool into overdrive. A massive gate of crackling lightning and roaring fire materialized before them.
The Lightning-Fire Gate, a powerful spell nearing the High Champion Tier, shattered under the dragon’s immense force. Still, it lasted just long enough for Vlad and the Royal Guards to move dozens of meters, avoiding the epicenter of the dragon’s impact.
"BOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!"
A cataclysmic explosion of white force erupted as the dragon’s head collided with the ground, annihilating everything within a radius of dozens of meters. The shockwave flattened the surrounding terrain, and a blinding light momentarily turned night into day. As the dust settled, the battered figures of Vlad and the Royal Guards emerged, struggling to rise from the ground.
Vlad bore the brunt of the blast as he was the closest to the explosion, and all the Royal Guards were also severely wounded. The best off was Jormguandr, whom Vlad had thrown to safety before the dragon’s head struck.
Vlad used all his strength to rise, coughing up blood as his internal organs trembled. Shock etched across his face as he imagined what would have happened if the attack had landed head-on.
But the danger was far from over. The old man floated above the burning remains of the military base, his serene smile replaced with coldness as he saw the group survived his attack. He poured more of his white energy into the scepter, channeling its power with a steely gaze fixed on Vlad.
"Holy Spell: Purifying Javelin!" the old man declared. A concentrated beam of white energy shot from the scepter, forming a lance of pure holy force. It shot toward Vlad with terrifying speed and precision.
Vlad’s eyes widened as the lance closed in. He tried to move, but his injuries were too severe, and escape seemed impossible. Just as the lance was about to strike, a figure leaped forward, placing itself between Vlad and the deadly attack.
"NO!" Vlad’s voice echoed with a mix of shock and despair as he watched the colossal figure of Cazan stand before him, arms crossed to receive the deadly blow.
The Purifying Javelin struck Cazan with immense force, hurting him back into Vlad. The impact sent both of them rolling across the ground for dozens of meters before coming to a halt.
Vlad felt as if he had been hit by a train, but his concern was solely for Cazan. He turned to his friend and saw the massive hole where Cazan’s heart should have been. Desperation gripped him as he forced his body to move toward the fallen warrior, frantically searching for a way to save him, his heart pounding with the urgency of the situation.
"Chip, save him!" Vlad shouted in panic, grabbing potions from his space ring, but none could heal such a devastating wound.
Although his time in power and feats had improved his willpower, Vlad was still young. His experiences from his First Past Life helped him mature, but that did not make him superhuman. As for the memories from his Second Past Life, they were just theoretical knowledge and did not really impact his personality and ego.
Right now, Vlad was just a man seeing a good friend dying after sacrificing his life to protect him, desperately searching for a way to save him.
Cazan struggled to breathe, blood spilling from his mouth. As his life faded, determination flashed in his eyes. He grabbed Vlad’s hand with the last of his strength, his gaze piercing Vlad’s soul before a peaceful smile spread across his face, and the light faded from his eyes.
[Beep! Royal Guard Cazan is dead.]