Florian’s mana twisted violently around him, a storm of green and black energy now visible to the naked eye. It pulsed like a living thing, angry, hungry.

  All these years of creating and upgrading them, and they died, just like that.

  “Useless, all of them,” he muttered, voice low and venomous. “After everything I gave them… not every coal becomes a diamond, it seems.”

  But then his eyes gleamed.

  “But that boy, he is amazing, with him and his beast. Imagine what I could do,“ he whispered, greed overtaking rage.

  He didn’t care anymore if the others died; they were nothing compared to the boy; they were failures.

  He needed to tire him out so that he could take him in alive.

  He learned a long time ago that live subjects could retain more of their powers when evolved into higher forms, as he called them.

  “Tweek!” Florian barked. “Go assist Viper and Scorpio!”

  Tweek flinched. His blood ran cold. He is sending me to my death.

  “Master, I am the weakest one here. There is nothing I can do to help.” He begged.

  Florian paused. “Fine, fine…”

  Tweek exhaled in relief.

  Then, a sharp sting. A syringe jammed into his neck.

  Florian stood behind him, eyes glowing with madness.

  The green liquid surged through Tweek’s veins. He screamed as his body twisted, bones cracking, muscles bulging. His skin tore and reformed.

  A hulking rat-like monster emerged, covered in green, pulsing veins. His front teeth grew long and jagged, his eyes lost all humanity.

  Tweek’s mind shattered. He roared and charged toward Kai, a beast driven by pain and corrupted power.

  ***

  Viper and Scorpio froze.

  They watched in horror as Tweek’s body twisted and grew, transformed into a grotesque rat-like monster.

  After centuries of loyalty, their master had discarded him like trash.

  Cold rage surged in Viper’s chest.

  He did this to us. We served him, bled for him… and now we’re nothing.

  She tried to move, to run, to rebel, but the chain around her soul constricted, binding her to Florian’s will.

  A cruel reminder: they were never warriors, they were all just puppets to serve their god like master.

  She watched as Tweek, no longer himself, charged forward, tearing through the grey minions in his path.

  He didn’t care who they were, ally, enemy.

  All he knew was that they were in his way.

  Seeing this, Kai sighed. He had heard and seen everything with his spirit sense.

  The more he learned about this master of theirs, the more rage-filled him.

  There was no redemption for such evil monstrosity.

  “Umbra,” he said through their link, “please clean up the minions. I’ll handle the rat.”

  Umbra responded instantly.

  “No problem. After I’m done, I’ll take the scorpion woman on the left. The master is yours.”

  She understood her strength well enough now; she would let Kai deal with the strongest one here while she fought off the rest.

  Kai crackled with lightning, his body a conduit of raw power. As he dashed forward with a thunderclap, the rain intensified, drenching the valley in a curtain of storm and fury.

  He looked like a god of thunder, lightning dancing around him, illuminating the battlefield with every pulse.

  Above him, Umbra ascended into the storm clouds, her silhouette vanishing into the dark sky.

  It was the perfect time for her Thunderhead Dance.

  She moved with grace and precision, her presence stirring the storm itself.

  The lightning within the clouds grew restless, brighter, louder, until the night sky shone like midday.

  Then they came, massive thunder serpents, writhing through the heavens, summoned by her will.

  She smiled. Perfect weather for a massacre.

  As thunder tremored, countless thick lightning snakes descended. Wiping away anything they struck.

  Hordes of grey monsters vaporized instantly. They never stood a chance.

  ***

  Kai saw the opening and activated his Thunder Tree, calling one of the serpents directly to him.

  His lightning-infused body attracted more, and he guided them into his blade.

  Silver lightning converged, wrapping around his sword like a living flame, a blade of pure energy, humming with destructive intent.

  The rat, twisted, mindless, lunged, claws slashing wildly.

  Kai moved like lightning.

  One strike.

  Thunder roared.

  The rat's body started to disintegrate in a flash of light and fury.

  But as his soul began to fade, a whisper escaped his broken lips:

  “Avenge me, warrior… I beg you.”

  Rain washed away his ashes.

  Kai stood still, his blade humming, his eyes colder than ever.

  ***

  Scorpio stared at the battlefield.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  Lightning ravaged the valley, tearing through the grey minions like divine judgment.

  She couldn’t comprehend it.

  Who were these two?

  To her, Kai and Umbra were the monsters, forces of nature, not mortals.

  She tried to avoid the lightning strikes, scanning the battlefield for Viper, but Viper had vanished.

  Before Scorpio could act, three Umbra clones descended, silent and deadly.

  Shadow whips lashed out, claws slashed with precision.

