The magma layer near the surface of the crater had already been drained of heat and cooled into dark red volcanic rock. Deep inside the volcano, however, the temperature kept rising as energy gathered. Like a massive pump, Belial forcibly drew magma from several nearby leylines, turning it turbulent and unstable.
Empowered by white crystals proliferating within the leylines, Energy Field extracted energy at terrifying efficiency. The once-roaring magma energy dimmed under that rate of absorption. Immersed within it, Belial grew more solid and full, his physical strength increasing at an unreasonable speed as he replenished his depleted reserves.
With enough energy available, unfinished stages of growth resumed. His head became more defined and angular, with muscles twisting into a ferocious shape. Certain parts of his body sharpened as well, becoming more aggressive, while passive traits from Wraith Constitution deepened, including Aura of Despair and Fear Aura.
Because he was absorbing energy in such a high-temperature environment, even he did not notice that Authority of Decay had begun to activate. Special minerals within the magma were processed by it at extremely high efficiency, releasing their energy in full. His scales failed to fully cover his rapidly growing body, leaving gaps that glowed with molten light.
His body temperature rose further, and the surrounding magma reached levels far beyond anything reasonable. The accidental activation of Burning Mode before had been caused by instability between his internal reactor and cooling System. Now, with stronger ice abilities suppressing the heat and stable internal operation, there was no risk of waking up to another uncontrolled Burning Mode.
All of this allowed Belial to sleep deeply. There was nothing better than getting stronger while lying still. At least, that was true until the sounds of bombardment echoed outside the volcano.
"Who is it now. I am hiding inside a volcano and someone still comes to bother me."
"Do you have any idea how rude it is to wake someone up."
Belial snapped his eyes open as vibrations spread from the outside. Anger flared instantly, and the massive body soaking in magma began to move. He smashed through the hardened volcanic crust sealing the crater and thrust his huge, ferocious head out to see which bastard it was.
Accompanied by the roar of a Great Dragon, Belial burst out and quickly saw a red figure in the sky spitting fireballs at the ground. After recognizing it, the opening greeting suddenly made sense. The airborne figure flapped its wings and spewed sulfur-scented flames, clearly startled as it looked back.
It was a red dragon nearly thirty meters long, with a broad wingspan and dark crimson scales. Several slash marks crossed its chest, marking it as a fire-breathing Great Dragon. Among Great Dragon, red dragons were famous, frequent villains in stories with their signature flames.
Alongside Black Dragon, they were known for powerful physiques, second only to black dragons. Their flame-based Draconic Magic was extremely lethal, and they preferred regions rich in fire Magic, such as volcanoes. For example, the very place Belial was using as his bed.
The faint dragon-beast bloodline in his own body told Belial clearly that the creature before him was a true Great Dragon. Its draconic pressure felt a bit off, but its size and aura were genuine. This one was especially robust and enormous.
It was almost half as big as Belial. In terms of sheer volume, the comparison was like a thin bean sprout standing next to a world-class bodybuilder. Seeing a Great Dragon for the first time was disorienting, but Belial felt none of the usual suppression a true dragon should exert over lesser dragon-beasts.
In the past, he might have tried to communicate. Right now, he only wanted to sleep, and when someone was exhausted, nothing mattered except rest. He simply roared out loud.
"Hey, this place is taken. This is my bed. Get lost."
He was clearly still half asleep and did not care whether the red dragon could understand him. The red dragon's already chaotic mind stalled for an instant.
After whatever it had gone through, it had become like this, driven by a craving that pushed it to attack all life. Even unable to properly use Draconic Magic, it had burned down two cities when no strong opponents stood in its way. Later, it had been beaten by a human with a similar aura and a group of companions.
Wounded, it fled into the forest and sensed fire Magic that might help it. It followed one extinguished volcano after another until it reached this place. It had been blasting the outer shell with fireballs until the crater suddenly broke open and a massive head emerged.
