the dragon of the end

4 hours later, Zeno slowly opened his eyes. 

"Well done little one."

"Thank you sensei."

"You can go now."

"Okay."

***

2 weeks had passed since he'd started practicing Draconic culture.

He cultivated every day, from dawn until dusk and continued all night.

But he still hadn't managed to create an aura.

"Vildred warned me that it was going to take some time...but I've only got 6 days left."

"If I can learn it, combined with Spirit Haki, my aura will become so powerful that it would be difficult to find a similar one in the same rank."

Zeno closed his eyes and concentrated on the crop.

***

4 days later.

Zeno began to learn.

"Draconic culture is like a flame that never goes out. I must forge its image...my image."

"My element is death, the books said death was the most frightening and powerful attribute."

Zeno thought back to his first trial and his 10,000 deaths.

A mortal coldness was drawn to the energy of his cultivation technique.

"Haa..."

Zeno exhaled coldly

He guided the energy into his energetic circuit and drew it into his spiritual core.

"The aura I need..."

Zeno thought about his objective.

He wanted to live his life to the full, to be as free as air, as swift as water and as solid as rock.

What he needed was a sword that would light his way to ascension and destroy his enemies.

BOOM!

As he drew the clear image of his aura, lightning roared across the sky.

"God...he's summoning her without reaching Nexus rank. Is this a joke?" Vildred threw 4 shocked scrolls to the ground, forming a great black veil around the Zone.

Good thing I've got domain scrolls.'

 Just as the energy of the Draconic culture was condensed into a sword, a frightening goosebump appeared on Zeno's back despite his trance.

"Kid, celestial tribulation is the nightmare of countless cultivators. A mortal who cultivates to become strong will meet the wrath of heaven."

"Normally it takes effect from higher ranks...however it does materialise when an anomaly is detected. I think the sky doesn't like you very much HAHA."

"Tighten your teeth and your buttocks, kid!"

Golden lightning roared across the sky, preparing to strike Zeno.

The lightning of celestial tribulation is an incomparably terrifying and powerful thunderbolt that falls from the sky on cultivators trying to steal the sky. If they can withstand it without dying, then they'll make it. If they can't withstand it, becoming crippled would be the best way out and losing their life would be the worst.

Zeno gritted his teeth.

Zeno concentrated and tried to condense the aura of Draconic culture. Just as he was about to form it.

A bolt of lightning shot down on him.

Zeno wanted to open his eyes and scream at the pain burning his bones. 

But he couldn't do that. It would risk dissipating the entire aura.

'Ugh...'

He groaned in pain.

The lightning that penetrated the energy circuit began to wreak havoc inside.

He felt as if his body had been shattered. The lightning began to eat away at his mind.

Zeno's whole body was filled with this celestial lightning.

Think Think!

'I must succeed!'

"ALL OR NOTHING."

Zeno clenched his fists and gathered all his energies, that of the draconic culture, the energy of the world, and the celestial lightning. 

He mixed them all together, spitting out a lot of blood and circulating the draconic culture.

BOOM!

"I dream...a second..." said Vildred.

The sky rumbled again, a golden lightning bolt rumbled and came down on Zeno.

BOOMMM! 

A huge explosion of energy erupted in the arena.

By some miracle Zeno survived.

In the spiritual core, a golden energy was condensed like a pearl. It was the lightning of the heavenly tribulation. Right next to him, the aura of draconic culture took clear form. A sword as dark as night and a sphere as bright as the sun.

Without paying any attention to the state of his body, Zeno organised all the energy in his body and entered a second trance.

***

Vildred exhaled heavily.

"Two bolts of heavenly lightning and he went into trance twice...GOD!"

"WHAT's going on here."

Nexus Darius and Zeff appeared at Vildred's side.

Zeff was about to reach out to wake Zeno but Vildred appeared.

"Demon! What are you doing? The boy is dying!"

"No, you mustn't spoil his chance."

"He's in a trance!"

Vildred slowly drew his sword and said: 

"If he receives the slightest touch, he will die."

"No one must go near him, understand?"

"...Very well..."

They all nodded and looked at Zeno with different expressions. Shock, disbelief, respect and jealousy.

Very few people manage to go into a trance. Those who provoke the sky before reaching Hero rank are even rarer, they can be counted on the fingers of one hand. 

Suddenly, the air around them becomes heavier. The ground began to tremble throughout the region. The whole academy began to break out in a cold sweat, even the Nexus. 

In an instant Zeno absorbed the energy of the entire academy. 

A black and gold light exploded. 

A black flame burned along Zeno's body, healing all his wounds.

Zeno opened his eyes.

Sparkle!

A shudder was felt by everyone within 200 km.

Zeno's eyes glowed golden.

And a voice spread throughout the world and the 7 kingdoms, even the dead heard it.

["When chaos arrives, the terrible demon lives again.

Flesh is devoured, bones are crushed and blood is drained.

He scorches the earth and melts iron. 

He boils rivers and uproots trees. 

It stirs the winds and lights the fires of hell.

They call him ****, the wandering demon

They call him ****, the dragon of the end."]