novelraw Chapter 73: Shattered Reality
Chapter 73: Shattered Reality
’This is a crazy idea, but it should work!’ Verso’s mind was racing fast as he came up with an idea to help the situation.
He swam toward the massive, draconic head of the Sea Serpent, the sonar effect of his Water Manipulation mapping every ridge of its scales.
He reached out, his hand pressing against the cold scale skin of the beast, and sent a silent command.
’Submerge and open your mouth wide.’
The Serpent obeyed instantly as it submerged itself completely into the lake.
Its massive jaws unhinged, revealing rows of needle sharp teeth that looked like they could shred steel.
Verso hesitated for a fraction of a second as he realized that he was not going to enjoy this at all.
"Ugh, this is so uncomfortable." He muttered, bubbles escaping his lips as he climbed into the massive mouth of his own summon.
He settled into the space behind the front teeth, commanding the Serpent to use its massive tongue as a makeshift cushion to keep him from being impaled by the shifting jaws.
The mouth shut tight, plunging him into a wet, claustrophobic darkness that smelled of salt and stomach acid.
’Okay now, create the Vortex.’
Immediately, the Sea Serpent began to coil.
Outside, the water whipped into a high speed frenzy and inside, Verso felt like he was being tossed into a washing machine.
The Serpent used the momentum of the whirlpool to boost its speed, and with a sudden, violent lunge, it shot out of the water and into the narrow tunnel.
"So it is a snake after all." Verso managed to chuckle as he noticed how the serpent was able to borrow the ground completely fine.
Though the sound of his voice was cut short as the Serpent began to thrash its way through the stone passage.
The movement was jarringly violent.
Despite the safety of the tongue, the Serpent had to constrict its muscles to fit through the narrow gaps and Verso found himself colliding repeatedly with the jagged teethy walls of the maw.
"Ouch! Ow! Aa—!"
He could feel his skin being scraped raw, the sharp edges of the teeth catching on his hoodie and grazing his ribs.
But just as he thought he couldn’t take another second of this teethy commute, the pressure released as the tunnel opened up.
Feeling the shift in atmosphere, Verso didn’t wait. He pulled the Sea Serpent back into its summoning space, the massive beast vanishing.
Verso tumbled out of the vanishing maw, landing hard on the rocky and dusty ground of the Island.
He scrambled to his feet, coughing up a mouthful of dust, and immediately manifested the Black Scythe.
Stepping out into the sunlight, he saw his teammates, who looked like they had been through a meat grinder.
"Hey guys," he said, his voice sounding more casual than he felt.
He looked at their shallow breathing and the blood staining their clothes, a wave of guilt hitting him. "Sorry it took me a minute."
The lead mercenary froze.
He stared at the black-haired boy with wide, frantic eyes. If the boy was out, it meant the four men he had sent inside were likely dead.
’Did they at least get the Feng boy?’ He wondered desperately, hopping that they at the very least were able to accomplish their mission.
As if answering his thought, a roar that shook the very foundation of the island erupted from the tunnel.
Verso’s body went rigid. He knew that roar.
Han was still in a paranoid frenzy, and he was coming out with the Elite tier Leaping White Tiger.
"Aaa- give me a moment, I’ll be back!" Verso shouted, not waiting for an explanation.
He turned and sprinted in the opposite direction, ducking behind a jagged rock just as the dust cloud at the cavern mouth exploded.
Out of the tunnel came the Leaping White Tiger, its two horns glowing with a lethal, ethereal light.
The pressure it exerted was suffocating making it easy for everyone to identify it’s tier.
And sitting on top of its bloodstained fur was Han Feng, his ancient robes shredded, looking every bit the vengeful scion he was.
"Where the fuck did you go, you imbecile!" Han roared, his eyes wild as he scanned the area for Verso.
He was ready to give the order to kill, ready to end the spy who had tried to set him up once for all. But as his gaze swept the battlefield, he froze.
His eyes landed on Lua. She was leaning on her rapier, her black hair matted with sweat and blood, but she was looking at him with clear, terrified eyes.
Then he saw Xavier, clutching his lightning spear, standing firmly by her side.
"What the fuck, Han?" Xavier stuttered, his voice cracking.
He was staring at the White Tiger, trying to process the fact that his eccentric teammate had been hiding a beast of that caliber the entire time.
"You- you guys are here?" Han mumbled.
The golden revolver in his hand lowered an inch.
His sense of reality was fracturing. He had been a hundred percent certain that Verso was a plant sent by his brother to isolate him.
He had been convinced Lua was already dead or captured. But here they were, fighting the very mercenaries he thought were Verso’s partners.
’Was I wrong? This entire time?’
The question echoed in his head, a deafening roar of doubt.
"Quickly! End them all!" The shout came from above.
Han looked up to see Verso, standing on top of his Stone Gargoyle with his Black Scythe.
The Gargoyle tucked its wings, performing a steep Aerial Dive toward the remaining Mutant wolves that were still kiting the golems.
The fight, which had been turned into a slow stalemate, suddenly swung heavily in favor of Team Han.
"What are you doing? Come and lend us a hand!" Xavier shouted, snapping Han out of his stupor.
Han looked at his team trying to take in every detail. They were battered, bleeding, and exhausted but they were still alive and fighting.
And then there was Verso, who was behaving as if him and Han did not just have a deadly fight just a few seconds ago.
Although the logic had not made sense right now but the immediate threat did.
’I must question him after this is over,’ Han thought, his eyes hardening as he turned the White Tiger toward the lead mercenary.
’But first, I’m going to kill every last one of these vultures.’
With a command from Han, the White Tiger lunged.