Dragon Monarch System
chapter-446

Aditya's body started to shake as if he was standing in the midst of an earthquake. This sudden change seemed to catch Vespera by surprise, her eyes widening as she looked at him. His movements were jerky, rough, like an old piece of machinery trying to operate after years of rust and neglect.

With every ounce of his remaining strength, he grappled with the Adamantite Doomblade, his fingers curling around the familiar hilt. His arms moved in a stiff, robotic manner, as if they were fighting against invisible restraints.

Then, with a resounding 'Bang!', Aditya plunged the blade into his own right thigh. A searing pain ripped through his body as if he'd been hit by a bolt of lightning. But with that wave of pain came a welcome relief: he could move again. The paralyzing force that had imprisoned him was now gone. The sensation of control returning to his body was like tasting fresh air after being trapped underwater.

At the same moment, the world around Aditya started to warp and distort. Cracks tore through the air like veins, a sight that was both terrifying and surreal. The world was fragmenting, breaking apart under an unseen force.

His blood dripped onto the ground, the red droplets stark against the pavement. His eyes locked with Vespera's, his gaze as cold and unforgiving as a winter storm.

Then, as if a giant mirror had been shattered, everything around them broke apart. The world splintered and fractured like glass, the shards reflecting the uncertainty and turmoil of the moment.

As Aditya reopened his eyes, he found himself back in the familiarity of Mistwood city. This time, however, it was pulsating with life. The absence of the inhabitants had been nothing but a facet of the illusion.

"I must admit, I didn't think you would manage to shatter my illusion," Vespera remarked, a faint smile playing on her lips. Her words echoed in the still air, revealing the truth behind her abilities. The teleportation, the phasing through matter; all of it had been nothing but illusions woven intricately by her.

Being trapped within her web of illusions, Aditya's every attempt at attacking had been deflected with ease. It was as though inside her illusions, Vespera wielded the power of a god, omnipotent and invincible. No harm could come to her unless the illusion was shattered, revealing the reality beneath the illusion.

The strength of a Peak 5th-order illusion cultivator was indeed formidable. It was a chilling reminder that even the slightest delay in shattering the illusion could have spelled his demise within the fabricated world. The experience served as a stark revelation of the destructive potential lurking within the world of illusions.

"But do take a moment to glance around yourself," Vespera suggested, her smile curling with a sense of hidden satisfaction.

Aditya felt a chill crawling up his spine, and he felt a pressing unease at her words. But when he turned to observe his surroundings, a cold shock hit him. His pupils shrank to pinpricks, his entire body started shaking uncontrollably, and he could feel his breaths becoming quick and shallow.

What greeted his eyes was a nightmarish panorama. The vibrant Mistwood city he knew and loved was now nothing but a pile of rubble and debris. Buildings that once touched the sky were now crumbled, reduced to ruins, scattered haphazardly. The city was a ghost of its former self, a devastating spectacle of destruction.

But it was not just the city. The lifeless bodies of his own people were strewn around the wreckage, casualties of the catastrophic destruction. There were a handful of survivors who were frantically trying to escape from the doomed city, their terror palpable even from where he stood.

"Please note, this was not my doing. Nor is it another illusion," Vespera's voice echoed from behind, adding to the horror of the situation.

"You wrecked this havoc with your own hands, blinded by my illusion. While you thought you were attacking me, you were actually launching your powers on your own city, your own people. Isn't it ironic? So, what's your next move, Dragon Monarch?" Vespera continued, her laughter resonating with wicked delight. Her illusion had turned him into a puppet, causing him to unknowingly use his powers, destroying his own city and harming his own people.

'What monstrous act have I committed?' Aditya questioned himself, his heart heavy with remorse. These were his people, citizens of his kingdom. He was their ruler, their protector, the person they placed their trust in. And yet, in a grim twist of fate, he was the one who had reduced their homes to rubble and taken their lives. A profound sense of guilt gnawed at him, making his chest tighten with regret.

Suddenly, Vespera's laughter sliced through his introspection. "Oh, you think this is the worst part? Let me make this nightmare even more terrifying for you." Her voice dripped with malevolence as she clapped her hands together in delight.

As if on cue, the remaining city dwellers, those who had miraculously survived the initial catastrophe, abruptly stopped in their tracks. Their frantic movements stilled and their eyes glazed over, losing their spark of life. It was as if time had frozen them in place.

"Vespera, what have you done to them?" Aditya roared at her, his voice a mixture of fear and fury. His rage was a raging inferno, so powerful it felt like his chest was aflame from within. The intensity of his anger caused wisps of crimson fire to escape from his body, dancing around him like fiery serpents. His normally blue hair began to shift hues, alternating between blue and an angry red. His anger was so intense, he could feel his blood bubbling and boiling within his veins.

Vespera's malicious laughter continued to echo in Aditya's ears, each word she spoke further stoking his rising fury. "What do you think, Aditya?" she teased, her voice gleaming with satisfaction. "I've trapped them all in my illusion. Your people are now nothing more than my puppets. Puppets devoid of any feelings or emotions, ready to obey my every command. They're ready to willingly sacrifice their lives at my behest. Would you like a demonstration?"

Each chilling sentence Vespera uttered acted like fuel to the raging fire of Aditya's anger. He had never experienced such a profound rage in his life. His body reacted to this torrent of fury, discharging violent crimson lightning bolts that crackled menacingly in the air around him.

Aditya gritted his teeth, his eyes flaring with a promise of retaliation. "If you dare to lay even a finger on them, Vespera, I swear on my Divine Blood, there will be no escape for you," he growled, his voice thunderous with the force of his oath. "Even if you manage to die, I will chase your soul to the farthest corners of existence. I'll make sure you experience eternal torment."

As he spoke these powerful words, Aditya's body began to transform rapidly. There was a blinding flash of light, and when it faded, his human form had been replaced by the majestic and fearsome form of a dragon. The air around him crackled with a new intensity, the tension was palpable, and it was clear that the battle was far from over.

"So, this is your majestic dragon form? Impressive," Vespera observed with a cruel smile, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Regrettably, I came today with a singular purpose—to slay the dragon. Listen carefully, Aditya. Make even the slightest move, the smallest aggressive gesture, and your people perish here and now. And I assure you, I'm not joking. Observe..."

As she finished speaking, she snapped her fingers with a cold, callous grace. Almost instantly, ten lifeless bodies crumbled to the ground. Each one a chilling reminder of the power she wielded. The sight of this cold-hearted massacre only served to fuel Aditya's fury.

Gritting his teeth in both pain and anger, Aditya conceded to her demand, "Alright. But you must let them go." He found himself cornered, stuck between a rock and a hard place. If he were to try and escape, these innocent lives would be lost. This was an impossible situation: should he save himself and sacrifice his people, or sacrifice himself to save his people?

The next few minutes felt like an endless nightmare for Aditya. Vespera's sharp katana cut into his body repeatedly, each slash reaching his bones and leaving a deep, bleeding wound. Blood spurted from his wounds with each of her brutal attacks. But Aditya, despite the excruciating pain, didn't let out a single scream. He understood that his pain would only serve to amuse her.

As the minutes rolled on, his strength waned. He was on the brink of losing consciousness. All routes seemed to have been cut off. His situation seemed hopeless, and despair began to consume him. But just when the darkness was about to swallow him, a miraculous twist occurred.

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