(12)

---whoosh---

Raymen's body turned into dust and vanished into thin air. As for me, I was already standing on the mountain peak where I planned to be.

[Relieving Raymen's soul on the peak of the mountain where I planned to reach, that's hitting two birds with one stone.

Now that Raymen is dead, doesn't that mean the seven demigod who were inside his consciousness vanished along with him?

Well, not that I care. Those mutts must have committed way too many sins from how Raymen told. No wonder he didn't let them out even during his final breadth.]

I turned towards the lake that was in the centre. The black streams seemed as eye touching as ever.

[If I had a living being's vision, I would have felt disgusted by a single glance of this black lake.]

I then got ready for my next move and

---splash---

jumped into the lake. I continued to swim towards the bottom of the lake. Holding my breadth wasn't much harder due to my powers. What's more was I was able to see through the black water. After sometime, I was able to see bright fog of different colours as I swam downward. I dived further into the bottom of the lake. Soon, everything came into vision.

[Am I in an ocean or a lake? How can the bottom of a lake be so beautiful?]

There were reefs that were glowing in various colours. They were brightening the whole arena that was supposed to be pitch black. The aquatic scenario was so much mesmerizing. Fishes and snakes that I had never seen before were brimming in the environment as lively as they can. It reminded me of my adventure days where I always enjoyed underwater diving as a trait of favouritism.

I continued to swim furthermore. I crossed one reef after another reef. The fishes and snakes didn't bother me much. They just passed through me without any concern. After swimming at the bottom in the same direction for five minutes, I noticed myself infront of a giant underwater cave that was glowing from the inside and dived through it. After swimming for a few moments I reached the edge of the cave. The brightness was coming from above. I gazed upwards. There was a massive hole that was glowing in different colours vividly. Past that hole, there was no water. It marked the end of the aquatic region. I was able to see water surface.

[Past that hole might be another cave. It's just like those hidden caves I watched in movies.]

---splash---

I swam above and crossed the hole. I was floating inbetween the water surface. Next, I noticed myself being in a cavern filled with crystals which were glowing in various colours. I came out of the water surface, patted myself and then looked around. It was tranquil all around me, so I continued to move forward. Moments later, I came across the edge of the cavern. I was standing inside a huge circular chamber where bright crystals were stuck on the cavern walls, henceforth brightening the whole room. The area of the chamber was equivalent to that of a huge city.

"!!!!"

On the centre of the chamber, there was a book glowing with a golden cover.

[So, the pressure I felt from miles away was this book? What hidden files and mysteries could it have to omit such omnious pressure?]

I began to walk towards the centre of the chamber.

---crash---

All of a sudden, something attacked me from above. But that wasn't enough to grace me, so I dodged it. The floor accumulated damage instead. I then spouted, "Sigh, finally we meet... Hey, you silly hailiyon!!"

It was a giant snake with four eyes and spikes all over it's body.

---crash---crash---crash---

Another three heads charged towards me. I evaded them. I raised a question, "Where is the main head?!"

---hissssssss---

I looked above. There was a snake with eight eyes and four horns. The eyes were emanating darkened violet flames. It's spikes were bigger than the others snake heads. Then I jumped backward to take a look at the creature. It was a quintuple headed snake that was holding onto the gigantic stalactites on the ceiling.

[This snake reminds me of 'Sheshanag'.]

---crumble---

The five headed snake crawled onto the floor. The floor beneath it was getting crumbled as it slowly crawled down to the floor. I was now able to see it's appearance more clearly.

[Hailiyon...

In zooviya, a hailiyon is considered as the topmost predator of the food chain. It is a five headed snake. The four heads that are on the sidelines consist of four eyes with no horns each.

The central head that is the main head would consist of eight eyes and four horns. The eyes of the main head would always emanate darkened flames when it feels threatened. The colour of the darkened flames may differ. Right now, the one infront of me is emitting violet flames. It is one thousand meters long.

It doesn't have any scales on it. It's entire skin is filled with red coloured spikes. Each spike has the tendency to withstand even magma. Earlier, the whip swords that were used by Raymen were also by-products of hailiyon spikes.]

"It's been a long time since I had a visitor. Or rather, an intruder!?!", the hailiyon spoke out. It had the voice of a male.

I spouted, "I thought you predators are in your mating season. Shouldn't you be spending sometime with your wife and children?!"

"Hahahaha...Hiss...Pwahahahaha... Family, huh? That would be so nice if I had them!", said the snake while bursting in laughter. But I sensed pain in the hailiyon's words.

