?


    Boom... Boom... Boom...


    Many explosions shook the ind as debris and crystal splinters were sent flying into the air, creating a dazzling disy of light and color.


    "Wow, that was amazing..."


    I eximed, throwing another enchanted pebble toward the crystal trees.


    Boom...


    As soon as the pebble collided with one of the trees, it began to glow and soon another explosion erupted, causing the crystals to rain down like sparkling confetti.


    This was thest pebble I had, but luckily there was no need for more.


    The path toward the obsidian chain was finally clear.


    The crystal forest that had stood like a deadly wall before now had a breach, a straight line of crystal trees sted apart.


    Although this took a few hours toplete it was entirely worth the effort.


    Tap... Tap...


    Without hesitation, I stepped over the shattered crystals, making my way into the previously imprable forest.


    I could smell the heavy scent of smoke and molten rock, a result of the explosive power of the enchanted pebbles.


    Ssh...


    Suddenly, one of my shoesnded in some kind of liquid substance, causing a ssh.


    Surprised, I looked down to see a puddle of thick, crimson liquid.


    It was Blood.


    "..."


    With my eyes, I followed the small trail of blood, leading toward one of the crystal trees that had been partially destroyed by the explosions.


    Its trunk was charred and had slight cracks running through it. The blood was oozing from those cracks, creating an eerie and unsettling sight.


    It seemed as if the tree was bleeding...


    "This is fucked..."


    I pinched my nose bridge, quickly moving away from the tree.


    Although it couldn''t do anything, I still didn''t like the feeling of being near those things, especially when the blood of the prey within them was spilling out.


    It didn''t scare me or anything, but it definitely made me disgusted.


    Tap... Tap...


    I continued walking, pushing the image of the bleeding tree out of my mind. It also didn''t take long to reach the Obsidian Chain, hence I was preupied with keeping my bnce.


    ng...


    This time the Obsidian chain led toward the Ind with ava waterfall cascading down its rocky cliffs.


    I don''t know how theva waterfall was even functioning, since the floating ind was surrounded by air and not connected to any source of moltenva.


    "This is a Magical world..."


    Muttering to myself, I cautiously made my way across the Chain, being mindful of the monsters that might inhabit this ind.


    With every step I took, the air around me grew hotter and the sound of cracklingva filled my ears.


    Thud...


    As soon as I stepped on the solid ground of the ind, I immediately felt the intense heat radiating from the moltenva in the northern part of the ind.


    "Huff..."


    I took a moment to catch my breath and assess my situation.


    This ind was more open than thest one, the only things obstructing my view were randomly scattered boulders and chunks of solidifiedva.


    There were also rivers of moltenva flowing through the terrain, creating a surreal and eeriendscape.


    The waterfall appeared as the heart, while the rivers resembled the veins of the ind.


    It was like a living being!


    p...


    "Stupid thoughts go away..."


    I hit myself on the forehead, trying to snap out of my imagination and focus on the task at hand.


    Anyways, navigating thisva-filled ind was going to be an issue, since walking on the moltenva was obviously not an option


    I also didn''t want to use the Explosion Rune engraved on my shoes.


    These rivers were wide enough that even an Awakener like me would struggle to get over them without the risk of falling into the scorchingva.


    I could try to jump over them, but that would be extremely risky and I didn''t like taking unnecessary risks.


    "This is why it''s better to enter with a group..."


    I muttered under my breath, looking for the safest possible route to cross the ind and ess one of the two Obsidian Chains connecting to the next floating ind.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Usually, Voids are raided with parties of a few people, each with their own unique abilities and skills.


    For example, an Awakener with a Mana Art would prove extremely useful on this ind since he could just build a bridge over theva rivers.


    Speaking about the Mana Arts...


    It was about time to go and steal mine.


    The Shadow Dungeon was probably already open for exploration, and I needed to act quickly if I wanted to secure my own Mana Art.


    If my memory doesn''t lie, which it doesn''t, because I have a ''Memory Pce'', the Demon responsible for getting the Art was already near or inside the Dungeon.


    It would take him around a few weeks to get it, so I still had some time to prepare and make my move.


    However, next week I have Mid-term exams, so my schedule would be quite tight.


    "I should buy some potions..."


    In Leclentia there were all kinds of potions but the most expensive ones were the ones that could help one to break through to a higher Rank.


    They were basically simr to Mana Potions, however, slightly different.


    While the Mana Potion would only restore your Mana slowly, the breakthrough potions would instantly boost your Mana to its maximum capacity and beyond, forcefully expanding your core.


    However, this was also a dangerous process since it carried the risk of damaging one''s core if the Mana was not properly controlled or if the dosage was too high.


    It was a high-risk, high-reward option that most people would avoid due to the odds of your core shattering being quite high.


    If I remember correctly, the sess rate for breaking through with a breakthrough potion is around 20%.


    Yeah...


    The odds are definitely not that great.


    Well, whatever, I know that I have to buy a G Rank potion not to scar my core.


    On the same note, I will also have to shatter my core when the story progresses, so...


    It would be a win-win situation?


    Anyways, enough Mana Arts, for now, I have to clear this Void.


    "This seems like a viable path..."


    My eyes locked onto the outer circle of the floating Ind where the rivers seemed to be narrowing, making it easier for me to cross over the other side.


    Carefully assessing my options, I decided to approach the river ofva that seemed narrowerpared to the others. With each step, I could feel the intense heat radiating from the molten river, causing beads of sweat to form on my forehead.


    Leaping forward, I propelled myself with all my might, my heart pounding in my chest as I soared through the air. It was a risky move, but I managed to clear the river andnd safely on the other side.


    Tap...


    Relieved, I took a moment to catch my breath before continuing my journey. However, as I turned my gaze toward the next river, I noticed something peculiar. A strange gill-like structure extended out of theva, its surface shimmering with an otherworldly glow.


    "..."


    I picked up another pebble from the ground, however, instead of engraving it with Runes, I simply threw it at the gill.


    I needed to determine whether the gill-like structure was some sort of living organism or a mere rock.


    Thud...


    As soon as the pebble made contact with the target, some bubbles rose to the surface of theva, indicating that the gill-like structure was indeed a living organism.


    Ssh...


    Suddenly the river''s surface began to ripple and churn, as arge creature emerged from the depths of theva and crawled onto the shore.


    Its body was covered in sleek, obsidian scales that glinted in the fiery light, shimmering with hues of red and orange. Long, slender limbs ended in razor-sharp ws, each step causing tiny embers to flicker in its wake. Eyes that burned with an intense, molten glow surveyed its surroundings as if sensing my presence.


    The creature''s elongated head tapered into a point, revealing rows of serrated teeth that glistened in the light. Fiery tendrils of smoke rose from its nostrils with each breath, adding to the mystique of its appearance. It moved with a grace that defied the chaotic nature of its surroundings, its every movement exuding power and strength.


    It was a Lava Drake, an F Rank monster with the ability to live in extreme temperatures.


    And guess what?


    It also has fire affinity which allows it to cast deadly fire-based attacks.


    However it was not a fireball, but a Fire st.


    Oh, I hate this fucking spell...


    If Hellbats are annoying for their elusiveness and speed which allows them to stay out of range, then Lava Drakes are known for their ''tough'' defense.


    Don''t take my words at face value, I could easily kill the being with a few swift strikes with my Authority.


    However, ''tough defense'' doesn''t mean that Lava Drakes have strong or imprable skin.


    It''s just that you cannot fucking touch them from close range...


    Why?


    Well...


    Nobody would want to approach a being that could cause a massive explosion that engulfs everything in mes with a single breath.


    Hell no!