Chapter 128: The White Dragon Steed

“HSSSSSS!”

The two Divine Beasts struck each other at the same moment, each delivering and receiving a devastating blow. The violent pain forced them to rear back as they shrieked toward the sky, their cries echoing across Star Lake.

At last, the Nightmare King’s spiraling horn pierced through the white steed’s golden protective aura. The horn sank deep into its pristine flank, tearing flesh and drawing a rush of bright red blood. The searing pain made the white steed scream in agony, its body shuddering violently from the impact.

The Nightmare King fared no better. Even with its terrifying resilience, the pain could not be ignored. As its horn struck home, it released a mournful, distorted howl, its voice heavy with both fury and suffering.

The instant the Nightmare King’s horn connected, the white steed retaliated. It unleashed Meteor Shower, and massive chunks of rock rained down from the heavens like an unrelenting torrent. The falling stones crashed into the Nightmare King’s black body, battering it mercilessly and forcing dark, shimmering Demon Realm blood to seep from its wounds.

Fortunately for the Nightmare King, its defenses were extraordinarily strong. It endured the Meteor Shower through sheer durability, its eyes blazing with malice as it judged the situation. One more truly powerful charge, it believed, would be enough to bring the white steed down for good.

Because of the nature of their collision, the Nightmare King was unable to avoid contact with the white steed’s golden Light attribute. Normally, this would have meant nothing to it, as the Nightmare King was immune to Light magic. Yet to its shock, the golden aura concealed something far more dangerous, a fierce True Fire of the Three Realms hidden within the light itself. The flames burned without discrimination, instantly incinerating the Nightmare King’s protective black Demonic Energy and carving a deep, scorched wound into its body. The sudden, searing burn made it release a long, terrible shriek that pierced the air.

The first direct clash between the Nightmare King and the white steed ended in a stalemate, with both Divine Beasts injured. This result only drove the Nightmare King into a blind rage. A creature born for offense and destruction, the pain and burning wounds did not weaken it. Instead, they stirred its blood and excited its battle instinct. Ignoring its injuries entirely, it charged once more toward the white steed, its hooves pounding the ground with a thunderous clatter.

The Nightmare King was furious that it had been hurt at all. In its mind, the fault lay in its previous attack not being brutal enough, leaving room for the white steed to counter. This time, it swore to unleash a far more devastating assault.

The two Divine Beasts flashed past one another again, immediately plunging into a second clash that was even more violent than the first.

THUD, THUD, THUD…

CLATTER, CLATTER, CLATTER…

They traded blows at terrifying speed, their battle spiraling into a white hot frenzy. In just moments, the surroundings of Star Lake were reduced to chaos. The lake itself boiled violently, stones and debris were flung through the air, and the once serene landscape was torn apart. Watching the devastation, Marcus could not help but feel a pang of regret for the ruin of such a beautiful natural paradise.

By this point, Marcus had already summoned his Mythic Mount, the Violet Thunderwing Steed. Seated atop it, he hovered safely in the air, well beyond the attack range of the two Divine Beasts, watching their earth-shaking battle unfold below. It was fortunate that neither of them possessed the ability to fly, otherwise he would never have dared to remain nearby.

The towering tree he had originally been standing on had long since been obliterated in the chaos, forcing him to summon his mount. Thankfully, as a Mythic Mount, the Violet Thunderwing Steed quickly adapted to the oppressive presence of the two powerful Divine Beasts and remained steady beneath him.

From his vantage point in the sky, Marcus watched the battle with his blood boiling.

’God, what I wouldn’t give to be down there’, he thought, his knuckles white on the reins. Not to play hero, but just to ’feel’ it. To test himself against that raw, world-breaking power. Victory wasn’t the point; the fight itself was the prize. It was a new and startling hunger, this craving for a clean, brutal, no-holds-barred brawl.

A sobering look at his own level stat quickly doused the fantasy. He’d be paste before he took two steps into their magical radius. He was just a spectator at this show.

He used the brief moment when the creatures broke apart, circling each other with hatred, to cast Insight, managing to glimpse some basic information about the Nightmare King and the white steed.

Nightmare King:

Level ???

Health ???

Skills ???