[This hailiyon must have had it rough judging from his reaction. I will know everything after I defeat him.]

I then addressed myself, "I am Dray Adrona, a foreigner who was sent here to bring this declining world back to it's formal glory!"

The hailiyon introduced himself, "I am one of three beast kings of zooviya who rule over the sacred lands of zooviya, Beast king Alzahan!"

[Oh, I forgot that this side planet of zooviya is known as sacred lands of zooviya.]

I raised a doubt, "If you are a beast king, why are you dwelling inside this cavern all by yourself. Shouldn't you be hanging with your lackeys!"

He said, "I pay daily visits to the sacred lands. And who said I am all by myself!"

---hiss---hisss---hiss---hissss---hiss---hiss---hisss---hisssss---hisss---hiss---

The arena was filled with cries of snakes. I gazed around to check the numbers. They were lurking inbetween the stalactites just like Alzahan. But unlike the beast king, their eyes were emanating darkened yellow flames.

[Ten hailiyons of the darkened yellow flames stage. One beast king hailiyon of the darkened violet flames stage. That makes them a total of eleven.]

---thud---thud(x3)---thud(x2)---thud(x4)---

The hailiyon that were lurking inbetween the stalactites landed onto the floor. The floor got damaged due to their spikes and weight.

[Why can't these lackeys make a soft landing like their king?]

The ten hailiyons gathered behind Alzahan. Five of them on the right and five on the left were emanating darkened yellow flames out of their eyes. The hailiyon who was on the front and center was unleashing darkened violet flames out of his eyes.

---crumble---

All the eleven snakes crawled and surrounded me. Their movements crumbled the floor due to spikes on their skin. I then said, "The spikes on your skin would always damage on wherever you crawl. It's also making unpleasant noises. I am feeling so irritated by that trait!"

One of the hailiyon yelled, "How dare you tarnish the hailiyons nature?!"

Alzahan exclaimed, "I watched all your battles until now. Right now, the power I am sensing from you had been halved. You didn't even rest. Now, you are at a great disadvantage.

Although we are fighting you eleven on one, you are now facing the wrath of 55 snake-heads!"

I downed my head. After shifting my glare towards the beast king, I said, "Alzahan, have you also chosen to fight like a coward?!"

One of the hailiyon yelled at me, "How dare a lowlife like you disrespect our lord?!!!"

---crumble---hiss---

Right after spouting those words it charged towards me with it's five heads.

---whoosh---

I unleashed my darkened crimson flames at once. The hailiyon came into a halt. All the hailiyons were intimidated by my power since that was my aim. I then raised my right hand.

---fwooosh---

I trapped the hailiyon that attacked me moments ago within my crimson flames. Using my flames, I brought it into mid-air. One of the hailiyon cried in fear, "How can a person from the darkened crimson flames stage behold powers equivalent to our lord?!!!"

I then raised a question, ""ALZAHAN, DO YOU WANT TO WITNESS THE DEATH OF YOUR OWN KIND?""

---hiss---hisss---hiss---hisss---hiss---hisss---hisss---hiss---___and so on---

All the hailiyons began to tremble and cry in fear due to sovereignty that was unleashed from my throat. Alzahan shouted, "My dear pawns, stand down!!"

His words were useless because his lackeys already fainted. I threw away the hailiyon who was under my clutches. I glared at Alzahan and said, "Now that the pests are out, its only you and me!"

---hissssss---

Alzahan charged forward to have a bite.

---crush---

I evaded his attack with immediate response. All the five heads crushed the spot where I was standing earlier.

---crumble---

He began to crawl around. As usual, the ground continued to crumble with it's spikes rubbing off.

---dash---crush---dash---crush---dash---crush---dash---crush---dash---crush---dash---crush---___and so on---

Alzahan continued to use his fangs to cut me off. All the five heads implemented attempts to bit me off. I decided to dodge them with quick reflexes inorder to observe how the scenario would unfold. The floor still continued to crumble and crush upon the ground. Although evading it's jaws was easy, the floor that was getting damaged during the aftermath was bothersome.

[If this hailiyon continues to go rampant while devastating the cavern, this whole chamber will collapse.]

"Just stay still and let's talk this out, you damn snake!!!!", I shouted out of pure irritation and created huge spheres into mid-air with my darkened crimson flames.

---whoosh---

---fwoosh---

I then reshaped the spheres into fists. Alzahan looked anxious. I said, "I hope eating these fists would calm your mind!"

