Chapter 107: Made Anew
Kale turned his gaze backwards with a grim expression, surveying the massive tide of Peak Alpha-rank Flaming Salamanders closing in. Each beast oozed with scorching power, but their combined presence created a suffocating wave of heat.
The sheer emanation of thermal energy from the horde distorted the surrounding air, making the cavern walls appear to shimmer. Most dangerous of all was the colossal Peak Ravager-rank Salamander leading the charge.
Its intimidating yellow eyes, structured like narrow lizard slits, locked onto the Tamer and his beast with vicious intensity. An overwhelming aura of raw Beast Force radiated from the creature, slamming against Kale’s mind like a psychic hammer.
The sheer pressure of the mental assault threatened to shatter his focus, forcing Kale to grit his teeth to maintain consciousness. He knew he could not afford to engage them in open combat on this terrain.
Forced to seek an escape, Kale turned his head toward the path directly ahead of him. The ground ended abruptly at the jagged edge of a massive black volcanic cliff.
Below the drop lay a terrifying abyss filled with flowing rivers of liquid fire. Countless streams of glowing orange lava poured down the dark rock faces, feeding into a thick, viscous river of magma at the bottom.
Only a few scattered spots of charred, dark stone islands broke the surface of the molten river far below. Looking down at the fiery expanse, Kale realised he was trapped between two terrifying forms of absolute destruction.
Staying on the cliff meant being torn apart and consumed by the beast horde, while jumping into the abyss offered only the slimmest margin of survival. Through gritted teeth, he weighed his dwindling options.
He chose the only logical path that offered even a slight chance of living over the choice that promised guaranteed doom. He refused to let his journey end at the bottom of this volcanic cavern.
On his shoulder, Neo sensed the impending danger and dug its sharp claws deeper into his fire-resistant clothing. The Cursed Tamer took several quick steps back from the edge to build necessary momentum.
He needed to execute a precise leap toward one of the tiny stone islands floating in the lava river far below. Within mere seconds, Kale forced his mind to run complex trajectory calculations.
He factored in his own body weight alongside Neo’s mass, accurately projecting the necessary leap force and precise angle required for the jump. A single miscalculation would send them plunging directly into liquid fire.
Sprinting toward the precipice with every ounce of physical strength he possessed, Kale planted his foot at the cliffside and launched himself out into space.
The instant Kale left solid rock, his expression twisted into a painful grimace. A boundless, terrifying wave of ambient heat slammed directly into every inch of his exposed skin.
His pristine skin turned bright red almost immediately under the oppressive thermal radiation. Although his body had adapted slightly to high temperatures due to Neo consuming Flame Salamanders in great quantities, that adaptation was far from sufficient.
The extreme wave of heat rising from the entire magma river was blackening his skin with horrific speed. Kale felt as though he was being thrown headfirst into a roaring, inescapable furnace.
Every nerve ending across his body screamed in agony as he plunged downward through the scorching air. Yet he forced his mind to endure the suffering, relying on his sheer willpower to remain conscious.
Compared to the incinerating dragon flames he had endured when facing the Red Dragon, the raw heat of this lava river was technically less destructive. However, a critical difference existed between that battle and his current plight.
Back then, his entire body had been continuously protected and reinforced by the absolute power of the System. In this moment, no automated protective field shielded him from the environmental inferno.
Kale was forced to endure the full severity of the heat, relying purely on his raw physical stats and natural endurance. The intense, blinding light forced him to shut his eyes tightly.
He knew that keeping them open even for a second would result in his retinas being burned away permanently. Beside his head, Neo worked frantically to channel basic restorative energy into his burning flesh.
Without the Hydra’s continuous effort, Kale’s entire body would have burst into open flames during the descent. Kale poured his immense reserves of Mana and Beast Force outward to form a protective barrier.
Yet his efforts felt like dropping a single splash of cold water into a raging volcano. The ambient heat grew exponentially stronger with every meter he fell closer to the molten river.
Despite the agonising pain of almost being roasted alive, Kale kept his mental focus firmly locked onto his target landing spot. He monitored his position using his Hexarion senses despite his closed eyes.
The calamitous waves of heat battered his extra senses, but he maintained a clear mental map of the terrain below. Clinging tightly to his shoulder, Neo fared somewhat better during the fall.
The Hydra held fast to Kale’s specialised garments, which possessed strong fire-resistant properties. Thankfully, the enchanted fabric prevented the ambient heat from stripping away his attire instantly.
Bang!!!
Kale’s right foot barely landed on the surface of the tiny stone slab floating in the middle of the flowing river. However, his jump carried far too much forward momentum from the initial sprint.
