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{Chapter: 163 Fire Corpse Pearl}
The corpse dragon soared through the sky, its tattered wings beating furiously as it fled at full speed. It risked a glance behind, dreading what it might see. Yet, to its surprise, the monstrous pursuer was not immediately in sight. Relief was short-lived, however—something so terrifying would not simply vanish.
In its frantic retreat, the corpse dragon neglected to look ahead, focusing only on what lurked behind. But high above, in the darkened sky, William rode atop the mighty Volcanicus, surveying his prey with a calm, almost detached gaze.
"My Lord, that wretched reptile is still looking back, oblivious to its doom," Volcanicus said, his voice laced with disdain.
William's lips curled slightly. "We'll take our time dismantling it. Begin by severing one of its wings."
"Understood."
Volcanicus's steel-like wings sliced through the air with an ear-splitting shriek as he dove toward the fleeing dragon below. The corpse dragon, hearing a sudden whistling sound, instinctively snapped its gaze forward. The source of the noise was not in front—it was above. A sense of foreboding crept over the creature as its eyes widened in horror.
It had no time to evade. The Volcanicus swept past, and in a flash of black, icy light—
"ROOOAAARRR!"
A thunderous howl of agony erupted from the corpse dragon as one of its flesh wings was brutally cleaved from its body. Blackened blood sprayed into the sky, cascading like a gruesome fountain. Now unbalanced, the mutilated beast flailed desperately before plummeting toward the sea below.
With a deafening crash, the dragon's body slammed into the ocean, sending waves surging outward. The dark waters around it were quickly stained black by the torrent of its own blood. It shrieked, thrashing in pain, causing torrents of seawater to spray in every direction.
"Does it hurt?" William mused, his voice devoid of sympathy. "This is merely the beginning. The real suffering has yet to come."
Volcanicus let out a guttural chuckle. "My Lord, would you mind if I strike it again?"
"By all means," William responded, his tone cold. "Just don't kill it yet."
"Understood."
Without hesitation, Volcanicus inhaled deeply, his maw opening wide before releasing a massive stream of searing flames. The inferno descended upon the corpse dragon, igniting its already wounded body. Though submerged, the flames clung to its rotting flesh, burning with unnatural intensity.
"Now, this miserable creature will learn the meaning of true fire," Volcanicus declared, his voice dripping with dominance.
William remained unfazed. "Do not underestimate it too much, Volcanicus. Its flames are potent—its weakness lies in its decayed body."
The corpse dragon, writhing in agony, let out a roar of defiance. A surge of heat burst from within its battered form, expelling a wave of flames so intense that the surrounding seawater evaporated instantly, leaving a vacuum in its wake.
Volcanicus narrowed his eyes. "My Lord, you were right. The quality of its fire is indeed remarkable."
William's lips curled into a dark smirk. "Which is precisely why its body contains what I need."
Panting heavily, the corpse dragon felt its strength waning. The loss of a wing had inflicted grievous damage, and its desperate eruption of flames had drained much of its remaining energy. Escape was now its only hope.
With a final, reluctant glance at its tormentors, the corpse dragon dove beneath the surface, vanishing into the depths of the sea.
"My Lord, it's trying to flee again," Volcanicus noted, his tone filled with contempt.
"It won't get far," William assured him. "Volcanicus, tell me—how do you feel about eating raw meat?"
"No particular interest."
"Good."
A dark light flickered in William's eyes. Without another word, he raised his black sword and hurled it downward with uncanny force. The blade sliced through the air, vanishing beneath the waves.
Beneath the sea, the corpse dragon swam desperately, its wounds slowing it down. It heard a strange sound, like the rush of something piercing through water, but by the time it turned—
Swish!
The black sword impaled it clean through the back, the blade protruding from its abdomen. The sheer force behind the strike sent the dragon hurtling downward, its body dragged by the immense weight of the weapon.
Clang!
The tip of the sword embedded itself deep into the seabed, pinning the writhing creature in place. The corpse dragon roared, bubbles escaping its maw as it struggled in vain against the weapon's merciless hold.
Above the surface, William peered down at the sea. "Volcanicus, retrieve it."
"As you command, my Lord."
Volcanicus let out a resounding roar before diving headfirst into the ocean. A moment later, the water exploded outward as he emerged, carrying the impaled corpse dragon in his steel jaws. With powerful beats of his wings, he soared toward the shore.
On land, Volcanicus landed heavily, causing tremors to ripple through the ground. Dust and debris shot into the air as the massive beast settled.
"Volcanicus, finish it," William ordered, leaping down from the great creature's back.
"Understood."
Volcanicus released the corpse dragon from his grip. William yanked the black sword from its body, prompting a pained howl from the dying creature. It thrashed weakly, attempting to escape.
But Volcanicus did not grant it the chance.
With a thunderous stomp, his steel-clad foot slammed onto the dragon's torso, pinning it to the ground. The creature screeched, but resistance was futile.
Volcanicus then lunged forward, his massive metallic jaws clamping onto the remaining wing. With brutal efficiency, he tore it clean off.
"ROOOAAARRR!"
The corpse dragon howled in agony, its mouth gaping wide. But the merciless assault did not stop. Volcanicus continued to rip it apart, tearing off its tail, then its limbs, devouring its flesh piece by piece.
William watched the gruesome spectacle with mild amusement. "Still alive? Its resilience is commendable, but this is the end."
He drove his sword straight into the creature's chest, twisted the blade, and—
A brilliant red bead, the size of a basketball, was wrenched free from within the corpse dragon's mangled body. William plucked it from the air with a gloved hand.
"Fire Corpse Bead."
The corpse dragon released one final, pitiful groan before falling silent, its suffering finally over.
Volcanicus lifted his head, his metallic form gleaming in the dim light. "It is done, my Lord."
William nodded. His body shimmered, transitioning from its enhanced form back to its human state. "When I need you again, you will return."
Volcanicus's colossal frame began to dissolve, breaking apart into countless silver-white particles that dissipated into the air. With a casual wave of his hand, William stored them all into a flickering blue light.
He glanced at the Fire Corpse Bead in his palm. "Fire, water, wind... I might need one more."
Turning toward the massive ship looming ahead, his gaze swept over its burning deck and the countless corpses strewn about. A small, satisfied smile played on his lips.
"I may be late, but it seems the plot of Resident Evil 5 is finally unfolding."
His eyes shifted toward the horizon. "Kamchatka Strait, huh? The journey is long, but..." His gaze landed on an aircraft stationed aboard the ship. "This will do."
Approaching the helicopter, he stepped inside, but as he settled into the pilot seat, his expression momentarily froze.
"White Queen?"
*****
New workout alert! "Marvel: The Infinite Crown" - because our library needs a superhero upgrade!