Reborn as the Last van Ambrose

The battle raged across the chamber as the Dragon Kings fought desperately against the corrupted guardians.

Bi’an’s claws sparked against black bone as he tried to find weak points in his opponent’s defenses.

Suanni’s golden flames met streams of corrupted fire in explosions that shook the pillars around them.

Ao Qin’s lava crashed against spectral claws that should have melted but it had no effect whatsoever.

Grim had been trying to stay out of the way, still recovering from Gongfu’s attack. But as he watched the Dragon Kings being slowly overwhelmed, he felt his strength returning.

"Pathetic," Mo Xuan observed, floating above the chaos without a care in the world. "Thousands of years of accumulated power, and this is the best resistance you can offer?"

But then the sorcerer’s bright green eyes fixed on Grim, and his expression shifted to something that might have been amusement.

"Ah, but you’re not one of them, are you?" Mo Xuan said, his voice cutting through the sounds of battle as if they were speaking in a quiet room. "Grim van Ambrose. The last scion of a fallen house."

The other combatants continued their desperate fights, but Mo Xuan spoke as if they didn’t exist. His attention was focused entirely on Grim.

"I have to say, you’ve grown considerably since our last meeting," Mo Xuan continued conversationally. "Twelve years ago, you were just a terrified child. Now look at you—dragon blood awakened, enhanced by sea realm mana."

Grim’s hand moved to his sword hilt, but Mo Xuan waved dismissively.

"Oh, please. We’re having a conversation. Besides, I have such interesting news to share with you."

One of the corrupted guardians slammed Ao Run into a pillar, sending cracks racing up the ancient stone. But Mo Xuan didn’t even glance in that direction.

"I’ve been spending quite a bit of time in the Demonic Realm lately," Mo Xuan said, his tone casual despite the violence surrounding them. "Lovely place. The screaming never stops, which creates a wonderfully consistent ambient noise."

Grim felt his blood go cold. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, you see, I’ve made some fascinating discoveries there," Mo Xuan replied, dodging a stray blast of ice magic without effort. "Did you know there are quite a few elves in the Demonic Realm? Hundreds of thousands. Most of them are there voluntarily—they prefer the freedom to practice forbidden arts without interference."

The sorcerer’s smile widened as he saw Grim’s expression change.

"But some are there for other reasons. Take your father, for instance."

Grim thought to himself. "What does my father have to do with anything. Malaxis has control over his body."

"Rowan is quite the interesting specimen," Mo Xuan continued, his voice taking on a scholarly tone. "The possession left him... changed. He can’t return to the human realm—the dimensional barriers reject him now. So he’s trapped in the Demonic Realm. Malaxis is recovering well inside his body. Another decade or so and your father’s soul will be consumed by Malaxis."

Grim’s vision was starting to turn red around the edges. His hand gripped his sword so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"The amusing part," Mo Xuan said, "is that he doesn’t know you’re alive. The dimensional barriers work both ways, you see. He can’t sense your power while he’s in a different realm. As far as he knows, Malaxis succeeded in killing that night. I had a fun time watching the spectacle after I dropped Malaxis into the human realm."

"You’re lying," Grim managed to say through gritted teeth.

"Am I?" Mo Xuan tilted his head with mock concern. "Poor Rowan, spending every day believing his son is dead, slowly going mad from the corruption and isolation. I visit him occasionally, just to check on his... progress."

The sorcerer’s expression shifted.

"But don’t worry. I’ll be sure to tell him you’re alive when I’m done here. Right before I kill you, of course. He’ll get to experience the joy of knowing his son survived, followed immediately by the agony of losing him again."

Something inside Grim snapped.

"AURORA FLASH!" The technique erupted from him with more power than he had ever channeled before. The chamber filled with blinding light as his enhanced mana was fueled by his rage.

When the light faded, Grim was already moving. His sword was so bright, the whole chamber was filled with a blue hue. He didn’t target Mo Xuan, but the largest of the corrupted guardians—the one that had been pressing Gongfu back step by step.

"AURORA FLASH: SUNDERING SLASH!"

The technique that struck the corrupted guardian was different from any he had used before. The azure energy didn’t just cut—it unraveled, tearing apart the magical bonds that held the ancient spirit to its bones. The guardian’s roar of pain was deafening as sections of its skeletal body simply disintegrated.

But Grim wasn’t finished. His rage had given him a clarity he had never experienced before. Every technique Yongrun had taught him, every enhancement the sea realms had provided, all of it focused on this moment.

"AURORA FLASH: ANNIHILATION!"

This technique he had never used before, had never even conceived of before this moment. But his fury had unlocked something deeper than training or enhanced mana.

He felt words inside his head, telling him what to do. He simply swung his sword slowly and watched what happened next.

The corrupted guardian’s skull exploded into fragments. Ancient bones that had withstood millennia crumbled to dust. The spirit bound within released a scream that seemed to come from the depths of despair itself.

But the effort had cost Grim everything. He collapsed to one knee, his sword trembling in his grip as the enhanced mana burned through his body faster than it could handle.

Grim was suffering from mana exhaustion again.

Mo Xuan clapped slowly, his applause echoing through the chamber.

"Magnificent!" the sorcerer exclaimed. "Such raw power, such beautiful rage. You are your ancestor’s descendant."

Grim tried to stand, but his legs wouldn’t support him. The technique had pushed him beyond his limits.

"But also incredibly foolish," Mo Xuan continued, his voice taking on a dangerous edge. "Did you think I would let that go unanswered?"

The sorcerer raised his hand, and dark energy began to gather around his fingers. Not the soul drain he had used before, but something far more concentrated and deadly.

"Soul Dominion: Annihilation."

The attack that followed wasn’t magic in any conventional sense. It was the complete negation of existence, aimed directly at Grim.

But before it could strike, Ao Shun appeared between them.

"FROZEN DOMINION: ABSOLUTE BARRIER!"

The Dragon King’s technique created a wall of ice so dense that gou couldn’t see through the other side. This was ice in its purest form. Mo Xuan’s attack struck the barrier and... stopped.

Then Ao Shun pressed his advantage.

"Gongfu! The damaged guardian! Now!"

Gongfu, who had been freed from his overwhelming opponent by Grim’s intervention, immediately understood. The corrupted guardian that Grim had severely damaged was still functional, but barely able to do anything.

"Dragon Storm: Crushing Depths!" Gongfu’s technique created immense pressure. It was like Gongfu had transported a human to the deepest part of an ocean. The dragon’s body began to compress from the weight.

The already damaged bones couldn’t withstand the pressure. With a final, mournful wail, the corrupted guardian crumbled to dust.

But their victory was short-lived. Mo Xuan’s annihilation attack finally broke through Ao Shun’s barrier, and the residual energy struck Grim with devastating force.

Grim screamed as the dark energy tore through him. Not just his body, but something deeper—his very essence was being unraveled. He collapsed completely, blood running from his eyes, nose, and mouth.

"Grim!" Lin’s voice seemed to come from very far away.

Mo Xuan lowered his hand, satisfied with the result.

"One guardian down," he observed calmly. "Five remaining. And your strongest fighter is now dying. Still think you can win?"

Ao Shun knelt beside Grim’s body, he was trying to use ice magic to freeze his body. "He’s alive, but barely. That attack nearly tore his soul apart."

"Nearly," Mo Xuan agreed with disappointment. "I’ll have to be more thorough next time."

The remaining five corrupted guardians regrouped. They were no longer going to attack separately.

Mo Xuan still hadn’t shown the full extent of his power and Grim was now on the verge of death.