Chapter 364: That oversized lizard is going to regret hitting me.

The inferno kept pressing forward with merciless intent, and despite the layers of defensive Qi Lucas had woven together with painstaking precision, it was becoming painfully clear that those defenses were being stripped away faster than he could reinforce them. The heat was no longer something he could push back entirely, because it had become a presence that invaded every breath he took, every thought he tried to form. Henrietta could feel it too, the way his protection trembled around them like glass on the verge of shattering, yet strangely her heart was steady, because some part of her knew that Lucas had not brought them this far only to fail now.She tightened her grip on his robe and whispered, not in fear but in trust, "You always find a way, Xavier. I know you will not let this end here."

He did not turn to look at her, but her words reached him all the same, grounding him when the world threatened to dissolve into fire and chaos. His jaw clenched as he shifted his awareness inward, away from the raging dragon and toward the bonds that tied him to those closest to him. Through the haze of heat and pain, he could still feel the ice belle, faint and flickering like a dying star against the abyss floor, her earlier bravado utterly crushed by the overwhelming strength of the shadow dragon.

The sight of her lying there helpless stirred something sharp and dangerous within him. "You picked the wrong creatures to toy with," Lucas muttered under his breath, his voice carrying a cold edge that had nothing to do with ice.

He reached deep into himself, past his own Qi reserves and into the refined celestial essence that still lingered within him, the remnant of the empress’s power that had become part of him. It was not meant to be used recklessly, and certainly not in the middle of such a violent confrontation, but desperation had a way of tearing down hesitation. Through the bond he shared with the ice belle, he guided that essence carefully, forcing it to flow outward and into her weakened form.

At first, nothing happened, and for a terrifying moment Lucas feared he had miscalculated. Then the ice belle gasped sharply, her small body arching slightly as a chill far purer than before rippled across the abyss floor. Frost crept outward beneath her palms, forming intricate patterns that shimmered even under the oppressive heat of the dragon’s flames. Her eyes snapped open, glowing brighter with every heartbeat as strength surged back into her limbs.

"What is this," she whispered, her voice trembling not with fear but with astonishment as she pushed herself up on one elbow. She could feel it clearly now, a foreign yet harmonious energy coursing through her, refining her core and soothing the damage she had suffered. "This energy feels different. It feels... higher."

He exhaled slowly, relief flickering through his strained expression as he felt her stabilize through the bond. "Do not question it now," he said firmly, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Take it and recover. I need you standing."

The ice belle clenched her small fists, frost swirling around her as her strength continued to return at an alarming rate. Despite the pain still lingering in her body, a familiar spark of defiance returned to her eyes. "That oversized lizard is going to regret hitting me," she muttered darkly, anger replacing her earlier helplessness.

Henrietta watched the exchange with widened eyes, awe washing over her exhaustion as she realized what Lucas had done. He had not only protected her but had found a way to empower the ice belle in the middle of a battle that should have left no room for such precision. "You shared celestial essence with her," she said softly, disbelief and admiration woven together in her voice.

Lucas nodded once, his focus never leaving the dragon as the inferno continued to rage against his faltering defenses. "She is bound to me," he replied. "If she falls here, we all do."

The shadow dragon sensed the shift immediately, its roar faltering for a brief instant as it felt the sudden surge of unfamiliar power ripple through the abyss. Its remaining eye narrowed suspiciously, fury deepening as it realized that the prey it had nearly crushed was rising again.

The ice belle rose fully to her feet then, frost spiraling around her like a living crown, her earlier weakness gone, replaced by a sharp, dangerous calm. She glanced at Lucas, her expression uncharacteristically serious. "Hold on just a little longer," she said quietly. "This time, I will not underestimate him."

The shadow dragon’s fury was no longer something subtle or restrained, because it rolled off its massive body in crushing waves that distorted the air and made the abyss tremble beneath its talons. Its single uninjured eye burned with a malevolent light as it stared at the ice belle, then shifted to Lucas and Henrietta in turn, as though memorizing their faces for the slaughter it believed inevitable. A deep rumble crawled up from its chest, not quite a roar yet, but a promise of violence waiting to be unleashed.

"So," the dragon finally spoke, its voice thick and ancient, echoing through the abyss like stone grinding against stone, "you dare deny me my prey, even after it lay broken at my feet."

The ice belle floated forward slightly, frost forming beneath her bare feet as she hovered above the blackened ground, her small face tilted upward in defiance. "Prey," she repeated with a sharp laugh that carried far more confidence than before. "You nearly crushed me once, and I will admit that hurt my pride, but do not mistake that for victory. You caught me careless, nothing more."

The dragon’s lips curled back, exposing rows of jagged teeth glowing faintly with residual inferno. "Your arrogance remains intact," it snarled. "I should have torn your core out when I had the chance."

Lucas stepped forward then, placing himself subtly between Ice belle and the dragon, even though his body still bore the marks of the inferno he had endured. His voice was calm, almost cold, when he spoke. "You will not get another chance," he said, every word carrying quiet certainty rather than bravado. "You are not the only one who grows stronger with time."

Henrietta wiped the blood from the corner of her lips, forcing herself upright despite the tremor in her legs, her gaze locked on the dragon with unwavering resolve. "You underestimate us because we are human," she said, her tone steady even as her Qi fluctuated. "That arrogance is why you will fail here."

The dragon let out a booming laugh that shook the atmosphere . "Fail," it repeated mockingly. "You stand in my domain, wounded and exhausted, while I draw strength from the abyss itself. Tell me, little sage, where does your confidence come from now."

Henrietta did not answer immediately, instead glancing at Lucas and then at the ice belle, whose aura had stabilized into something far denser and purer than before. When she finally spoke, there was a quiet conviction in her voice that even surprised herself. "It comes from trust," she said. "Something you clearly do not understand."

The ice belle smirked, rolling her shoulders as icy sigils flickered briefly across her skin before fading. "She is right, you overgrown lizard," she added, her tone sharp and teasing. "Last time I fought you alone, and I paid for it. This time, you are facing all of us."

The dragon’s eye narrowed further, sensing the shift not only in power but in intent, and its wings spread wide, scraping against the tunnel walls as shadows writhed around its form. "Then come," it growled, inferno beginning to churn once more deep within its chest. "I will burn that confidence to ash along with your bodies."

Lucas exhaled slowly, centering himself as spatial Qi gathered subtly around his feet, his gaze never leaving the dragon’s movements. "Stay close," he said quietly to the ice belle, his voice carrying through their bond. "This time, we strike together."

The ice belle nodded, her earlier recklessness replaced by sharp focus as she extended her hand, frost spiraling outward in controlled arcs. "Just make sure you keep up," she replied, a faint grin returning to her lips.