Due to the severe inertia, his body continued sliding forward across the smooth stone. He lost his footing completely and began tipping over the far edge toward the glowing orange magma.
In that critical moment, Neo flapped its wings with sudden, violent force, generating a powerful gust of downward air pressure. The resulting backward pull yanked its master away from the brink of death.
By a hair’s breadth, both Tamer and beast managed to remain balanced on the small stone island. But before Neo could celebrate their narrow escape, Kale let out a bloodcurdling, wailing scream.
WAHHHHHHHHH!
ARGHHH!
AAAHHHHHH!
His scream was filled with such raw, unimaginable agony that his mind completely lost the ability to formulate rational thoughts. The stone slab he lay upon acted like a red-hot iron skillet.
Superheated by the surrounding magma, every inch of his body making contact with the stone was instantly charred to a crisp. Deep blisters formed and popped in milliseconds under the brutal contact.
Tears welled in Kale’s eyes only to evaporate instantly into steam before they could roll down his cheeks. He began to writhe uncontrollably on the stone like a madman, losing all sense of reason.
The excruciating pain burned through his pain receptors to the highest possible degree, overwhelming his nervous system. Through their shared soul bond, Neo felt the devastating agony tearing through its master’s body.
The Nemesis Hydra growled in intense frustration, filled with desperation to save the person who had given it life. It attempted to activate its Flame Absorption ability to drain the heat from the surrounding air.
Unfortunately, the skill failed to trigger or absorb the ambient temperature. The Flame Absorption ability required direct flames or active fire-based attacks hurled at the beast to function properly.
It was incapable of siphoning passive environmental heat radiated by the surrounding magma river. Realising its skill was useless, Neo slammed its sharp claws onto the stone ground in sheer fury.
Deep rage filled the beast’s entire figure at its utter inability to protect the Tamer who had manifested its monstrous existence into reality. It refused to stand by and watch its master die.
Finally, when it felt that Kale’s life force was fading toward absolute extinction, a dormant power deep within the Nemesis Hydra awakened. The creature threw back its necks and let out a catatonic roar.
The thunderous roar erupted from all three of its heads simultaneously, shaking the immediate cavern air. The green scales covering its body, which possessed a faint yellow hue, began to transform rapidly.
They shifted into a vibrant, pulsing shade of glowing orange identical to the hides of the Flame Salamanders. Its entire body began to emit a rhythmic glow of thermal energy as its scales adapted.
The transformation converted the thin outer layer of its green scales into the specialised heat-absorbing skin of the Salamanders. At that exact instant, clear system notifications rang inside Kale’s writhing mind.
[Host’s bonded Beast, Nemesis Hydra has unlocked the dormant Partial Transformation Trait]
[The Hydra has transformed the outer layer of its scales to the ’passive heat absorbing skin’ of the Flame Salamanders.]
[The Beast Ability Flame absorption has been enhanced and can now actively absorb heat from the surrounding 15-meter radius in a controlled manner.]
[As a byproduct of the Hydra unlocking the transformation trait, its physiological stability and internal connection between various organs and bodily functions have been further strengthened.]
[Host, Kale Ardentis has gained the ability Flame Resistance(lv1)]
At that exact moment, the agonising, unbearable pain of Kale’s flesh being charred on the stone slab began to lessen gradually. The intense burning sensation subsided into a dull, manageable ache.
Through their deep spiritual connection, Neo instinctively understood the fundamental shift that had occurred within its master’s body. Armed with its newly upgraded ability, the Hydra moved to act immediately.
It actively seized control of the radiant heat within a fifteen-meter radius, pulling the extreme thermal energy away from Kale and drawing it directly into its own scale structure.
This drastic cooling effect significantly reduced the severe heat surrounding the Tamer, protecting his charred skin from further destruction. The thermal energy absorbed by Neo began to replenish its Beast Force reserves continuously.
With its energy restored, the Chimaera immediately activated its Octagon Trait, surging potent regenerative energy directly through their shared bond into Kale’s broken physical frame.
The sudden influx of dense healing power caused the Tamer to gasp sharply, feeling overwhelmed by a fresh wave of intense discomfort. Dead, charred cells across his entire body began to slough off.
Underneath the blackened husk, new muscle tissues, blood vessels, and healthy skin cells rapidly formed in a matter of seconds. The miraculous regeneration restored his damaged frame from head to toe.
And just like that, amidst the roaring, viscous river of magma, Kale’s nearly destroyed body was completely made anew from the very ashes of his burned physique.