Nerva leaped forward, his silver aura blazing as he punched out, sending shockwaves of metal energy rippling through the golem’s liquid body. The vibrations slowed the creature’s movements, its form shuddering under the pressure.

  Kai followed close behind, vaulting over Nerva and striking the golem’s right shoulder. His aura hissed as it sliced cleanly through the limb, severing it with precision.

  Moments later, Lucius unleashed a concentrated beam of light mana, piercing through the golem’s chest and tearing a gaping hole in its core.

  The golem hummed ominously as the spilled blood slithered back into its body, its wounds sealing and its arm regrowing, though noticeably smaller.

  “Its arm is shrinking! Keep attacking!” Nerva shouted, rallying the group as Kai and Lucius continued their relentless assault.

  Above them, Umbra fired multiple beams of darkfire, each one burrowing into the golem’s liquid mass and devouring its life energy. Zara followed with slashes of pure poison aura, further weakening the creature.

  The golem let out a distorted hum, like a scream, and released a barrage of blood-forged needles in every direction.

  Kai parried swiftly, while Nerva summoned his shields to deflect most of the projectiles. Lucius held the rear, protecting Liliya, Scry, and Kran with radiant barriers and his shield.

  Umbra and Zara dodged the deadly barrage with high-speed aerial maneuvers.

  As the attack subsided, Eira and Xarion were ready.

  Eira soared into the air and unleashed her icy breath, enveloping the golem and freezing its liquid form solid. Xarion followed with a roar: “Eternal Fire!” A massive wave of white flame engulfed the frozen golem.

  The creature writhed, trying to extinguish the fire, but the more it struggled, the stronger the flames burned.

  Kai and Nerva launched a final flurry of aura-infused strikes, targeting the silver orb embedded in the golem’s face. Their attacks cracked the orb, sending fractures across its surface.

  With a final blow, the orb was dislodged. A wave of black, burning blood erupted from the golem’s body, then vanished into a cloud of dark mist.

  The orb hummed faintly, but no blood remained.

  Kai stepped forward and, with a swift slash of his Noxblade, cleaved the orb in two.

  From within, a wraith-like head emerged, screamed, and crumbled into the wind.

  The group exhaled in relief. This, they hoped, was the last of the cursed land’s surprises.

  ***

  As the dust settled and dawn crept over the horizon, the group gathered around a small fire in Nerva’s makeshift camp. The air was still thick with the metallic tang of black blood, and the silence between them was heavy.

  “So… what the hell was that?” Nerva finally asked, his voice edged with frustration. Everything they’d endured left a bitter taste in his mouth, and the stench in the air didn’t help.

  Liliya opened her eyes, her mana partially restored. She glanced at Kai, who gave her a small nod, then turned to Nerva.

  “That was likely the final line of defense left behind by the Soul Forgers,” she said. “Fortunately, it activated too late, after the goddess’s blood had already lost its power.”

  Xarion’s eyes widened. “Wait, blood of a goddess? Are you saying there was a goddess here?”

  Lucius paled, stunned into silence.

  “There was,” Liliya confirmed. “A fallen goddess, imprisoned beneath the castle, beneath the ruins of a long-dead nation. They used her blood to evolve their monsters, to create stronger beings. They combined soulforging with the divine essence of the goddess of life and evolution.”

  “This is insane…” Nerva muttered. “Where is she now?”

  “I was asked to kill her,” Kai said quietly.

  Umbra stood, eyes wide. “You killed a god? My brother is a godkiller!” She laughed, clearly impressed. “That sounds pretty good, I must say.”

  Zara chuckled at the beast’s enthusiasm.

  Kai, however, didn’t smile. “It’s nothing to be proud of,” he said, his voice low. “She was trapped, used as a power source for their twisted experiments. Her mind was shattered. Her divine spark, gone. All she wanted… was to die.”

  Umbra’s expression softened. She sat back down without saying another word.

  “I see,” Nerva said, shaking his head. “So, it’s even more complicated than I thought. A fallen goddess… the source of all this madness.”

  “What about my old master?” Eira asked, her voice tense.

  “He’s gone,” Liliya said with a small, satisfied smile.

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  Kai nodded and began recounting what had happened in the castle. He described his battle with Eira’s master, how the man had merged three more souls into himself, growing stronger… and more deranged. He told how Scry and Liliya had helped him defeat him, though somehow, the man had survived.

  Liliya coughed lightly as Kai reached the part where they were trapped. He skipped over the details, a faint blush rising to his cheeks.

  Zara caught it and smirked, while Nerva chuckled.

  Kai continued, explaining how they faced the reborn Florian and eventually encountered the goddess Viridya. He carefully avoided mentioning the Thalunids or his own evolving abilities, but he did explain how he ended her life.

  Liliya listened and confirmed his account, keeping his secrets safe.

