Reborn as the Last van Ambrose

Commander Yuehua continued to scream, Captain Zhen kept charging in and General Huoyan was being driven back by the crowned bone dragon. Lin’s ice magic was proving ineffective against enemies that existed partially in the spirit realm.

Captain Zhen’s rage was making him sloppy, leaving him open to the silver dragon’s serpentine strikes.

Something had been building inside Grim since the moment they entered the sea realms. Every breath, every heartbeat, every second of their journey, he had been unconsciously drawing in the unique magical properties of the realm. The water here wasn’t like the normal water of the human realm—it was saturated with power, concentrated magical energy.

Now, as he watched his companions being overwhelmed, Grim finally spoke.

"Enough," he whispered, and drew his sword.

But this time, when the aurora energy began to flow along his blade, it wasn’t the normal color he had always channeled. Instead, brilliant shades of blue erupted from the steel—azure, cerulean, sapphire, and deep oceanic blue. The colors shifted and flowed like the aurora borealis itself, but filtered through the depths of the sea.

The bone dragons paused in their attacks, their spectral flames flickering as they sensed the change in the air. Even the watching dragon in the distance leaned forward with heightened interest.

"Aurora Flash," Grim said, and the blue energy exploded outward.

A giant flash of light erupted from his blade.

The silver bone dragon that had torn Commander Yuehua’s arm away turned toward Grim, its spectral eyes blazing.

Grim sheathed his sword as the Bonendragon rushed forward, coiling through the dead bodies.

"Aurora Flash: Sundering Slash."

What happened next defied everything Grim thought he knew about his own abilities. The technique that had always been a single, devastating cut became something far more complex. The azure energy didn’t just follow the path of his blade—it exploded outward in multiple directions, creating a web of cutting force that filled the space between him and the bone dragon.

The silver dragon tried to dodge, but the enhanced technique was changing. It moved to the target and missed Grim’s party. When the energy met the dragon’s bodies they simply ceased to exist.

The creature’s roar of pain was unlike anything they had heard—not just the sound of a wounded guardian, but the cry of something being torn apart. Its silver energy flickered and dimmed as sections of its skeletal frame began to collapse.

But Grim wasn’t finished. The power flowing through him was intoxicating, overwhelming, and demanding to be released. He spun toward the crowned bone dragon menacing General Huoyan, the azure energy around his blade intensifying further.

"Aurora Flash: Sundering Slash."

General Huoyan stared in amazement as the massive royal dragon that had been overpowering her began to stumble and retreat. "Grim, what—how are you doing this?"

But Grim couldn’t answer. The power was overwhelming his senses, flooding his system with more energy than he had ever channeled before. The water mana he had been unconsciously absorbing throughout their journey had reached a saturation point, and now it was demanding release.

He turned toward the third bone dragon, the one that had first attacked Commander Yuehua. His sword blazed with azure fire as he prepared another strike.

But even as Grim reveled in his newfound power, he became aware that he was being watched with particular intensity. The flesh-and-scale dragon in the distance had risen from its resting place, its ancient eyes fixed on him with an expression that mixed respect, wariness, and something that might have been hunger.

Captain Zhen, freed from his battle with the silver dragon as it collapsed into component bones, rushed to Commander Yuehua’s side. "She’s lost too much blood," he called out desperately. "We need to—"

His voice was cut off as more bone dragons began to stir throughout the graveyard. Grim’s display of power hadn’t just defeated the immediate threats—it had awakened something far more dangerous. Ancient guardians that had been sleeping were beginning to rise, drawn by the disturbance and the unprecedented display of enhanced aurora energy.

"There are too many," Lin gasped, ice forming defensive barriers around Commander Yuehua’s position. "Even with your new power, Grim, we can’t fight them all."

The azure energy around Grim’s blade flickered and pulsed as he surveyed the awakening graveyard. Dozens of bone dragons were stirring, their spectral flames beginning to ignite as they prepared to defend their sacred resting place. The power flowing through him was incredible, but he could feel it beginning to strain his body. The water mana enhancement wouldn’t last forever.

General Huoyan completed her assessment. "We need to reach the tomb entrance before they fully awaken. Fighting our way through all of them will—"

"Enough."

The voice that interrupted her was loud, carrying the weight of authority of absolute power. It came from the flesh-and-scale dragon that had been observing them, who now approached them.

This dragon was massive—it towered over the largest bone dragon. Its eyes held intelligence that was both alien and terrifyingly familiar.

"The awakening stops here," the ancient dragon commanded, and throughout the graveyard, the rising bone dragons immediately ceased their movements and settled back into their eternal rest.

The cavern fell silent except for Commander Yuehua’s labored breathing and the continued crackling of azure energy around Grim’s blade.

The ancient dragon’s gaze fixed on Grim with laser intensity. "Human who carries the blood of dragons," it spoke, its voice resonating through the graveyard like distant thunder. "Your power is... interesting. But power alone does not grant passage through sacred ground."

Grim felt the weight of words. The azure energy around his sword began to dim as he fought to maintain control over the overwhelming mana flowing through his system.

"You wish to pass through our resting place to reach the tomb beyond," the dragon continued. "Very well. But the living do not walk among the honored dead without proving their worth."

Its eyes shifted to survey the rest of the group—Lin maintaining her defensive barriers, General Huoyan still in her dragon form, Captain Zhen cradling Commander Yuehua’s unconscious body.

"The others have proven themselves unworthy by disturbing our rest," the ancient dragon declared. "But you. You carry something familiar. Something that reminds me of my brother."

The dragon’s gaze returned to Grim, and when it spoke again, its voice carried the weight of final judgment.

"I am Tianlong, Last Guardian of the Ancient Rest. If you would pass through our sacred ground, you must face me in single combat. Prove your worth, dragon-blood, and I will grant you passage. Fail..."

The ancient dragon’s eyes blazed with power that made Grim’s enhanced aurora energy seem like a candle before the sun.

"Fail, and you will join us in eternal guardianship of this place."