Chapter 543 - The Xeton Emperor Vs The Leader Of The Forsaken
Ruthren finally got up as he raised both of his arms to manifest a large amount of water up in the air. It seemed as if he wanted to waste time by waiting for Irene to get tired just to make it easier for him. And this was precisely why Damien decided to rile up Ruthren since he saw through his despicable plan.
Irene put up her guard as she signaled everyone to get prepared for the worst, and she herself receded a few feet backward along with her water swan to defend against Ruthren's incoming attack.
But Ruthren hadn't attacked yet, but the amount of water forming above his head was enormous and vast as the imperial army below looked up with looks of fear and awe.
In fact, as moments passed, they only became even more shocked as they saw the water take the figure of some large beast with terrifying fangs.
However, Damien was able to figure out that this 300 feet long, wingless monster with a long muscular water body and a frightening head was nothing but a dragon!
'So this is his ethereal manifestation…' Damien's expression became taut as he didn't expect the Xeton Emperor's ethereal manifestation to be so powerful enough to make him feel like his bones got heavier by just feeling its aura.
That was how terrifying and vast the aura of the water dragon was. It was even making the imperial army feel like prostrating themselves before it.
But Damien also realized that this was the true power of the strongest cultivator of the Rising Sun Continent, one who was also standing at the peak of the Profound Ethereal Realm!
Within just half a minute, Ruthren's ethereal manifestation had completely taken form and was overshadowing Irene's water swan in every way. In fact, it definitely looked like a real delicate swan was about to face off with a dragon.
"Grandmother…" Reva couldn't help but feel worried seeing her grandmother standing before such a terrifying ethereal manifestation.
Irene didn't seem surprised by what creature Ruthren's ethereal manifestation was, but she was surely worried by how powerful it was. Just its aura was enough to make her instincts tell her to avoid this fight at all costs.
It had been a long time since she saw Ruthren becoming serious since rarely did he ever have to take any action himself. In fact, this would be the first time Ruthren was becoming serious after becoming an emperor.
However, the imperial army was rejoicing about their emperor finally taking action himself since they wouldn't have to defend against any more attacks from Irene's water swan while continuing to attack the barrier.
"Are you feeling afraid, Irene? No…you are not the kind who feels afraid of these things. But…I am sure you now feel afraid for your people, don't you? Worried how they are going to die? Or about what is going to happen to your precious grandson?" Ruthren asked with a cold smile while sending a subtle glare towards Damien.
Damien felt a bad feeling and said in a serious tone, "Triton…we have to go…Now!"
Reva could feel the tension in Damien's voice and quickly got up as she said, "I am done! Let's help the rest leave first!"
There were still twenty-five Zirians left to leave, and Reva and Damien helped them all leave in a batch of two.
Irene's expression became cold as she said, "Ruthren…today you might win this battle, but you will one day lose the war, and my grandson and the boy named Damien will make sure of it even if I am not there to witness it."
Ruthren scoffed, hearing her words, "We will see about that," And the next second, he pointed his hand at Irene as he shouted, "Now die!"
The enormous water dragon opened its jaws as a powerful jet of water infused with Ruthren's pure ethereal energy struck Irene's water swan, deforming its face completely while Irene quickly put up a bubble shield of water to defend herself.
Still, even if the strong jet of water was not aimed at her, the sheer power of the shockwaves was enough to almost make the bubble of water around her burst.
Irene's expression became grave since, as Ruthren pointed out before, her ethereal energy reserves were running low from maintaining her ethereal manifestation, especially to protect her people from the imperial army's attack, which she was still continuing to do so, absorbing their attacks from the offensive ethereal formations they were using.
"Heh, you have gotten very weak, Irene. If you had battled me a few centuries ago, maybe you would have stood a chance. But look at you now. You can barely handle my weakest attack. And to think that you believed your Forsaken never disappeared off the face of this world just because I wasn't strong enough to destroy you all? Ha…why would I destroy the only thing that is making my empire stronger and wealthier? Thanks to your daughter, things have only gotten easier for me."
Irene clenched her fists as her expression became dark, remembering the only thorn in her heart that was still hurting her like anything…her daughter's death, and how she was also partly responsible for it. In fact, she blamed herself for her daughter's death and why she couldn't even face Reva and explain herself.
She also realized yet again how Ruthren and the god known as the King of the Frosty Seas were fooling her and her people for all these centuries.
However, by now, she also saw that Reva and Damien had helped all the Zirians escape, and only a few experts remained to help her, including Shania and Blake. She knew Damien would bring Reva to safety and so she could finally dedicate her complete focus to fighting this bastard before her.
Ruthren continued, "It's a pity things have come to this though I think your people have outlived your usefulness, including you!" Without any warning, Ruthren sent forward his water dragon, which opened its jaws wide apart as if to swallow Irene and her water swan.
"Grandmother!"