"Rioooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!", Layla's desperate cry echoed through the battleground.
Her voice was hoarse, and her words were filled with an intense agony that shook everyone's heart. The sound of her cry seemed to pierce through the chaos of the battle, leaving everyone in stunned silence.
The onlookers could only watch helplessly as Layla's screams filled the air. It was as if her entire being had become consumed by the agony of watching Rio being struck down. The atmosphere was eerie, and even the bravest of warriors felt their hearts quivering with fear.
As the girl continued to cry out in despair, it was clear that she was losing all hope. The sight of Rio being hit by the heavenly thunder was too much for her to bear, and it seemed as though she had given up all hope of ever seeing him again.
As the dust from the explosion began to settle, a cloud of debris obscured the view of the battlefield. No one could see what had become of the boy, and the air was filled with a heavy, oppressive silence.
Some of the HeavenGlow's Red Stage warriors held their breath, their hearts pounding as they anxiously awaited any sign of the young boy's fate.
Inside the cage, Layla's grief-stricken expression was a mixture of desperation and hope, her eyes scanning the battlefield for any sign of the boy.
As the dust continued to clear, the moment of truth drew near, and the outcome of the battle hung in the balance.
***
As the heavenly thunder hurtled towards Rio, he gritted his teeth and braced himself for the impact. His body was already heavy with exhaustion and injuries from the intense battle, and he had no strength left to struggle back. He felt as if his mana had run out and he was unable to even stand.
But suddenly, in that moment of desperation, a mysterious figure appeared beside him. The figure was a beautiful, ethereal lady with flowing blue hair, her translucent form shimmering with an otherworldly light. She bore a striking resemblance to Rose, but her features were even more exquisite, and she emanated an air of maturity and grace.
The lady's sudden appearance went unnoticed by the onlookers, their attention solely focused on the impending impact of the old man's devastating attack.
Just as the heavenly thunder was about to strike Rio, the blue-haired lady intervened, her arms cradling his battered body with tender care and effortlessly absorbing the full force of the attack.
A cloud of dust covered them inside, obscuring their figures from view.
As the dust began to settle, Rio found himself in the embrace of the blue-haired lady. The warmth of her embrace filled him with a sense of security and love, like a mother holding her child. She leaned in and placed a tender kiss on his forehead, and as soon as her lips touched his skin, a powerful surge of energy pulsed through his body.
The boy's heartbeat thundered in his chest, the vibrations shaking him to his very core. He felt as if something inside him had unlocked, and his eyes widened in amazement.
Rio, dumbstruck by the unexpected turn of events, struggled to comprehend what had just happened. Before he could fully process the situation, a notification rang in his mind:
<<<<
[You have awakened the Mana Heart.]
[Cloudgrace Mount's Egg has hatched!]
>>>>
As Rio heard the notification, he noticed the blue-haired lady's lips moving, her voice barely audible as she whispered something to him.
Despite the faintness of her words, Rio somehow understood her message. With a soft, enigmatic smile, the lady's figure faded, vanishing as suddenly as she had appeared.
As the dust cleared, Rio's eyes blazed with renewed determination. A sudden surge of power coursed through his body, and he felt his previous mana pool soar by 400%, with a regeneration rate of 4% per minute. He was flowing with energy, and he felt as if he could destroy a mountain with a single punch. Now, he had the freedom to use more mana than ever before.
The boy's body was enveloped in a brilliant aura of crackling thunder that buzzed stronger than before, as if he had harnessed the power of the heavens themselves.
Meanwhile, Layla peered through the bars of her silver cage, her heart pounding with fear and hope. When she saw Rio standing there, alive and glowing with a brilliant aura of thunder, her expression changed to one of joy and relief. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at him in disbelief.
"Rio...!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with emotion. Even though she was trapped in the cage, her heart swelled with joy and gratitude at the sight of her beloved.
The onlookers watched in awe as the young boy, once on the brink of death, now stood tall, his spirit unbroken and his power seemingly boosted by an unseen force.
The old man's eyes widened in disbelief at the transformation in Rio's power. He struggled to comprehend the situation as he caught sight of numerous small blue spheres hurtling toward him.
With swift, agile movements, he managed to evade the majority of the spheres, but four still found their mark, colliding with him and resulting in powerful explosions.
The ground quaked beneath the force of the detonations, and cracks spread across the old man's armor like spiderwebs. Desperate to escape Rio's continuous attack, he took to the skies, his mind a whirlwind of confusion as he wondered how Rio had survived his deadliest attack.
But the boy was far from done. Using his winged beast soul, he soared into the heavens with boosted strength, a fierce glint in his eyes. He unleashed a torrent of 40 to 50 blue spheres chasing the old man, each one a harbinger of destruction.
The sky above the battlefield transformed into a breathtaking spectacle of light and sound, the explosions from the spheres creating a mesmerizing display of fireworks. The old man was tossed about like a ragdoll amidst the barrage, each blast threatening to overwhelm him.
====////====
[SnowNote]
As most of you complained about the previous chapter, I decided to post a bonus chapter from my stockpile that was originally planned for tomorrow.
________________________________
Please vote with power stones and Golden tickets to support this book. The more, the better.
I'll add the important character images on the:
https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG
Like it? Add to the library!
Edited By: TheWhiteSnow
Visit freewe𝑏no(v)el.𝘤𝑜𝓂 for the best novel reading experience