  Scorpio retaliated, her venom killing one clone instantly.

  But before she could strike again, Umbra summoned dark lightning.

  Thick bolts of shadow-infused electricity struck Scorpio and the remaining clones.

  Thunder roared as Scorpio screamed.

  She was obliterated, her body torn apart by the soul-burning force of Umbra’s magic.

  ***

  Florian laughed maniacally.

  He leapt from his mount, eyes gleaming with madness.

  Before sending it toward Umbra, he stabbed it with another syringe.

  The serpent-bat monstrosity convulsed, growing grotesquely, fifteen meters long, its wings stretching wide as it shrieked and soared toward Umbra.

  Kai’s voice echoed through the storm:

  “Umbra, be careful. This one’s stronger than the rest.”

  Umbra’s body expanded to five meters, her eyes glowing with anticipation.

  She smiled. “I got this.”

  Kai nodded, but his gaze was already locked on Florian.

  The scrawny man stood still, rain cascading over his scarred face. His magetech eye gleamed unnaturally. Behind him, his shadow squirmed unnaturally.

  “Hi, sweet child, I am Florian, the creator,” Florian purred, voice dripping with false warmth. “Why not join me? I can make you even stronger.”

  Kai’s eyes narrowed.

  “You must be insane if you think I’d join the likes of you. You’ll pay for what you’ve done tonight.”

  Lightning surged as Kai launched forward, a slash scorching the earth toward Florian.

  “Hmph. Shame.” Florian scowled, slashing his scythe. A row of dark green magic circles formed in the air, and a sea of wraiths poured out, screaming in agony.

  Kai’s lightning struck them, shattering the spirit, but the attack was halted.

  Florian smiled eerily, his scarred face twisted with glee.

  “Souls of the nether... follow my mana. Come forth, forgotten ones.”

  A green portal tore open before Kai could react. From its depths, a knight stumbled out, ethereal, broken.

  Florian’s shadow detached, slithering forward. It absorbed the soul and twisted into a new form: a Shadow Knight. A green container fused into its back, pulsing with sickly light, fueling the transformation.

  “Behold,” Florian declared. “My evolution of soul magic. A warrior’s soul bound to my child, a vessel for the dead. My greatest invention!”

  Kai didn’t understand anything about souls or what they were, but deep in his core, he felt that this was something truly evil. Something that broke the rules of the world.

  He truly despised this crazy bastard.

  The Shadow Knight absorbed the green liquid. Muscles bulged, armor formed, and a sword and shield emerged from shadow mana.

  The knight roared as he dashed, slashing towards Kai.

  Kai managed to deflect the sword attack, but the shield slammed into his face, sending him flying

  He stabbed his blade into the ground, halting his momentum.

  Before he could even launch an attack, the black figure of a knight lunged and descended, slashing Kai over the shoulder.

  Kai managed to block the attack with his crimson moonlight, but he still felt the attack.

  His draconic body was sturdier than most fighters at his level, and yet he felt pain for the first time in a while.

  No longer willing to stay on the defensive, Kai activated his first magic circle.

  Poison Jet and Water Barrier cast simultaneously.

  Florian watched the boy cast two spells almost instantly, and his eyes grew even happier. Instant casting... and that strength. I’ve truly struck gold.

  Dark blue circles flared behind Kai. Jets of poison water sliced toward the knight like lasers.

  The knight roared, his shield glowing with dark mana. A barrier formed, but the jets burrowed, one by one, managing to break through, shattering it.

  Kai didn’t waste the opportunity.

  “Flowing Currents!”

  Ever-present water mana from the pouring rain strengthened his blade even further.

  His sword danced like a wild river, slicing through the crumbling barrier and cutting deep into the knight’s chest.

  The shadow screamed as dark and green light erupted from within.

  The green container pulsed, healing and empowering the knight.

  It retaliated, striking Kai’s arm and chest, shattering his Water Barrier and sending him crashing into the mud. Bruises blossomed where the blade had struck.

  This is not going as expected. I’ll have to use Aura soon. Kai thought.

  Then a thought struck him. I created my own version of Aura by merging poison, water, and moonlight. What if I added more?

  A crazy idea, but maybe only Kai could pull it off.

  No time to experiment. The knight was already charging, shield glowing ominously.

  Kai used his thunder-enhanced body and coiling technique and teleported behind the knight.

  The knight bashed empty air, and Kai struck the green container with a lightning-infused blade.

  Lightning charred the knight's back, but the container held.

  Kai cursed silently.

  It looks like glass... why won’t it break?

  Florian laughed. “Clever, but you can’t destroy that. I had him merge with the container on the existential level before the fight began.”