Even in its muddled state, bloodline instincts told the red dragon that this was not a true Great Dragon. It was a dragon-beast without proper inheritance. Though its body trembled at the absurd size, instinct soon overrode caution.
Wyvern might have a slim chance against a Great Dragon due to intelligence, but a dragon-beast would never win. Size aside, it had to be an empty threat. Confidence surged, drowning out the fear.
The red dragon forced its trembling body to obey and lunged forward. Belial watched as it flew straight at him and opened its mouth, unleashing a blast of dragon breath.
The red dragon's breath was terrifying, hot enough to surpass the surface of the sun. At such heat, steel would melt instantly, and ordinary creatures would be erased completely. The flame was compressed before release, clinging like burning gel to anything it touched.
The blast struck Belial squarely on the head. The heat over six thousand degrees did not harm him. Instead, it cooled him down and shocked him fully awake.
He had just emerged from magma hotter than ten thousand degrees, his mind still foggy with sleep. The contrast snapped him alert in an instant. Then he got a little angry.
It was the kind of anger that came from being woken up. The already terrifying face of the Black Dragon grew even more vicious as he ignored the flames on his scales and stared at the red dragon with naked hostility.
"You blew up my bed. Did you think I was easy to talk to."
As Belial fully woke, that irritated fury surged. Malice he normally never released spread outward under the will of the Lord. Brutality, destruction, despair, and decay poured forth together.
A terrifying Mindscape formed, mixed with fragments of shattered Laws. Lightning fell as clouds above darkened unnaturally. Uncontrolled ice Laws condensed moisture in the air, and blackened rain fell across the sky.
The world dimmed in moments, winds driven by instinctive ice pulling lightning through the storm. Thunder crashed and flashed as the roar of the Black Dragon shook the heavens. In that near hopeless scene, the most striking sight was the blackened Black Dragon bellowing at the tiny red dragon.
"Roar roar roar roar."
The red dragon retreated in a panic. Its eyes bulged as its scales bristled, bloodline pride crushed almost instantly by the pressure. Even in madness, it roared back in threat, spreading its wings wide like a weak animal trying to look larger before a top predator.
In that instant, it seemed to witness the decay of something once glorious, torn apart by Rend. Because its mind was already broken, it avoided being dragged fully into the deeper terror of that vision. Still, bloodline instinct and conscious thought clashed violently within it.
That thing was a lowly dragon-beast. But what was this presence. The conflict between instinctive arrogance and real fear tore at its mind until pain throbbed like a Rend strike. In the end, the body's desperate urge to surrender overcame the mind.
Something shifted within the red dragon's madness. Its gaze changed slightly, as if someone else had taken over. After one last roar, it turned and fled.
Belial watched the red dragon escape. It ran without hesitation, moving even faster than before. The sight almost made him laugh in anger.
"You woke me up, and I am very angry. If you survive this, I will spare your life."
Disturbing his nest was unforgivable, and Belial held grudges over such things. Under his will, a crystal formation wrapped in black-red volcanic rock tore itself from the ground near the volcano. It shot straight toward the fleeing red dragon.
The guided phantom crystal locked firmly onto its target and would not stop until its Magic was exhausted. Belial rarely used this technique and had little idea how strong it was. That was why he called it a warning.
If it survived, he would let it go. If it died, there was nothing left to forgive.
"Alright, back to sleep."
Belial yawned and pulled his head back into the volcano. Using Gravity Tornado, he sealed the entrance with surrounding rock. Finally, he could sleep again.
He sank back into the warm magma. Surely he would not be disturbed again after this. Belial closed his eyes once more.
"Hm."
Lyles was leading the dragon-hunting team through the forest. They had not gone far from the city when his bloodline began screaming warnings. His expression hardened as he drew the vicious greatsword from his back.
"Everyone, stay alert."
Lyles exhaled hot breath as faint dragon scales surfaced near his eyes.
"A dragon is here."