Chapter 352: The ocean

As we traversed the vast expanse of broken lands, the scenes of devastation only grew more prominent below. The view blurred beneath me as I soared through the sky, leaving behind a faint trail of shimmering purple light. My resolution and excitement drove me forward, and I occasionally teleported ahead, further boosting my speed.

Breta and Sidus struggled to keep their grip as we hurtled through the skies. She summoned her divine aura to shield herself, causing her body to radiate with a gentle golden glow. Sidus, on the other hand, shrouded himself in a cocoon of darkness mana, transforming into a shadowy figure with only his piercing eyes still visible, shining brightly amidst the dark.

The broken landscapes sprawled beneath us like scars etched upon the earth's skin. As we continued our journey, it became evident that we were approaching the Western edge of the continent. The abundance of water mana in the area guided me, informing me of our proximity to the vast ocean that lay ahead.

With newfound determination, I pushed my powers to their limits and increased our speed even further. The wind rushed past us, and the surroundings became a blur as we raced onward. However, Breta's voice echoed in my head, "S-slow down!" I reluctantly complied, easing back on the throttle.

The flight was a delicate balance between speed and control. My abilities were still developing, and unlike my grandfather or father, I lacked the finesse to create a protective mana shield that would make the flight more comfortable for my companions. Their shields had always shielded us from the discomfort of high-speed flights. But now, I had to prioritize reaching our destination over the comfort of our journey.

I was acutely aware that my current speed was nowhere near that of my more experienced family members, but I had to make do with what I had. Summoning a protective shield of mana could compromise my transformation and shorten the time I could stay in this powerful form, and that was something we could not afford.

As our goal loomed ever closer, I could feel the tension building within my companions, Breta and Sidus. Every passing moment felt like an eternity as we raced toward our destination. However, the path ahead was treacherous, and it wasn't long before we encountered our first obstacle.

As we soared over a newly formed chasm, my enhanced senses detected a looming danger, and instinctively, I veered to the side to dodge the threat. In the blink of an eye, a horde of obsidian-colored worms with short wings, no eyes and razor-sharp teeth, emerged from the dark abyss, hurtling towards us with incredible speed. Their size was less than half that of mine, but their swift movements made them almost impossible to track. Thankfully, however, my transformation granted me an edge, and I managed to evade their surprise attack.

Though I skillfully dodged their initial assault, their numbers were overwhelming. To maintain my transformation, I couldn't afford to stop or even slow down for a moment. The strain on my powers was immense, and any pause could spell the end of my powerful form.

Realizing the urgency of the situation, I shouted to my companions, "Hold on tight! We're rushing through!" Breta and Sidus tightened their grips, bracing themselves for the tumultuous journey ahead.

With determination, I pushed myself to the limits, soaring through the horde of worms, my powerful wings cutting through the air. The creatures attempted to obstruct our path, but my speed and agility enabled us to outmaneuver them, once they tried to overwhelm us with their numbers, I released three simultaneous dragon breath attacks from all of my three heads and cleared the path. I continued and pressed forward relentlessly, with every beat of my wings propelling us further away from the dangerous chasm, as their numbers seemed to increase with no end in sight.

The sound of the worms' hissing and the sensation of the wind whipping past us added to the intensity of the moment. The adrenaline coursing through my veins kept my focus sharp, and my senses alert to any more potential threats.

As we cleared the swarm of worms, the ground beneath us became more stable, indicating that we had successfully navigated past the chasm. The sense of relief was palpable, but I couldn't afford to rest just yet.

Soon after, the view of the dark, black ocean came into sight, an eerie silence settled among us. Breta and Sidus seemed to have something to say, but the imposing sight of the tainted waters made them pause. The aura emanating from it was suffused with darkness, a stark contrast to the usual serene and calming presence of water elements.

The realization hit me that the water in this region had been contaminated by the Shades' malevolent aura. The once pure and life-giving essence had been corrupted, leaving behind an unsettling feeling. The implications were troubling.

Breta's worried expression and Sidus's tense demeanor mirrored my own concerns. The tainted water elements posed an unknown threat, that made me halt.

With a determined nod, I took a deep breath and addressed my companions, "Ready your shields and stay vigilant. I can feel some auras swirling in the depths, but we have no other choice. We will rush through it."

The dark and corrupted aura exuded a malevolence that sent shivers down my spine, but there was no turning back now. We had come too far to be deterred by fear, and Ynos was still waiting.

"You keep your focus ahead, we'll take care of whatever comes," Sidus said confidently, his determination shining through his piercing eyes. Breta nodded in agreement, her divine aura already surrounding her like a protective shield.

"Alright then, here goes nothing," I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt. I focused my energy, preparing myself to push forward through the darkened waters.

As I soared above the tainted ocean, the dark aura grew more oppressive, and the water's surface seemed to churn with an unnatural energy. My heart raced, and I could feel the tension building in the air.

With a burst of cosmic mana, I propelled myself forward, carrying both Sidus and Breta on my back, their mana reeling around us in, forming protective barriers.

The further I flew, the more I could sense the ominous auras swirling beneath us. My guard was up as I scanned every movement, every flicker of darkness, which could be a sign of danger.

It didn't take long before my fears were confirmed.