Book 2: Chapter 49 — Broken Chains


    Noah woke up to a sun shining in his eyes. Blinking himself awake, he looked up and saw Bun Bun looking down on him.


    “Hey there,” Noah said, picking himself up.


    <em>“Wake up. Dragon waits.”</em>


    Stretching his limbs, Noah saw the dragon seated where he always was, using one w to draw words onto the ground.


    “How long did I sleep?” Noah asked, feeling his body oddly tense.


    <em>“Eight hours or so,” </em>the dragon replied.


    “Huh, that’s unusual,” Noah replied. It would’ve been normal if he was still back on Earth, but his levels and constitution meant he barely slept four hours every few days.


    <em>“Exhaustion has a way of creeping in without you realizing it,” </em>the dragon replied.


    Noah nodded, yawning as he sat on the ground, before his eyes went to his notification menu. He’d been letting them pile up for a while now, and now would be a good time to check how much he’d grown. Noah opened his astral script, letting the full menu disy itself.


    <strong>Astral Script:</strong>


    <strong>Name: Noah Brown</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Race: Human (Modified/Symbiont)</strong>


    <strong>Rank: E</strong>


    <strong>Paths:</strong>


    <strong>Exsanguinator - level 84</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Astralwalker - level 81</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Void Hunter - level 82</strong>


    <strong>Attributes:</strong>


    <strong>Power: 352</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Agility: 388</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Constitution: 350</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Mystic: 456</strong>


    <strong>Attribute points: 4</strong>


    <strong>---</strong>


    <strong>Abilities:</strong>


    <strong>Exsanguinator</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong></strong>


    <strong>Blood Drain (Rare/Intermediate) - level 24</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Bleed (Rare/Intermediate) - level 23</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Lifeblood (Legendary/Intermediate) - level 23</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Bloodfly Swarm (Epic/Basic) - level 9</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Blood Debt (Unique/Basic) - level 5</strong>


    <strong>Astralwalker</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong></strong>


    <strong>Blink (Epic/Intermediate) - level 24</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Dimensional Pocket (Legendary/Intermediate) - level 21</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Starforged Arms (Legendary/Intermediate) - level 17</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Celestial Harvest (Epic/Basic) - level 9</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Astral Projection (Unique/Basic) - level 9</strong>


    <strong>Void Hunter</strong>


    <strong>Obliterate (Epic/Intermediate) - level 24</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Void Hunter''s Senses (Rare/Intermediate) - level 24</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Abyssal Symbiote (Epic/Advanced) - level 33</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Hunter''s Mark (Epic/Basic) - level 9</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Netherme Burst (Unique/Basic) - level 7</strong>


    <strong>---</strong>


    <strong>Skills:</strong>


    <strong>Meditation (Advanced) - level 35</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Greater Elemental Resistance (Intermediate) - level 10</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>General Infliction Resistance (Intermediate) - level 10</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Abyssal Call (Advanced) - level 25</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Pain Tolerance (Advanced) - level 38</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Soul Modification (Intermediate) - level 11</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Weapon Mastery (Intermediate) - level 10</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Aura Control (Intermediate) - level 11</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Mana Control (Basic) - level 8</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Mana Reversal (Basic) - level 3</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Mana Expulsion (Basic) - level 8</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Mana Sense (Basic) - level 9</strong>


    “A lot of my abilities are at just the edge of advanced. That’s kinda weird,” Noah said, scrolling through his ability menu.


    <em>“Likely because one of your projections has still not returned. With pieces of your self missing, it will be a little harder to advance.”</em>


    Noah frowned, remembering about the projection. That was a whole another problem he needed to solve.


    <em>“If you feel ready, then let us begin,” </em>the dragon said.


    Noah got up, stretching once, before he walked closer to the dragon. The runic chain appeared as the dragon lifted a w and Noah walked to its end, to the one link he’d lightly damaged.


    <em>“We do not expect you to be able to break the supression it puts on us. But if you can break the chain tying us here, we’ll be able to be of some help.”</em>


    Noah nodded, grabbing the chain in his hands. With his newfound abilities, he had a much greater sense for theplex intricacies involve in the spell itself. The magic was simr to what Noah felt when he used an ability, but much more grand. Layers andyers of minuscule threads of mana wound together to form the chain itself. Noah felt the power being poured into it, the giant pool of lifeforce and mana that fed the spell powerful enough to keep a dragon chained up.


    Yet somehow… this time, the pool felt weaker. Shallower. Like something had cut out part of its supply.


    Noah did not dwell on the sensation, taking a deep breath in as he prepared himself.


    “Alright then, here goes nothing.”


    Pouring his mana in, Noah began to pull. The supression of the chains washed over Noah, flowing into him. He could sense what the chains did now, his spirit was being intruded by the mana of the spell, his own focus being disrupted by the runes, while the supression diverted a part of the spell effect onto him, to prevent him from pulling.


    Noah was ready this time though, he pushed back against the spell’s effects, using everything he had to continue pulling.


    <em>“Break, you stupid chain,” </em>he screamed, muscles bulging as he pushed with everything he had.


    <strong>[Genereal Spirit Resistance] has reached level 11.</strong>


    Noah felt the dragon pulling with his w as well, the might of the dragon now aiding his efforts as Noah continued to pull. The supression grew stronger, and Noah began to feel the pressure put on his soul as the chains began to restrain him. He resisted the effects, feeling the magic struggling against his resistances. Tony joined the efforts, using his abilities.