  Kai couldn’t make sense of the madman’s words. He struck swiftly, then retreated just as fast, denying the knight any chance to counter.

  The knight roared, absorbing more of the strange liquid. His shadowy flesh turned greener, tougher.

  Kai sensed it; each absorption pushed the knight to a new level. Now, they were both at peak Knight tier. One more absorption, and Kai wasn’t sure he could win.

  Florian watched with glee. It was his first time testing his Shadow like this. Amazing, he whispered. Obtaining that Shadow Slime was truly a gift from the gods. They must love me.

  He chuckled.

  The knight, now stronger, activated his own version of Aura. A cold, dark light enveloped his shield and sword as he advanced, shield raised, sword poised behind it.

  Kai knew it was time to stop holding back.

  He activated his own aura as azure light danced around his blade.

  “Amazing,” Florian praised. “You can even use the starting form of Aura. So much potential.”

  Kai ignored him. With a thunderclap, he dashed forward, azure light trailing through the rain.

  Sword met shield, but the knight didn’t budge, solid as a mountain.

  He countered, stabbing over his shield with his dark Aura blade. The slash grazed Kai’s face. Blood spilled, for the first time in a long time.

  Kai didn’t retreat. He roared, “Thunderfire – Ignis!”

  A draconic breath of fire erupted from his sword, intertwining with his Aura and incinerating the knight’s right arm.

  The Shadow screamed, pain ripping through its body. But it didn’t retreat, it couldn’t. Florian wouldn’t allow it.

  It absorbed the last of the green liquid.

  Kai felt the shift. He teleported backward, thinking fast.

  The knight grew larger. Muscles bulged, eyes glowed green, and his Aura sharpened. A thin layer of energy now coated his weapons and body.

  He had reached Master Knight level, the level his soul held when he died.

  Florian’s eyes gleamed. “Finally! A Master Knight-level being. My strongest creation yet!”

  Kai studied the knight. He was different now, but watching him wield Aura helped Kai understand what he’d been missing.

  So that is true Aura. More precise, more in control. Sharper and deadlier than before. He understood it, but he was far away from mastering it.

  Let’s try something else, he thought. Ignis merged with Aura before. Maybe I can push it further.

  He considered using Moonlit Dance, but that was reserved for Florian.

  Just as he prepared to strike, Umbra crashed to the ground, wounded.

  “Umbra! What happened?” Kai shouted.

  “That bat-snake… It’s strong. Very strong. I might need help,” she admitted, pride wounded. She was still only Tier 8 after all.

  “Okay, let me help. Can you fly?” He asked.

  “Yes, but not fast.”

  “Good enough. Take me above it. I’ll prepare the spell.”

  He leapt onto her back, and they ascended. The knight watched helplessly as his opponent escaped.

  Florian laughed. “Let them go. I want to see what he’s planning.”

  The monstrous bat-snake flew toward them, unleashing high-pitched sonic waves that attacked both body and soul.

  No wonder Umbra struggled, Kai realized.

  He cast Water Barrier around them, then Haste and Strengthen on Umbra’s wings.

  “How do you feel?” he asked.

  “Much better. I can dodge now!” she replied, relieved.

  She weaved through the sonic blasts, rising above the valley.

  “Hold position. Give me thirty seconds,” Kai instructed.

  “I’ll do my best,” she said solemnly.

  Above the valley, Kai began converging fire and lightning mana. His tree and tattoo glowed as the Thunderfire Circle appeared behind him like a mystical gate. Images of wolves ran across it, a distant howl echoing.

  The more mana he fed into the circle, the faster it spun, forming the image of a red moon crackling with lightning.

  Umbra held position, dodging attacks.

  “Almost ready,” Kai muttered.

  “Thunderfire – Blood Moon!”

  A massive moon blazed in the night sky, thunder and fire swirling within. Kai waved his hand toward the monster and the two figures below.

  The moon collapsed, distorting the air, creating pressure that could grind stone to dust.

  The monster tried to flee, but Kai was ready.

  “Ethereal Bindings!”

  The creature froze mid-air, just long enough.

  The Thunderfire Moon crashed into it, grinding its snake body into dust.

  But it didn’t stop there. The moon continued downward, toward the knight and Florian.

  For the first time, Florian felt unease. “What a marvelous spell… Shadow, destroy it!”

  The knight leapt into the moon’s path. His body burned, scorched, but he swung his sword.

  A slash of Aura light met the moon, cutting it in half and bending space around the explosion.

  Kai watched from above as the blast lit up the valley and forest.

  He spotted a small girl hiding behind a pile of corpses, but he had no time for her now.

  He and Umbra descended after the storm passed.

  It was time to finish this.