n

n

n

nAlexander tilted his body to the side and struck the death knight's sword with a powerful punch. The bracelet on his wrist flared with light as flames erupted, engulfing the death knight.

nHe was utilizing the equipment skills from two dark-grade artifacts simultaneously. Alexander leaped into the air, turning his focus to the skeletal dragon.

nThe skeletal dragon opened its mouth wide, preparing to unleash a devastating breath attack. Suddenly, rocks burst from the ground, slamming into the dragon's jaw and diverting the attack's trajectory. Alexander took advantage of the distraction, swinging his hands to conjure hundreds of water spears.

n

"Rain of Spears!

"

nIn the next moment, the water spears descended upon the skeletal dragon with fierce intensity.

nBang! Bang! Bang!

nAlexander was about to launch another attack when he sensed a presence behind him. He quickly turned around and saw that the death knight had freed itself from the flames.

nThe death knight swung its sword in a deadly arc, aiming for Alexander's neck. Alexander swiftly shifted his body to the side, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp blade.

n

"Destruction is your fate. The only salvation in this world is the family,

" the death knight declared.

n

"I have no idea what you're talking about!

" Alexander retorted as he gathered the four elements into his fist.

nWith a powerful swing, he released a massive wave of energy that engulfed both the death knight and the skeletal dragon.

nThe four elements swirled at high speed, annihilating everything in their path. The energy wave advanced several kilometers, obliterating thousands of skeletons before it erupted in a massive explosion.

nBoom!

nAlexander withdrew his fist and stood tall, surveying the devastation he had wrought. As he prepared to move, he sensed a presence. Quickly turning his head, he saw a man with rotten, pale skin and pitch-black eyes.

nIt was another undead.

n

"Go away... You do not belong here,

" the undead rasped in a coarse voice.

n

"Y-You are...?

" Alexander's eyes widened as he sensed something familiar about this undead.

nIn an instant, vivid scenes from his past life flashed before his eyes, revealing someone with the same demeanor as this undead.

nBefore Alexander could ask, the undead dissolved into smoke and vanished. He tried to pursue it, but the skeletal dragon and death knight had already recovered from the damage.

nThe two undead launched a relentless assault.

nBoom!

nAlexander gritted his teeth as he crossed his arms in front of him. The breath attack and energy blade struck him simultaneously, sending him hurtling hundreds of meters away.

"Go away. What did that even mean?

"

nHe frowned, deep in thought about the strange events and the mysterious undead. He was determined to uncover the truth of what had happened here in the past.

n

"Did you really think you could just push me around?!

" Alexander said coldly as he waved his hand, dispersing the attacks from the two undead.

nHis elemental energy surged like a raging tide, enveloping everything around him.

n

"Did you really think you could just push me around?!

" Alexander said coldly as he waved his hand, dispersing the attacks from the two undead.

nHis elemental energy surged like a raging tide, enveloping everything around him.

nElement Drive: Fusion of the Myriad Elements

nAlexander raised his hand and made a grabbing motion in anger. Before the two undead could react, they were teleported directly in front of him.

n

"A simple spatial manipulation... You should know that my elemental power is on the verge of reaching the Fourth Stage.

"

nHis cold voice echoed through the battlefield.

nThe skeletal dragon and the death knight were overwhelmed by the intense pressure bearing down on them.

n

"Vanish into oblivion!

" Alexander commanded as he swung his hand, channeling his immense elemental energy.

nA gigantic palm, forged from seven elements, descended from above. Each element fed into the next, creating a self-sustaining cycle of power. The ground beneath cracked and shattered under the sheer force of the descending palm.

nThe skeletal dragon and death knight could not withstand such overwhelming power. The ground split open as shockwaves ripped through everything. Fire blazed across the sky, while earth and water clashed violently. The air howled and darkness twisted under the force of Alexander's attack.

nThe power of a man on the brink of the Fourth Stage of elemental mastery-Alexander

nDreyfus.

nThe other Nine Heads looked on in astonishment, struck by the sheer magnitude of Alexander's display. They had always known him to be strong, but this was beyond anything they had anticipated.

nThis was a whole other level of power.

nSouta turned toward Alexander, feeling the intensity of the elemental energy. It was clear that Alexander's power was on the verge of reaching the Fourth Stage, an extraordinary feat.

n

"That guy... Just how the hell is he training all of his elements?

