Chapter 532: Rebirth (1)
Chapter 532
"Hold on!" Grey called out as wind magic suddenly whipped around him. He bolted towards Thalos, grabbing hold of him firmly. Swirling Ki into his hands, Grey’s strength was immediately boosted as he picked up the gargoyle with ease, and in a flash, they dashed off the mountain, which could now be seen crumbling apart behind them.
Shooting down toward the ground, the Supreme Magus coughed out specks of blood continuously, yet even as the warm taste filled his mouth, it didn’t deter him.
The distant sound of collapsing rocks and thunderous rumbling echoed in his ears, reminding him of the destruction that had just unfolded above.
"Fucking drop me down! I’m not a kid," Thalos complained angrily, his voice sharp with irritation at the way Grey was holding onto him.
"Ok," Grey replied coldly without hesitation, loosening his grip. The gargoyle was instantly sent free-falling.
"Ah fuck!" Thalos roared as he twisted his body midair. Spinning to face the ground, he kicked the air forcefully, producing a loud bang that reverberated through the valley before he landed smoothly, his massive frame touching the ground without a scratch. "You fool! Why did you do that?"
"You asked me to." Grey grinned devilishly as he hovered in the air for a brief moment before landing gracefully beside him.
He stared down at his own hands, opening and closing his fists. Lightning crackled around his fingers, flowing seamlessly like a second heartbeat, and his grin widened with uncontained satisfaction.
"And will you look at that? Our trip here wasn’t totally useless. You managed to get your lightning magic back," Thalos muttered with a small frown after replaying in his mind the sheer devastation the young one had unleashed moments ago.
"That’s all of your magic, right?" the gargoyle pressed.
"Yeah. Per my knowledge, I only have two. Wind and lightning, so yeah, I guess that’s all." Grey smirked as he twirled his finger in the air, arcs of lightning dancing freely around it.
"Damn! This magic is too destructive and too beautiful at the same time. Oh boy! Kek! The direct descendants are going to drop dead in my hands during the tournament. Now I’m more than confident that I can take on Rivock."
"Looks like that phoenix was the boss of this place, so it will soon collapse entirely now that it’s dead. We need to leave immediately," Thalos muttered, his eyes scanning the unstable terrain, causing Grey to finally look up, his gaze distant and thoughtful.
’I wish there was a way of regaining my memories along with these magics. Right now, I don’t know why but I feel like I can only use lightning bolts and arrows. There must be more, techniques hidden deep in my past. If there’s a way to awaken what I’ve lost, I could unleash the full potential of this power.
Especially with the fact that the Midnight Sun Clan isn’t done with me. If what Yami sir said is true, then the leader of that organisation is a mage as well.
Not just any weak mage, but a powerful one. Someone that could crush me easily if I remain like this. I need to grow stronger, faster. But I can’t do this alone.’ Grey thought as his eyes flicked from his crackling fingers down to Thalos.
"What happened? Why are you staring at me like that?" the gargoyle asked, his face hardening with suspicion.
’If Thalos wasn’t here today, I wouldn’t have survived. The phoenix would have ended me in a heartbeat. But with him, we managed to kill it. That proves something important to me.
I can’t do this alone. I need more allies. People whose vision aligns with mine. Fighters who crave strength just as much as I do, people who won’t hesitate to rise against any force that threatens us. I need comrades by my side. Strong ones. Those willing to carve their names into history.
Perhaps it’s time to start building more than just my own strength. Perhaps it’s time... to create a clan of my own.’
But before I even think of doing that, I need to grow stronger—at least to the level of a Stage 3 or 4 warrior—and also expand my mastery over magic. Securing more wealth through my pill business will be just as crucial.
Only then will I truly be ready to create a clan of my own. Only then will I be prepared to lay the foundation for something lasting and unstoppable,’ Grey thought as he clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles whitening from the sheer force of his determination.
’Once created, I’ll grow my clan to such an extent that we won’t just take over a faction. No... we’ll conquer the whole Vayun world itself.’ His eyes gleamed dangerously at the thought, his resolve burning hotter than ever.
"Shall we leave now?!" Thalos called out, his gruff voice cutting into Grey’s thoughts. His stony brow furrowed into a deep frown, snapping the Supreme Magus out of his internal monologue.
"Sure." Grey nodded, his tone casual as if nothing was troubling him. He turned to leave but froze when he realized Thalos hadn’t moved. "Huh? What’s wrong? Weren’t you the one rushing me a second ago?"
"Don’t you feel like something’s wrong here?" Thalos muttered darkly, his voice low but edged with unease.
Grey lifted a brow, mildly confused. "Meaning?"
"We’ve been standing here for several minutes now after killing the beast, and yet this place shows no sign of collapsing. Normally, when a boss dies, the entire realm or dungeon begins to crumble. But here? Nothing." Thalos’ stone-carved face twisted with suspicion.
"Huh? Are you suggesting that the phoenix isn’t dead yet?" Grey asked, his brows furrowing as his body immediately went on guard. Sparks of electricity danced faintly across his fingertips, betraying his unease.
"Kind of. I vaguely remember reading something about phoenixes a long time ago, but the details are fuzzy." Thalos rubbed at his stone temples, frustration evident in his expression as he tried to recall.
"Or maybe it wasn’t even the real boss of this place." Grey scoffed dismissively, though the edge in his tone betrayed his uncertainty.
Thalos was about to respond with his usual sarcasm, his lips parting for a retort, when suddenly his entire body stiffened. His eyes widened in absolute horror.
"Behind you!" the gargoyle roared, his grip tightening on his greatsword.
Grey instantly spun around, his senses flaring.
And there it was.
A shimmering, radiant light appeared out of thin air, bright enough to sting his eyes. Sparks of lightning began striking down from above, converging on a single point within the glow.
"Huh?" Grey muttered, confusion flickering in his eyes as he peered deeper into the blinding light. Within the glow, he could just barely make out the faint, crystalline shape of a beast core.
Bolts of lightning hammered down into it repeatedly, each strike making the air hum violently with raw power. Grey immediately fell into a defensive stance, arcs of electricity sparking around his hands and forearms.
"Don’t... don’t tell me," he croaked, his voice trembling despite himself as the outline of something began taking form.
Thalos suddenly snapped his fingers, his memory finally unlocking. "Now I remember. Phoenixes can be reborn."
Grey’s eyes widened. His pulse hammered against his chest like a war drum.
’But wait—that shouldn’t be happening this quickly. A rebirth is supposed to take years, maybe even decades,’ Thalos thought, his gaze narrowing as the glowing figure solidified further, wings stretching wide.
Yet, right in front of them, the phoenix’s full form re-emerged in all its blazing glory, restored to pristine condition as though it had never fallen.
’Unless... something accelerated the process.’ Thalos’ heart sank at the realization.
"Crap! We’re cooked," Grey muttered, his voice laced with dread as his heart pounded furiously in his chest. He could barely swallow as the sight of the resurrected phoenix towered before them, majestic, terrible, and whole once more.