Chapter 163: Level 19 Starved Drake – Part 1

Thoren slowly realized that he was standing at the center of a vast crater where the earth had completely collapsed inward.

The entire region looked as though something catastrophic had struck the land and torn it open.

But the strange landscape was not the most unsettling part.

Gravity behaved strangely here.

Small stones occasionally lifted from the ground as if pulled upward by an unseen force.

They floated for a brief moment before abruptly drifting sideways and crashing against nearby rocks.

Even the air itself felt unnaturally heavy, pressing down on his body like an invisible weight.

Above the massive crater, the sky appeared fractured.

It looked like shattered glass stretched across the heavens.

Jagged cracks spread across the sky, and through those cracks faint streaks of dim starlight leaked into the world below.

The entire scene felt surreal.

“Where am I?” Thoren whispered hoarsely.

His voice sounded dry and strained.

He had not yet fully recovered from the violent fall and the injuries that followed.

Every breath sent sharp pain through his chest, and his muscles felt stiff and unresponsive.

The abnormal gravity in the crater was nearly twice that of normal earth gravity.

His body was struggling desperately to adjust.

Even standing upright required effort.

With slow, deliberate movements, Thoren pushed himself up from the ground and gradually rose to his feet. His body trembled slightly under the immense pressure.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his palm.

Under such gravity, any ordinary human would have already been crushed flat against the ground.

Even for an awakener like him, the pressure was overwhelming.

For nearly a minute, Thoren simply stood still, forcing his body to adapt.

Eventually, he took his first step.

The movement was clumsy and unstable, his legs shaking slightly as his body struggled against the increased weight.

But he kept moving.

His muscles stiffened painfully, yet he ignored the discomfort and took another step forward.

While trying to get used to the crushing gravity, Thoren simultaneously sent a mental command toward his undead mount.

The Undead Iron Roar Komodo had crashed heavily during the fall. For a split second, the mental connection between them flickered.

It felt as if the link had been severed entirely.

Thoren’s eyes narrowed.

He shook his head firmly.

“Impossible,” he muttered under his breath.

Closing his eyes briefly, he focused deeper on the connection between them.

’Stand up,’ he commanded mentally, his will sharp and unwavering.

Instantly, the dull soul fire within the Komodo’s hollow eye sockets flared brightly to life.

The massive undead creature slowly pushed itself up from the ground.

Despite the many scales that had been shattered during the crash, the Undead Iron Roar Komodo still radiated an imposing and terrifying presence.

Seeing this, Thoren finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.

He began walking toward the undead beast with slow and careful steps.

Each movement required considerable effort due to the abnormal gravity, but after several moments he reached the creature’s side.

He leaned slightly against the Komodo’s massive body and allowed himself a brief moment to rest.

Although his body was gradually adapting to the insane gravity, the effort was draining his stamina rapidly.

Compared to his Perception, Spirit, and Intelligence, his Strength and Constitution attributes were noticeably lower.

But he had never regretted that choice.

His build focused more on control, awareness, and strategic combat rather than brute physical power.

Taking a deep breath, Thoren began carefully examining his surroundings.

As his gaze moved across the crater floor, something strange caught his attention.

The rocks scattered around him looked unusual.

He crouched slightly and picked up one of the fragments.

After inspecting it for a few seconds, his eyes narrowed.

This was not an ordinary stone.

It was a meteorite.

Thoren slowly knitted his brow together.

The strange gravity.

The fractured sky.

And now, meteorite fragments scattered across the ground.

All these clues pointed toward a single disturbing conclusion.

He was not in the Abyss anymore.

But that was impossible.

No one could leave the Abyss once they had entered it.

Unless…

Thoren’s eyes widened slightly.

“Am I inside the Shatter Sky?” he murmured.

The thought sounded absurd even to him.

Yet before he could think further, a mysterious set of words suddenly appeared within his mind.

[Shatter Sky – Hollowstar Gate]

For a moment, Thoren froze.

Then everything suddenly made sense.

This was the Shatter Sky.

However, the words that followed the name puzzled him.

Hollowstar Gate.