---smash(x_)---

All the fists that I made, smashed the hailiyon for ten whole seconds without a gap. Finally, the hailiyon's rampage came to a halt. It was lying on the ground fatigued. I stepped infront of Alzahan to ask him. I was kicking its head to wake it up.

"Hey, you geezer. Wake up!", I said in anger.

"Huh? I am not dead?!", Alzahan woke up and asked.

I attempted, "What was the reason that you decided to fight me? You were completely deluding during our fight earlier!"

He asked, "Huh? What do you mean 'deluding'? Didn't you come for the book of the ultimate supremacy?!"

I responded, "Are you talking about that book?!"

I pointed my finger towards the book that floating in the middle of the chamber. He exclaimed, "Yes!"

I said, "I came here to gain some experience by fighting monsters. There was a subtle power that was being released from this mountain. And I was able to sense even when I was hundreds of miles away. So, I thought I could gain some insights.

But I never knew it was a single book that was omitting all that power. Did you call it 'the book of ultimate supremacy'?"

He said, "Yes!"

I then said, "The reason why I was being attracted to that power was... Because, I felt like it was calling me. Asking me to help it!!"

Alzahan widened his eyes in utter disbelief and said, "Wait, are you saying you were able to sense the essence from the book while staying hundreds of miles apart?!"

I exclaimed, "Yeah!"

Alzahan jolted while looking at me and the book repeatedly. He calmed himself to tell me, "Only people who have the potential to comprehend it would be able to sense it. Even I myself am unable to sense it!"

I got puzzled, "What are you talking about? That book is emitting a sinister power that is equivalent to a hundred monsters like yourself. How can you not sense it?!"

He jolted once again, "H-hundred monsters? That book?!"

I got even more puzzled, "Are you telling me you have no idea of what I am talking about?!!"

He looked the other side with no response. I brought myself together and attempted, "Can you tell me what is happening?!"

Alzahan looked doubtful. After taking a deep breadth he began to speak, "As you know, fifty trillion years ago, zooviya was under the rule of the previous gods. Before my master who was the king of gods went to become a higher entity, he gave me his book that contained his essence and all his knowledge!"

I interrupted, "The king of gods was your master? Were you his pet?!"

He said, "Yes!"

I attempted, "What happened when the second dark reigner died?!"

He fidgeted and interpreted loudly, "Dark reigner? D-don't tell me... Are you grand law?!!!"

"Yes... Any problem?!", I said with a silent expression.

He then smiled awkward while saying, "No wonder I felt a subtle familiarity of my master from you?!"

"Stop beating around the bush and tell me. Didn't the dark crevasses make any attempts to steel the book?!", I said out of curiosity.

He exclaimed with a serious expression, "Even the dark crevasses failed to get the book!"

I was shocked by his reply. So I asked, "How come?!"

He replied, "The dark crevasses were the first intruders who tried to steal 'the book of ultimate supremacy'. At that time, I almost got killed by a dark crevasse who was of the darkened white flames stage!"

[Must be the one whom I saw from Raymen's memories.]

He continued, "But right at that moment, that dark crevasse was hit by beams of darkened white flames without a single ounce of notice. It was the book that unleashed a heavy injury on him. Witnessing the essence of my master from the book, all the dark crevasses fleed from this sight. But they continued to send people who were full of greed for power. They even started to use something called system!"

I chuckled at him and said, "These fifty trillion years must have been quite hard on you. But how did survive for that long?

Your immortality would let you live for one billion years at maximum. There is no way you could have lived for trillions of years!!"

Alzahan turned around and crawled towards the floating book.

---crumble---

However, that still crumbled the floor.

[Damn this snake and his spikes. Can't he have scales like an ordinary snake?]

He got infront of the book. It was glowing with a golden cover. He said, "My master gave me his final command. And that was to protect this book until the day when a worthy person comes to claim it. As the time passed by, the essence within the book continued to grow more omnious. It's also what kept me alive. You already passed the first test by being able to sense it from afar!"

I didn't get the last part of his words. I questioned, "There is also a test?!"

He replied, "Before the invasion of dark crevasses, that's how it used to be held!"

I sighed in doubt, "Sigh, then what is the second test?!"

He emphasized, "You must be able to comprehend the first page of this book. No one had ever succeeded in this part. Not even me. If you comprehend it, then this book is yours!"

I stood below the spot where the book was levitating. The book slowly got down to my hands. I then slowly opened the first page of it. The brightness slowly faded away, henceforth making the pages visible. I then slowly looked onto the front page of the book.

"!!!!!!"