" Souta muttered.

nHe struggled to maintain balance between his two elements, but Alexander was mastering seven. The sheer might of those elements was evident, a testament to Alexander's skill. Most people would be stuck at the First Stage of Element Drive with such a diverse range, unable to elevate all seven elements to this level.

nSuddenly, the entire area shook violently.

nRumble!

nAn ominous aura quickly spread through the surroundings. Alexander, Souta, and the others felt a chill run down their spines. Instincts screamed of impending danger.

nBefore they could react, darkness surged from the horizon, enveloping everything in an instant. Malignant energy overwhelmed them, drowning their senses.

n

"What's this?

"

nSouta muttered, trying to resist, but the darkness continued to close in from all directions,

nleaving no room for escape.

nHe sensed a shift in the environment, but couldn't discern what was happening as his senses were being suppressed. He couldn't even hear his own voice.

nShoosh!!

nAfter some time, Souta found himself in the middle of nowhere. He rose and spread his

nenergy, trying to regain his bearings.

n

"W-What happened...?

" Souta held his head, frowning. He recalled being in the middle of a fight with the two ghouls when an overwhelming force had enveloped him.

nA slight headache pulsed through him, affecting his emotional stability. His instincts were in turmoil, a sensation he hadn't felt since becoming an emperor.

n

"Huh?!

" Souta was taken aback when he noticed the system status. To his surprise, the mission had been marked as completed with one hundred percent progress. Perplexed, he glanced around and saw the rest of the Nine Heads beginning to stir.

n

"Damn, what the hell is that?!

" Eight Head exclaimed as he stood up, clutching his head.

nFourth Head surveyed the cavern, her expression grave.

"This place is eerily familiar, but it's darker and more foreboding than before. The darkness stretches endlessly, and the strange black gooey liquid everywhere gives off a dangerous aura.

"

nDespite the palpable sense of danger, there was an inexplicable pull drawing them toward it.

n

"Don't touch any of it. I have a bad feeling about it,

" Alexander warned, his voice serious.

nHe took a deep breath to steady himself before turning to the rest of the Nine Heads.

"I believe this place is beyond the ancient ruin. For some reason, the darkness must have transported us here.

"

nThe Nine Heads, still reeling from the sudden shift, exchanged uneasy glances as they prepared to navigate this ominous new environment.

nFrom what he could remember, this place was indeed beyond the ancient ruins. It was a

nforbidden area, likely the reason for the fall of the ancient ruins.

n'There's a device that could suppress the corruption here. If I can find it, maybe I'll be able to

ncleanse this place,' Alexander thought inwardly.

nOhm!!

nSuddenly, the corruption intensified, and everyone felt as if they were being crushed.

nAlexander, Souta, and the rest collapsed to their knees.

n

"What is this power?!

"

nThe Fourth Head felt as though thousands of needles were piercing his body. They all

nexperienced intense pain.

nSouta suddenly heard a familiar sound in his mind.

nDing!

nEscape: This place is full of corruption. You must get out within two hours. Rewards: 2 random cards, 10 skill points, 15 free attribute points, and 50,000,000 XP.

nThis...? Souta was surprised. It seemed that this quest wouldn't be easy, given the rewards.

nAs he processed this, he noticed that the pressure around him had lessened.

nThe same thing was happening to Alexander.

nBoth Souta and Alexander felt something within their bodies countering the pressure. They glanced into the depths of the darkness, sensing something beckoning them.

n

"We need to leave this place as soon as possible,

" Souta said.

nAlexander glanced at Souta.

"I know something about this place. There's a way to cleanse the

nstrange power here.

"

n

"Cleanse the strange power...

" Souta looked at the black, gooey liquid and asked,

"Is this

nwhat you're referring to?

"

n

"Yes, that liquid is tainted. In fact, everything here is corrupted by that strange power. Any

nliving creature affected by it will lose themselves. The people who once lived here developed technology to suppress the strange power,

" Alexander explained.

n...

nIn the darkness, a corpse suddenly opened its eyes. Its gaze penetrated the void, observing the

nfigures of those who had arrived in this endless darkness.

nThose figures were Souta and the others.

nTheir arrival had not gone unnoticed by some unknown entity.

nIt emanated a magnificent power-something unlike anything they had encountered before.

n

"Stay here... and you will discover the true salvation... There is nothing...

"

n

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