“Does that mean there are multiple regions inside the Shatter Sky?” Thoren wondered aloud.

The possibility seemed highly likely.

But before he could analyze the idea any further, the space around him suddenly trembled.

A deep vibration spread through the crater.

Then, a soul-shaking howl echoed across the wasteland.

Thoren’s head snapped toward the source of the sound.

In the distance, a massive creature was charging toward him at breathtaking speed.

A transparent panel appeared before his eyes.

[Starved Drake]

[Level: 19]

[Attributes: Strength 50, Constitution 42, Agility 47, Spirit 6 Defense 35]

[Trait (1): Lesser Abyssal Flame – Breathes a dark, corrosive fire that burns both flesh and armor. ]

[Trait (2): Starvation Frenzy – Gains increase in attacking speed and power when injured for 10 minutes.]

[Trait (3): Wing Razor Dive – Launches into the air before diving down with bladed wings.]

Thoren reacted instantly.

Without hesitation, he summoned two of his strongest undead.

The Undead Storm Tyrant.

And the Undead Royalty Stonewall.

Facing a Level 19 creature in this unknown environment, he did not dare become complacent.

’Kill,’ he commanded mentally.

The undead Storm Tyrant let out a guttural growl before launching forward like a cannonball.

Behind it, the towering Undead Royalty Stonewall followed closely, though slower.

Boom!

The Starved Drake collided violently with the Storm Tyrant.

The impact generated a powerful shockwave that rippled across the crater floor.

Yet neither combatant slowed down.

If anything, the intensity of the battle only increased.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Claws clashed against fists.

Fangs snapped violently.

Tails slammed into armored limbs.

The battle quickly turned brutal.

Thoren watched the clash with a solemn expression.

“Why does this beast feel far more savage than those outside?” he muttered thoughtfully.

Indeed, the creatures within the Shatter Sky seemed fundamentally different.

There was no hesitation in their attacks.

No caution.

Only pure, violent intent to kill.

In this place, peace did not exist.

Every battle was a struggle for survival.

Injuries meant death.

Therefore, every creature fought with absolute ferocity, trying to eliminate its opponent as quickly as possible.

The Starved Drake tore several chunks of flesh from the Storm Tyrant’s body.

But the undead creature did not react at all.

It continued attacking relentlessly.

After all, it was undead.

Pain meant nothing to it.

’Chain Combo,’ Thoren commanded.

The Storm Tyrant immediately accelerated its assault.

Its fists began hammering forward in rapid succession like a jackhammer.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Each punch slammed into the Starved Drake with brutal force.

The Drake screeched in pain, yet its red eyes only burned brighter with madness and hunger.

As its injuries increased, its power surged.

Its claws became faster.

Sharper.

More vicious.

The Storm Tyrant slowly began losing momentum.

Whoosh!

At that exact moment, the Undead Royalty Stonewall finally entered the battle.

It had been waiting patiently for the perfect opportunity.

With a powerful swing, it brought down the massive Iron Ember Blade.

Bang!

The blade sliced cleanly through one of the Starved Drake’s wings.

A miserable shriek echoed through the crater.

Black blood erupted from the wound like a ruptured dam, splashing across the ground.

Seizing the opportunity, the Storm Tyrant surged forward again.

Its jackhammer punches slammed directly into Drake’s chest.

Scales shattered and flew through the air.

Yet instead of showing fear, the Starved Drake’s eyes grew even more frenzied.

Madness burned within them.

Ignoring its injuries completely, the creature opened its jaws wide.

Dark energy gathered inside its throat.

It was preparing to unleash the Lesser Abyssal Flame.

But before the attack could be released, a deadly blade pierced straight through its chest.

The Starved Drake froze.

For a single moment, its massive body trembled.

Then it collapsed heavily onto the ground.

Blood continued pouring from the fatal wound as its body twitched weakly.

A few seconds later, it stopped moving entirely.

Yet Thoren did not relax.

His gaze lifted toward the distance.

And what he saw made his expression turn grim.

Dozens of Starved Drakes were rushing toward his position.

****

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