    <strong>Abyssal Symbiote has used Metamorphosis!</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong> All attributes increased by 25%!</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong> Time remaining: 90 seconds.</strong>


    Noah felt his body transform, strength rising inside of him as wings formed in his back. He pped the wings, pushing the ws growing from his feet into the earth for a stronger grip, as he pulled harder.


    A crack sounded first, the chain groaning against the strain now as mana began to leak from the spell. Light escaped the chain, burning Noah’s skin with its intensity.


    Bun Bun joined the effort, pouring his own mana into the chain as the dragonspawn began to tug at the chain as well. A flood of mana began to flow out, the [Eternal Aegis] forming within the chains, trying to push the two links apart.


    Noah’s muscles began to ache as he continued to pull, the chain shaking inch by inch as the spell began to break.


    <em>“Noah, use your reversal. Consume the mana in the chains.”</em>


    Noah heard the dragon’s words, but found himself at his limit. His mana was pushed to the brink, and if he let his focus slip for even a second, he would be sted apart by the torrents of magic flooding him.


    But… there was one other method he had didn’t he?


    With a slow prod, Noah let [Devourer] reach out from his spirit, and draw upon the chain. Then, as if letting a beast he’d kept chained within loose, he let all control go.


    Power erupted in Noah’s body, flowing into him in massive streams.


    Noah screamed, as the massive torrents began to sear his body, carving runes upon his skin as they imprinted themselves onto him. With a giant crack, the chain snapped, exploding with a torrent of mana as Noah felt himself being sted backwards.


    Crashing into trees, Noah felt the world spinning in his vision, as a chime rang in ears.


    <strong>[Devourer] has consumed [Grand Spell of Suppression]</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Perk [Runic Chains] obtained.</strong>


    <strong>[Progress to next rank 99/100]</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Find the next Shard to rank up [Devourer].</strong>


    <strong>Perk [Fate Touched] activated.</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong>Luck A4 → A5.</strong>


    With the words floating in his vision, Noah’s mind sank into darkness.


    ***


    A headache pounded behind Noah’s eyes as he opened them. A figure floated in his vision, a gentle warmth flowing from it.


    “Ah, you’re awake. We had begun to grow worried,” a man said, with long silver hair flowing down his back.


    Noah looked around in confusion. “Who’re you?” he asked, pulling himself up as he checked his surroundings. He was still in the swamp area, though it could hardly be called a swamp anymore.


    “My apologies, I forgot that you cannot read Auras. I am the dragon, Noah. The one you just freed,” the man shaped dragon replied.


    “Oh…” Noah said, looking at the young man that hardly looked to be in his thirties. He noted his eyes, the pupils shaped like a dragon’s. “I didn’t know you could shapeshift.”


    “Metamorphosize. It is simr to what your symbiote can do, but with much more precise control. We will teach you some day,” the man said, smiling.


    “It worked then?” Noah asked.


    “Indeed, although it had some interesting consequences,” the man said, raising Noah’s arms.


    Noah saw what he meant, looking at the glowing symbols set onto his forearms, wrapped around almost like chains. “Huh that’s… new. I think I remember vaguely seeing something about this before I lost consciousness.”


    “You absorbed a part of the chain, though we do not quite know how. And they have imprinted themselves upon you,” the dragon replied.


    “Is it harmful?” Noah asked.


    “No, in fact, we think it may be a boon. Your Astral Script should be able to tell you more.”


    Noah opened his astral script at the dragon’s words, finding a new perk now present in his menu.


    <strong>[Runic Chains]</strong>


    <strong>Chains formed from pieces of a Grand spell of Suppression. Now imprinted upon your very body. Be capable of summoning runic chains to restrain and suppress foes.</strong>


    “It’s fascinating to us how you assimted a piece of the magic within yourself, but we suppose now is not the time for ruminations,” the dragon said, rising, before it offered a hand.


    Noah grasped the hand, pulling himself up as well.


    “We are in your debt Noah, as promised, we will bring you through the castle, and when the timees, fight by your side. We may still have these shackles on us, but a dragon is still a dragon.”


    Noah smiled at his words, nodding. “I’ll appreciate any help I can get.”


    The dragon then turned, to look at the ce it had been bound to for months. “This week has changed many things, and most of all, it has changed the meaning of the words Ryugan had left us with.”


    Walking ahead, Noah saw streams of mana rising around the dragon, as the destroyed swamp began to regenerate at rapid rates, filling with life again. “We failed in our duties when we let those vermin enter this ce, and trick us into these shackles. Now, it is time to make them pay the price.”


    The dragon nced back at Noah.


    “We had told you we had no name anymore. That had not been a lie, but it had not been the truth either. A dragon’s true name holds power, and so we keep it a secret. For freeing us, and allowing us to finish our duty, we owe you that truth.”


    “Only if you want to tell me,” Noah said. “I don’t mind calling you something else if you don’t.”


    “We do, though we hope you will not tell others,” the dragon said, turning back to the castle.


    “Our name is Zaxius,” the dragon said, as a wave of mana flowed through the area.


    <strong>You have learned the name of a true dragon!</strong><strong></strong>


    <strong> One skill point awarded.</strong>


    Noah stared at the notification, not understanding what had happened. “Uhh… it just said I got a skill point.”


    Zaxius looked back at Noah, and smiled. “It is something you will need when your skills reach level 50. For now, simply keep it as it is. And before we forget, in the presence of others, you can call us Zax.”


    Noah nodded. “Well, it’s great to meet you Zax.”


    The dragon smiled, lightning crackling all around it and Noah felt a shiver of excitement run down his back.


    “You too Noah. Let us hunt these cultist vermin out of this realm.”