Epic Of Ice Dragon: Reborn As An Ice Dragon With A System

Chapter 2420: The Beginning Of The End [1]

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The moment Surtr and the Dragons cleared a path for their group, Gold, Drake’s second Split Soul, quickly led everyone through the ruined castle and into the shattered formation where Oberon and Uroboros were located. The broken formation stretched over a kilometer in length and encircled a massive factory-like building made of silver and azure steel, covered in tubes and unfamiliar technology that even Earthlings could not comprehend.

A large door had been torn open. Several Elven Gods flew around the facility, frantically attempting to repair the damage, while the group sensed a very powerful presence slowly awakening from its slumber.

"This is where Oberon is?!" Belle asked, the Venerable raising an eyebrow in disbelief. "What the hell is this thing? Are you telling me Héluna carried this around everywhere?"

"It seems that way," Skadi replied with a nod. "Oberon appears to be crafting a ’perfect body,’ whatever that means, and it needed more time. However, the constant battles and everything else caused the formation to be struck and collapse. Whatever is happening inside is anyone’s guess."

"I can sense him! He’s in there!" Jake said angrily. His Psychic Aura surged as his body suddenly transformed, growing three times larger and becoming covered in armor of white bone.

"Uroboros?" Skadi asked.

"Yeah, that monster is inside! He’s trying to do something. We have to stop him before it’s too late!" Jake insisted. "Helena is in danger!"

"Drake said she was his niece..." Belle sighed. "Oh well, we better hurry then! Ruby, you’re the newest among us but also the strongest new Venerable after Drake. Are you ready?"

"I am!" Ruby nodded, having returned to her original form since her giant form drained too much energy. "I’ve been experimenting with my powers. I can channel my giant form now without becoming too huge."

"Nah, thrashing this whole place might not be a bad idea either," Belle said with a grin. "But that’s good too. Let’s move!"

"Helena...!" Lucia whispered as she and the others were pulled toward the building.

"We’ll find her, Lucia. Have faith," Chris reassured her. "Drake’s here with us... or well, a part of him?"

"I am his Split Soul, a fragment of his soul given physical form," Gold explained. "Fear not. I am indeed him... technically. And also not really."

"You talk a lot differently than him, so you’re definitely different," Skadi observed. "Why didn’t he just send his usual Doppelgangers?"

"Split Souls can be stronger than Doppelgangers and won’t weaken his stats," Gold replied. "We also have independent minds, so we can operate without distracting the main body."

"So that’s why Oberon created a dozen Split Souls," Skadi mused. "And any achievement, growth, or cultivation they gained was inherited by him, correct?"

"Exactly," Gold confirmed. "Memories and knowledge too, after a Split Soul’s death, are transferred back to the main body."

"That’s troublesome... We’ve killed a lot of his Split Souls. Does that mean he’ll have all their powers combined?!" Ruby asked, momentarily panicked.

"More than that, they could be multiplied and further evolved through his Ascendancy Laws," Skadi added. "Oberon was the first Venerable, the first mortal to ever reach the level of Ancient Gods, and still the strongest in history. He is said to have forged thirteen Ascendancy Laws, which he apparently used to ’repair’ the world after the Ragnarök and the four demons’ actions."

"That’s obviously nonsense," Belle scoffed. "Though I have no idea how the four demons even defeated him. Were they really that strong? Their inheritances are amazing, but... really?"

"There must have been other factors in his ’defeat,’" Skadi explained. "He didn’t die in battle; he passed from natural causes. The Four Demons also disappeared mysteriously. I wish we could explore the world more and find the other inheritances. They all seemed drawn to Drake, but fate didn’t wait for us to prepare. Now we face the end of the world. We must use every tool we have to achieve victory."

"Well said," Gold agreed. "We’re here. Watch out—they’ve noticed us!"

"Intruders!"

"Don’t come any closer...!"

"Lord Oberon has not summoned you!"

"Mortals, begone!"

The Elven Gods, all nearly identical with long blonde hair, pointed ears, and bright green eyes, attacked the group. They unleashed powerful Divine Magic and Techniques: windstorms, sunrays, thunderbolts, and a variety of elemental assaults.

Yet a barrier of pink clouds appeared instantly, completely negating the damage. All attacks were redirected into another dream world. The Elves stared in confusion as the ground beneath them froze solid. Sharp icicles erupted, impaling them in a single heartbeat.

CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!

They were frozen and shattered into pieces one after another, leaving a wide area covered in frozen, broken divine corpses.

The power of Venerables was truly terrifying. Ruby glanced at the two older Venerables, realizing just how merciless, swift, and decisive they were.

No hesitation. No second thoughts. Pure instinct.

"W-Wait, it’s over? There were like a dozen of them..." Lucia stammered.

"It’s done. Let’s move," Belle said.

"We have to hurry," Skadi urged.

The group rushed forward, but Ruby suddenly felt movement.

"Huh?"

She glanced at the corpses. The ice had already melted away, and the fleshy remains were...

Pulsating.

Tendrils of flesh knit the bodies back together. Long tentacles and eyes sprouted from the elven gods’ corpses as their mouths gaped wide, groaning.

"P-Protect..."

"Proteeeeect..."

"G-Guuuhh... Guuaaagh...!"

One of them vomited a torrent of red and green liquid toward the group. Ruby swiftly raised a barrier of darkness to block it.

The barrier held for a moment, then melted under the corrosive fluid, surprising her.

"What the fuck?!" she cried.

"What is this?" Skadi demanded.

"They’re back? I’m fairly sure they were dead a second ago," Belle said. "Undead?"

"No... they’ve been infected," Jake growled through gritted teeth. "That damned monster already infected everyone here!"

"Infected?! You mean that little tentacled thing laid eggs inside gods?! That’s possible?" Belle asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We don’t know the full extent of his abilities!" Chris replied. "But he’s clearly strong enough... or these pointy-eared guys weren’t strong enough to resist."

"Whatever the case, we need to take them down," Ruby said. "Normal killing won’t work. We should completely vaporize them until nothing except ashes remain."

"There’s an antidote—a chemical mix that destroys the parasite’s cells—but we don’t have any right now," Chris sighed. "The next best thing is fire. Burn them until they can’t move anymore!"

"I’m an expert in that!" Lucia declared, raising her hands. A blast of crimson flames roared forward, engulfing the incoming infected.

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