The Nightmare King is an advanced Demon Clan monster evolved from a Unicorn King. It grew and trained within the Dark Abyss, the deepest region of the Demon Realm. The horn upon its head is its deadliest weapon. Its four hooves are wreathed in Hellfire, its eyes blaze with flames, and its body is a dark, shimmering black, saturated with the Dark attribute. It is arrogant, fiercely combative, cruel by nature, and utterly unyielding.

The Nightmare King’s attributes were exactly as the lore described, leaving Marcus with no real surprises. The information on the white steed, however, caught him completely off guard.

White Dragon Steed: Level ???, Health ???, Skills ???

The White Dragon Steed is neither entirely Dragon nor entirely Steed. It is the offspring of the ancient Divine Beast, the Five-Element White Dragon, and the Holy Steed King. It possesses a powerful Light attribute and can manipulate the Five Elements. Carrying the bloodline of the White Dragon, it can freely transform between horse and dragon forms.

’A Dragon’s descendant!’

The realization sent a jolt through Marcus. No wonder the creature possessed a draconic physique and an unmistakable air of nobility. He remembered the game’s description of a White Dragon Horse, a sacred creature spoken of in ancient myths. Could this White Dragon Steed be connected to that legend, perhaps even a direct descendant?

The thought made his heart race.

He desperately wanted to capture the White Dragon Steed. Who would not want a Divine Beast as a mount? And then there was the Nightmare King as well. If he could capture it, he would shatter the long-standing belief that only the Demon Lord was worthy of riding a Nightmare King.

The opportunity was right in front of him. All he had to do was wait patiently, let the Nightmare King and the White Dragon Steed exhaust each other, and then step in at the perfect moment. Like a fisherman waiting for the fish to tire, he would reap the rewards.

“Ha ha ha…”

Marcus could not help but laugh softly, delight bubbling up inside him. His luck was absurdly good. He imagined himself riding the White Dragon Steed, leading the Nightmare King through Dragon’s Peak Citadel, turning every head along the way. One white, one black, one Light, one Dark. Just the sight alone would make him the most eye-catching presence in the entire game.

Reality, however, did not unfold as he had hoped.

After nearly an hour of brutal combat, the White Dragon Steed began to lose ground. Despite its noble bloodline, it was a creature of peace at heart, lacking true combat experience. Its innate fighting instincts were weaker, and having lived a life largely free of constant battle, it simply could not match the Nightmare King, a creature forged by endless slaughter.

More importantly, the White Dragon Steed had been relying heavily on powerful magic. Its natural mana recovery could no longer keep up with the relentless consumption. Its movements slowed, its breathing grew uneven, and several deep gashes now marred its body where the Nightmare King’s horn had struck. Its once immaculate white coat was soaked with crimson blood.

The Nightmare King was far from unscathed. Its body bore scorch marks and open wounds, remnants of the White Dragon Steed’s attacks. Even so, it was clearly in better condition. Its aura remained fierce, its movements steady and aggressive. If the White Dragon Steed continued to bleed and falter, there was no doubt the Nightmare King would emerge victorious.

And if that happened, Marcus’s perfect plan would collapse.

’Damn it,’ Marcus thought, anxiety spiking. ’This isn’t how it’s supposed to go!’

Yet what could he do? Even injured, either Divine Beast could kill him instantly. One careless move would be enough to erase him completely. Was he really going to be forced to watch helplessly as the Nightmare King claimed victory and walked away, leaving him with nothing?

At that moment, a faint but pure blue light began to rise from the center of Star Lake.

Even under the bright sunlight, even with the reflection of the clear blue water, the glow was unmistakable. It grew brighter by the second, its color deepening into a serene, almost unreal shade of blue.

’What is that?’

The sudden change immediately caught Marcus’s attention. Focusing his gaze, he finally spotted the source. Floating at the very center of the lake was a deep blue lotus flower. Its color blended so perfectly with the water that it had been nearly invisible before. If it had not begun to emit that radiant blue light, he would never have noticed it at all.

“Giddy up.”

Marcus urged the Violet Thunderwing Steed forward, guiding it toward the center of the lake until he hovered directly above the lotus. He leaned forward slightly, eyes fixed on the glowing flower.

A blue lotus capable of emitting such a pure and brilliant light was no ordinary plant.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep