Eternal Tower: Atreia Era

As soon as Kalon gave the signal, the four dragon demon reinforcements attacked simultaneously, their figures like four dark afterimages, closing in on Gavin and his companions. Leading them was a dragon demon general wielding a shadow halberd, his body surrounded by a foul ether several times denser than the other reinforcements, his scales a dark purple, his eyes flashing with a bloodthirsty light. On either side were shadow shamans skilled in ranged attacks, their fingertips wreathed in dark runes; even before they made a move, a dense aura of malevolence swept towards the three. The last was a burly dragon-man berserker, wielding a massive black iron battle axe; each step he took caused the ground to tremble slightly, leaving deep footprints.

"Kill!" the Dragon Demon general roared, his shadow halberd whistling as it thrust straight at Gavin's chest—he had accurately seen through Gavin's chaotic aura and unhealed injuries, striking directly at his vitals, giving Gavin no chance to breathe. The two Shadow Shamans simultaneously raised their hands, chanting obscure incantations, and several black chains of magic burst from the ground, wrapping around Lynn and Lina, attempting to bind them and prevent them from supporting Gavin. The Dragon Berserker wielded his black iron battle axe, slashing down fiercely in the direction of the three. The axe, imbued with intense malevolence, cleaved the air with a piercing whistle, carving a deep trench into the ground.

Gavin's eyes narrowed. Ignoring the excruciating pain in his chest and the depletion of his ether, he barely managed to raise his sword of light to parry the shadow halberd. "Clang—!" A deafening clang rang out as golden light and black shadow clashed violently, sending shockwaves scattering and sending debris flying everywhere. Gavin was thrown back two steps by the immense impact, his chest wound instantly reopening, blood dripping from his clothes. His sword-wielding arm trembled violently, his breath growing weaker, and the thin barrier of light swayed, threatening to shatter at any moment.

"Mentor!" Lynn and Lina cried out simultaneously, trying to rush forward to help, but they were tightly bound by the Shadow Chains. Lina was already severely injured and her ether was depleted. Now, bound by the chains, the wounds on her arms were pulled apart, causing excruciating pain. Her face grew increasingly pale, and the light power at her fingertips dimmed to almost nothing. Lynn, on the other hand, was being backlashed by the power of creation. Waves of stabbing pain surged in his chest, but he still gritted his teeth and circulated the last of his chaotic ether, pressing the Judgment of Light against the chains, attempting to sever them with the power of purification. "Purification of Light - Crack!" he shouted. A faint golden blade of light burst forth from the tip of the Judgment, striking the chains and making a sizzling corrosion sound. The chains trembled slightly but did not break. Instead, they tightened even more, making his arm ache.

Kalon stood not far away, coldly observing everything, a sinister smile playing on his lips. He continued to watch the energy fluctuations of the fragment closely. The white light and black energy of the fragment were now alternating more frequently, the black cracks on its surface were widening, and the hissing sound was becoming increasingly piercing. Golden shockwaves and black ice particles erupted alternately, indiscriminately impacting everything present. One of the dragon demon reinforcements was accidentally struck by a golden shockwave, his body instantly burned with large wounds, letting out a shrill scream, but he dared not retreat in the slightest, continuing his relentless attack on Gavin and his companions.

"Gavin, you're at your wit's end!" Caron sneered, seizing the moment when the fragment erupted with another golden shockwave, he flashed forward and pounced on Lynn again—he knew that Lynn was the only one who could barely resonate with the fragment. As long as Lynn was eliminated, no one could control the fragment. At that time, he only needed to wait for the fragment's energy to run out and be completely corrupted by malevolent energy, and he could easily seize the fragment. This time, the Shadow Blade in his hand condensed a denser amount of corrupted ether, its blade gleaming with a dark, cold light, and it pierced straight at Lynn's chest, faster and more ruthless than before.

Seeing this, Gavin's heart tightened. Ignoring his own safety, he lunged forward, shielding Gavin's back from the fatal blow. "Thud—!" The Shadow Blade pierced Gavin's back, the foul ether instantly seeping into his body through the wound, corroding his meridians and the power of light. Gavin let out a muffled groan, his face turning deathly pale. He nearly dropped the Sword of Light from his hand, but held on tightly, turning and unleashing a weak blade of light at Karon, forcing Karon back. "Lynn... protect the shards... protect Lina..." His voice was so weak it was almost inaudible, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. His body swayed, but he remained standing in front of Lynn and Lina, refusing to fall.

"Mentor!" Lynn's eyes widened in fury, the backlash in his chest mingling with his grief and anger. The light ether within him suddenly surged violently, still chaotic, yet bursting forth with an unprecedented power. He exerted his strength, the golden light on the Judgment of Light flaring up, "Light Purification - Explosion!" A golden blade of light erupted instantly, severing the shadow chains binding him and Lina, and simultaneously slashing towards Kalon. This attack, imbued with Lynn's grief and determination, though still weak, carried an undeniable force, forcing Kalon to hastily dodge.

Taking advantage of this brief moment, Lina mustered all her strength to transfer the last remaining wisp of light ether to Gavin. Her body instantly swayed precariously, her vision blurred, and she nearly lost consciousness, yet she still gritted her teeth and whispered, "Mentor, hold on... We can definitely protect the fragment..." The power of light slowly seeped into Gavin's body, barely suppressing the corrupted ether within him, alleviating his injuries, and allowing him to barely stabilize himself.

Seeing this, the dragon demon general's eyes flashed with impatience. He brandished his shadow halberd and charged at Gavin again. "You annoying old fool, die with me!" The dragon-man berserker and two shadow shamans followed closely behind, attacking from all sides and trapping the three of them in the middle. The energy chaos of the fragments grew increasingly violent, golden shockwaves erupted continuously, and the cracks in the ground widened. The black iron spikes that had not fully retracted were swept up by the energy and shot out in all directions like arrows. The three of them had to resist the dragon demon's attacks while dodging the energy impacts of the fragments, making their situation increasingly difficult.

Lynn stood before Gavin and Lina, the Blade of Light in his hand trembling slightly. The ether within him was in turmoil, almost out of control. The piercing pain in his chest and the agony of his shoulder wound intertwined, each swing of the sword accompanied by excruciating agony. The battle raged fiercely in the valley, the roars of dragons and the clash of weapons echoing endlessly. The hum of the fragments grew deeper, as if brewing a transformation. His gaze hardened, a resolute determination flashing in his eyes—he could not fall. Just then, the Blade of Light suddenly erupted with a clear golden light, piercing through the malevolent smoke and dust. Ancient totem-like golden patterns appeared on its blade, forming an invisible chain of light that resonated with the fragments. The fragments flickered with white light, the black cracks subtly healing, and the hum deepened into a solemn, resonant sound, as if echoing his unwavering resolve to protect them.

"This is..." Lynn's pupils constricted sharply, the resonance between his bloodline and soul instantly awakening, as if he were connected to the fragment across millennia. Ignoring the pain of the backlash, he turned his palm upward, the chaotic light ether overflowing from his fingertips and merging with the chains of light. The next second, the fragment's white light surged like the breaking of the sun, a vast power of creation transforming into a golden pillar of light, flowing into his body along the chains of light. Wherever it passed, the malevolent energy dissolved, and the rubble was coated with a soft light. This power was gentle and pure, instantly dispelling the pain of the backlash, the chaotic ether stabilized, and the wounds slowly healed. Lynn closed his eyes, a golden contract mark matching the fragment's pattern appearing between his brows, its light shimmering slightly. The sounds of battle around him seemed to be shut out, leaving only the rustling of the flowing light pillar and the low hum of his soul resonance with the fragment.

Upon seeing this, Karon's expression changed drastically, a glint of greed and jealousy flashing in his eyes. "Impossible! How can you resonate with the fragment?!" He no longer waited for the fragment's energy to run out, and charged towards it, wanting to seize it before Lynn could control it. Seeing this, the Dragon Demon General immediately swung his Shadow Halberd, slashing fiercely at Lynn, attempting to restrain him and buy Karon time.

"Don't even think about getting close to the fragment!" Lynn roared, the light ether within him intertwining with the power of creation. The golden light of the Judgment of Light blazed even brighter, even overshadowing the white light of the fragment. He turned and unleashed a condensed blade of light, fiercely blocking the Dragon Demon General's attack. The blade of light collided with the Shadow Halberd, and the Dragon Demon General was forced back three steps by the impact, his palms numb. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes—he hadn't expected Lynn to be able to unleash such powerful strength in such a short time.

Gavin sensed the change in Lynn, a flicker of relief in his eyes. He used the remaining ethereal light within him to create a barrier of light, protecting Lina behind him. At the same time, he unleashed a light blade at the two Shadow Priests, restraining their attacks. "Lynn, seize the power of the fragment! It has chosen you as its guardian!" Gavin's voice, though weak, carried an unwavering determination. "Use the primordial power of the fragment to purify this filth and malevolence. We will surely win!"

Lina slowly regained her senses. Relying on the barrier of light, she managed to gather a faint wisp of light energy and channeled it towards Lynn. Though weak, it was enough to help stabilize the power of creation within Lynn. "Lynn, you can do it! We believe in you!"

Lynn nodded, the power of creation and the power of light within him completely intertwined, the mark between his brows became increasingly clear, and his eyes shone with a clear golden light. He walked towards the fragment, each step sending golden ripples across the ground, the malevolent energy dissipating, and the cracks slightly healing. The fragment's white light intensified, illuminating the entire valley, the black cracks completely healed, the energy returned to stability, and golden dust swirled around him as he slowly drifted towards Lynn, as if fulfilling a thousand-year promise. Seeing this, Kalon roared and accelerated, his Shadow Blade brimming with tainted ether, creating a blinding contrast with the atmosphere of light, and thrust it straight at Lynn's back: "Get out of my way! The fragment is mine!"

Just as the Shadow Blade was about to touch Lynn, the fragment suddenly erupted with a dazzling white light, and a golden barrier instantly unfolded, protecting Lynn within it. The Shadow Blade struck the barrier and was instantly deflected. Caron was thrown back five steps by the impact, and a burn wound appeared on his palm from the barrier's power, emitting a sizzling sound. He looked at the golden barrier, a flicker of fear and resentment in his eyes—he hadn't expected the fragment to actively protect Lynn.

Lynn walked to the fragment. The mark between his brows resonated with the fragment's aura, the two golden rays intertwining to form a small cocoon of light that enveloped them. He gently grasped the fragment, which transformed into a golden stream of light that flowed into his palm, perfectly aligning with the mark between his brows. The cocoon of light dispersed, scattering into a shower of light dust. A surge of immense primordial power swept over his entire body, his ethereal energy surged, his wounds instantly healed, and his power of light broke through to the mid-stage of the intermediate level. A dazzling golden light emanated from his body, interwoven with primordial patterns. The malevolent aura instantly melted away before him, and the air became clear. The mark between his brows shone solemnly, proclaiming the protective pact between him and the fragment, a bond of blood and symbiotic power.

Seeing this, the dragon demon reinforcements' eyes flashed with fear, and they all stopped attacking, instinctively retreating. The dragon demon general gritted his teeth, wanting to launch another attack, but was intimidated by the majesty in Lynn's eyes, his body freezing in place, unable to move. Kalon, watching the change in Lynn, his face ashen, his eyes filled with resentment and despair, "No... impossible... how could the fragment choose a brat like you..."

Lynn clenched the fragment in his palm, turned to look at Karon and the dragon-demon reinforcements, a sharp glint in his eyes. The power of light and the power of creation intertwined around him, forming a powerful aura. "Karon, your conspiracy ends here. The fragments of the Tower of Eternity will never fall into the hands of your dragon-demon alliance, and the peace of Atreia will never be destroyed by you!"

Before he finished speaking, Lynn raised his hand and unleashed a massive golden blade of light. The blade, imbued with the combined power of creation and light, slashed fiercely towards Karon and the dragon demon reinforcements. Karon tried to dodge, but the blade's aura bound him tightly, rendering him completely immobile. He could only watch helplessly as the blade hurtled towards him. The dragon demon reinforcements let out shrill screams as they were struck by the blade. Their bodies were instantly purified, turning into puddles of black water that dissipated on the ground.

Struck by the light blade, Karon's shadow power was instantly purified, his scales fell off, and black blood mixed with foul ether gushed out. He let out a shrill scream, his body gradually becoming transparent, yet he still stared intently at Lynn, his eyes filled with resentment and hatred: "Lynn... you remember this... the Dragon Demon Alliance will not let this go... we will return... Atreia will eventually be devoured by shadow..." Before he finished speaking, his body completely dissipated into the air, leaving only a faint wisp of shadow mist, which was completely purified by the fragment in Lynn's hand.

The battle finally subsided completely. The light from the fragments softened, merging into Lynn's palm and becoming part of his body. The surrounding mist was completely dispelled, and the malevolent energy and impure ether were purified. Blackrock Valley returned to peace, leaving only cracks and rubble on the ground to tell the story of the fierce battle that had just taken place.

Gavin staggered forward, looking at Lynn with eyes full of relief and pride. "Well done, Lynn. You've become the true guardian of the shards." His breath was still weak, and blood was still seeping from the wound in his chest, but he couldn't hide his joy. Lina also came over, a weak but radiant smile on her face. "Lynn, we won!"

Lynn nodded, raising his hand to stroke the fragment in his palm, feeling the immense power of creation and light within him, his heart filled with determination. He knew this was just the beginning; the Dragon Demon Alliance wouldn't give up easily. Behind Kalon, even more powerful enemies awaited them, and many more fragments of the Tower of Eternity needed to be found. But he was no longer afraid, for he had his mentor's companionship, Lina's unwavering support, the power of the fragment, and his resolve to protect Atreia.

The three supported each other as they walked out of Blackrock Valley. Sunlight pierced through the clouds, bathing them in its warmth and dispelling all gloom. The fragment in Lynn's palm glowed faintly, as if guiding their way. They knew the road ahead was still fraught with danger, but as long as they stood side by side, united in purpose, they would surely defeat all their enemies, reclaim all the fragments of the Tower of Eternity, and safeguard the peace of Atreia. Meanwhile, in the distant Shadowlands, a dark figure gazed towards Blackrock Valley, a sinister glint in his eyes, a sinister smile playing on his lips.