Smoke curled in thick gray tendrils from the scorched forest. Ash danced on the wind like restless spirits as Kairis Ash hovered atop a shattered ridge, eyes flickering faintly purple, focusing every ounce of his being on the colossal form of the zombie dragon before him. Its wings, ripped and jagged, beat furiously, tearing trees from the ground. Its necrotic scales shimmered with dark matter, each step a tremor that shook the earth.
Iron Fang's squad was battered, limbs bleeding, armor scorched. Tharen shouted orders, trying to maintain cohesion, but every strike was countered by the dragon's evolved reflexes. Kairis's system flashed warnings: his HP was dipping dangerously low.
HP: 890 / 2450
MP: 680 / 1250
STR: 27
DEX: 25
AGI: 28
INT: 26
Divinity: 5
Authority: 6
Abilities: Gyro-Telekinesis, Black Hole (Small), Gravity Crush, Gravity Manipulation, Gravity Crush (Enhanced)
Not enough to take this head-on… Kairis thought, feeling the familiar thrill of danger. The adrenaline, the raw chaos — this was the life he thrived in.
The dragon roared, opening its jaws to unleash a Necrotic Breath. Kairis twisted midair, using Gyro-Telekinesis to lift debris as a shield for Iron Fang, while simultaneously manipulating gravity around the dragon to slow its expulsion. The blast scorched trees, reduced the ground to molten ash, but the team survived.
"Focus on its legs!" Kairis shouted to Iron Fang. "I'll handle the wings and head!"
Lysael and Kaelis flanked the dragon, targeting the joints of the wings, while Boryn and Mirek fired gravity-imbued projectiles — a synergy Kairis had subtly set up. The dragon thrashed violently, attempting to dislodge the attackers, but Kairis used Gravity Crush (Enhanced) to slam it into the ground, creating a crater beneath it.
The momentary immobilization allowed him to circle above, riding gravitational currents, scanning for weaknesses. Its scales were dense, but small cracks appeared near its joints where decay had eaten away at muscle and bone.
There's always a weak spot… always.
A swipe of the tail caught him off-guard, sending him tumbling through the air, slamming into the ruins of a shattered tower. Pain lanced through his side — ribs bruised, blood trickling. His system flashed alerts:
HP Critical: 420 / 2450
Status: Wounded, Minor Hemorrhage
Kairis gritted his teeth, pushing through. "You're strong… but so am I," he muttered under his breath. Time to test the limits.
He focused on Black Hole (Small), creating a vortex beneath the dragon's torso. Its rear legs were sucked in, immobilizing it further. The strain was immense, HP bleeding faster, but it gave him the opening he needed. Using Gyro-Telekinesis, he launched debris as weapons, simultaneously slashing with the Graviton Edge, each strike bending the dragon's massive body further to his will.
Iron Fang was relentless. Tharen leapt, slashing with gravity-enhanced swords, creating concussive bursts with every strike. Lysael coordinated ranged attacks, focusing energy into Kairis's gravity-manipulated slashes. Kaelis and Boryn created synchronized traps, pinning the dragon's claws, while Mirek aimed precise strikes to its necrotic energy nodes.
"Keep it busy!" Kairis shouted. He felt every strike, every impact, every ounce of energy feeding into him. His Gravity Affinity pulsed, a deep, resonant hum in his bones.
The dragon, sensing its end, unleashed a terrifying Wing Gust combined with Necrotic Breath. Kairis's system reacted instantly, alerting him to extreme damage potential. He activated Gravity Crush (Enhanced), layering it with Gyro-Telekinesis to manipulate air and debris. He launched himself at the dragon, flipping through the air with impossible speed.
System Notification:
Quest Progress: 100%
Reward: Dark Matter Infusion +5, Ability Unlocked: Void Rend (gravity-infused slash capable of slicing through evolved undead tissue)
Level Up: 11
He slammed the Graviton Edge down, channeling gravity and void energy into a single concentrated strike. The impact tore through the dragon's chest, ripping necrotic scales and exposing corrupted bone and sinew. The creature howled in a sound that rattled the mountains, flinging debris and fire into the sky. Kairis's Black Hole finished the immobilization, and the Void Rend cut clean through the neck.
The zombie dragon collapsed, a giant corpse smoking and writhing faintly as dark matter dissipated from it.
Kairis fell to one knee, bloodied, breath ragged. Iron Fang regrouped, visibly awed and battered, but alive. Tharen clapped him on the shoulder.
"That… that was incredible. You saved us all," he said, voice trembling.
Kairis wiped blood from his face, smirking. "I told you… I like a good fight."
He stood slowly, the sun breaking through the smoke, casting his shadow across the ruined clearing. Even bloodied and battered, he radiated confidence. The faint purple glow in his eyes dimmed, but the aura of dominance remained. Aura farming meme style, he thought dryly, letting the sunlight backlight him, casting a perfect silhouette across the rubble.
Kaiyara arrived moments later, running across the battlefield, scanning for survivors. She froze at the sight of him. "Kairis… you—"
He raised a hand, interrupting her. "I've got this. Everyone else alive?"
"Yeah… all accounted for. That dragon… it's gone," she said, a mixture of relief and awe in her tone.
Kairis sheathed the Graviton Edge, taking in the devastation around him. This was their world now — brutal, unforgiving, and beautiful in its chaos.
System Update — Post-Battle
XP Gained: +1200
Level: 11
New Abilities:
Void Rend — High-damage gravity-infused slash
Gravity Crush (Enhanced) — Drains 10% HP per second, increases damage 25%
Dark Matter Affinity: 7
Quests Completed: Giant Zombie Tiger & Zombie Dragon (Eryndor)
Kairis took a deep breath, looking to the horizon. Eryndor would need protection. His siblings, Elyra and Aeren, training with Kaiyara — all of it mattered.
The world was cruel… but so was he.
With a final glance at the battlefield, Kairis jumped, leaving the smoking ruins behind. The next mission, the next hunt, the next battle — all awaited. And he would be ready.