  “Did you take her soul?” Umbra asked through their mental link.

  “I did,” Kai replied, locking eyes with her. “I’m not sure what’s happening with my soul serpent. It’s been absorbing the souls of Florian and the goddess. If anything happens to me… please watch over me. I feel strange.”

  Umbra’s gaze softened. She understood all too well. Ever since Kai had absorbed his first soul, he’d been forced to relive the lives of the beasts he consumed. But this time… this time it was a god.

  Neither of them knew what that would mean.

  Kai turned to Kran, his tone light but his eyes sharp. “So, Kran, my friend… do tell, what the hell are you doing here? And what happened to your body?” He smiled, but the tension in his brow betrayed his anger.

  Kran wiped the sweat from his forehead, his voice trembling. “I followed you all… I wanted to help Eira. I distracted Mamba, so she and Lucius could finish the fight.”

  Eira stepped in, her voice calm. “He was mortally wounded. I used the green liquid, which I now understand was the blood of the goddess, to heal him. It awakened something in him… his wolf genes. He’s not just a beastman anymore. He’s something new. Something closer to a Divine Beast.”

  Kai listened, then sighed. “You’re an idiot, Kran. But I’m glad you’re alive. Just… learn from this. Don’t throw your life away.”

  Kran nodded, smiling warmly. He understood that Kai cared deeply for his friends and didn’t want to lose any of them.

  Nerva stood quietly, watching the rising sun. He took a deep breath.

  “Kai… I killed James,” he said, his voice trembling with sorrow. He recounted the battle with Rhino and how James had regained his mind in his final moments.

  Kai placed a hand on Nerva’s shoulder. “He was already gone. His mind was lost. At least he got to know Lisa was alive before the end. Don’t carry this alone. Theodor will understand, and… we don’t have to tell Lisa.”

  “No,” Nerva said firmly. “I’ll tell her. If she hates me, so be it.” He stared into the distance, anger flickering in his eyes as the memory resurfaced.

  “We’ve all been through hell,” Xarion said. “None of us expected it to end like this. You two should rest. The barrier fell with the ruins, and I’d rather not stay in this cursed place longer than necessary.”

  “Agreed,” Kai said. “Liliya, how soon will you be ready? I need about two hours.”

  “Mister, my dragon body needs a few hours to stabilize. I should be ready in two hours as well,” she replied with a smirk.

  Zara grinned. “Sooo… what happened down there? You two seem awfully close now.”

  “Brother,” Umbra added, “did you mate with the mage girl?" She smirked, "I approve. She is strong, but her body is weak; we must train her to bear strong children.”

  “What are you saying?! Have you both lost your minds?!” Liliya turned bright red. “Nothing happened! Nothing at all! We just… feel more comfortable now, that’s all!” she shouted.

  Kai blushed. “We’re friends now. That’s it.”

  Scry, groggy from all the yelling, sat up. “I saw them. They did nothing indecent.”

  “Thank you, Scry!” Liliya said, relieved, until he added, “But something’s definitely cooking there. I approve, by the way.”

  “Scry, you bastard!” she shrieked and stormed into the tent. Zara followed, laughing.

  “No need to be ashamed,” Nerva chuckled. “She’s a good girl. Just a little too obsessed with magic.”

  “I think a Dracorious woman would suit a dragon’s heir better,” Xarion said thoughtfully.

  Kai shivered. “Sorry, but I prefer human-looking women.” He paled at the thought.

  Nerva laughed, and Xarion smiled knowingly. He’ll change his mind when he meets the right one, Xarion thought, already considering potential matches.

  “Hey, Nerva,” Kai asked, “what’s with Liliya and licking mana and magic?”

  Nerva burst out laughing. “She did that again? She loves magic so much that she wants to experience it in every way possible. It’s her obsession. But yeah… it can be a bit much sometimes.”

  “By the way,” Nerva continued, “how did you awaken your aura?”

  Lucius stepped closer, eager to hear.

  Kai smiled at his enthusiasm. “I was low on mana and aura. Barely able to coat my blade. Then I remembered what you said about control and will. I realized my will is to always push forward, like an unstoppable river. That’s when I understood how to fuse my will into my mana. That’s when I awakened my aura.”

  Lucius nodded, absorbing every word. “So… it’s about understanding who you are... That’s not easy.”

  Nerva clapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. You’ll get there. You need more experience, more trials. Kai’s been through a lot. That’s why he’s grown so fast.”

  Kai nodded. “Exactly. The principles are the same. Learn who you are, and you’ll grow stronger.”

  “Thank you, both of you,” Lucius said. “I’ve learned a lot on this mission. Once we’re back, I’ll train harder and put it all into practice.”

  He had changed. He was no longer the hot-headed noble who judged others by their birth.

  These people, stronger than most nobles, had taught him that strength came from within, not from bloodlines and riches.

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