After two months in the Kingdom of Nasca, Charybdis decided it was time to move on.
The time spent honing her skills, exploring new magic, and bonding with Milim had been deeply fulfilling.
But now, she felt the call to return to her own domain and continue her work there.
On her last day, Charybdis prepared a special parting gift for Milim.
She called the young girl to the palace gardens, where they had spent many hours practicing and playing together.
"Milim," Charybdis began, her voice soft, "I've made something for you. It's a token of our time together and a gift to help you in the future."
Milim's eyes sparkled with curiosity despite glistening with tears. "What is it, Charybdis?"
Charybdis smiled and handed her a small box. "Open it."
Milim eagerly opened the box and gasped.
Inside were a set of rings and a delicate crown, all crafted from metals that were byproducts of Charybdis's Ego Distillation process.
These metals were imbued with pure elemental properties.
"The rings," Charybdis explained, "will help you channel elemental properties into your magicules more easily. I know you've struggled with that, so I thought these might help."
Milim slipped the rings onto her fingers, feeling the immediate boost in her magical control.
"These are amazing! Thank you, Charybdis!"
Charybdis nodded, then pulled out a long, slender object wrapped in cloth. "But there's one more gift."
She unwrapped the cloth to reveal a simple yet elegant sword.
The blade shimmered faintly, reflecting the pure light of its pseudo Dragotite composition.
The sword was a product of Charybdis's own blood and generous donations from Velgrynd and Veldora, making it a weapon easily in the legend grade.
"This sword," Charybdis said, handing it to Milim, "is made from pseudo Dragotite. Over thousands of years, it will evolve into Star Heart. It has two main properties: Resurrection of the sword and Soul Bond. It doesn't have any inherent properties because I want it to grow with you."
Milim took the sword, her eyes wide with awe.
"It's beautiful...and so powerful. Thank you!"
Charybdis smiled, a hint of pride in her eyes.
"It was a group effort, but mostly mine. I wanted it to be perfect for you. It will grow with you, and it will always be by your side."
Milim hugged Charybdis tightly.
"I'll treasure it always."
Charybdis hugged her back, feeling a pang of sadness at leaving her behind. "And Milim, remember, I'm just a summon away if you ever need me and uh One more thing, Milim. That crown is special. It's like a little guardian. It'll nibble on your magicules and the surrounding magic to protect you keep it on you at all times "
As Milim admired the gifts, Charybdis's thoughts wandered to the crown, the most intricate piece of the set.
The crown wasn't just a beautiful adornment; it had a unique function. Crafted using her Parasitic Infiltration skill, the crown would constantly absorb magicules from Milim and the surrounding environment to create a dimension that stored this accumulated magic for one specific use: protection.
The crown had ten jewels, each representing a life.
Every time Milim faced a fatal situation, the crown would revive her, making her stronger with each rebirth.
The rings also had a hidden ability to collect souls within an 18-kilometer radius, adding to Milim's power and offering protection if she sustained life-threatening injuries.
Charybdis kept these grim details to herself, only telling Milim that the crown would protect her life.
She wanted the young girl to enjoy her gift without worrying about the darker aspects.
As they parted, Charybdis felt a deep sense of fulfillment.
She had given Milim a part of herself and ensured she had the tools to grow stronger.
And like any good politician, she had kept some of the materials for her own research, knowing they would be valuable in her future endeavors.
Walking away from the kingdom, Charybdis chuckled to herself.
"Well, that went better than expected. Maybe I should consider a career in gift-giving. Or at least start charging for it"
"At least I managed to keep some of those materials from Veldora and Velgrynd. They're practically like a dragon's rainy day fund. You never know when you might need some extra powerful elements lying around."
It seemed like she was forgetting something so she paused and thwn realised.
" I Forgot about Gaia ! "
In the she could only slmup her shoulders in disappointment as she made such a brainless mistake.
With a final wave, Charybdis sighed and flew away from the Kingdom of Nasca, her heart a house of lovely memories and embarrassment.
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As Charybdis exited the Kingdom of Nasca, she felt a sudden and overwhelmingly hostile presence.
Her senses went on high alert, but before she could fully grasp what was happening, a figure materialized in front of her—a man cloaked in darkness, radiating an immense and demonic aura.
Without a word, the figure launched an attack.
Charybdis having time to react, summoned a multidimensional barrier around her hand catching the claw of her assailant .
The clash of their strgth sent shockwaves through the air, after the failed attack the man retreated with wings on his back.
"Who are you?" Charybdis demanded, her voice echoing through the battlefield.
The figure paused for a moment, his eyes tinged with amusement.
"Noir," he replied with a small smile, then attacked again with relentless force.
Charybdis summoned a legion of monsters, wanting to overwhelm Noir with sheer numbers.
The creatures roared and charged, their combined might crashing against Noir's defenses.
Noir, however, moved with blinding speed, his efficient magic combat consuming and countering her attacks effortlessly.
As they exchanged blows, Charybdis tried to gauge her opponent's reasoning "Why are you attacking me?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
Noir's eyes glinted with amusement as if remebering a fun memory, as he effortlessly cut through the summoned monsters.
"Humans and monsters alike that survived your onslaught summoned me," he replied, his voice smooth. "They asked me to kill you and Veldora. I refused the task of killing Veldora, but you... you're within my capabilities."
Charybdis's eyes narrowed. "I see"
"No hard feelings," Noir chuckled
"Just a job. And besides, I find you intriguing. Perhaps when you revive, we can have a proper conversation."
Determined to test the limits of her basic skills , Charybdis activated her recently acquired Holy magic .
The sky darkened as a surge of power enveloped her.
She unleashed a devastating attack, a concentrated beam of pure Holy energy that struck Noir with incredible force.
The attack managed to scar Noir'sspirtual body, causing him to stagger back.
"Impressive," Noir admitted, "but not enough."
The battle raged on, with Charybdis pushing her base abilities to the limit unwilling to use her full strength.
Despite her overwhelming strength she wanted to use this encounter as an experiment.
However it frustrates her that it just wasn't tge type she would like it to be Noir's experience and cunning allowed him to stay one step ahead.
He anticipated her moves, countering with precision and exploiting every weakness.
Charybdis found herself increasingly intrigued and frustrated by Noir's skill and composure.
"You can't win, Charybdis," Noir said calmly, his voice cutting through the chaos of the battle.
"You're strong, but strength alone won't decide who will die here."
Charybdis smirked, unfazed. "We'll see about that," she replied, preparing to unleash her full might.
She began to summon the full extent of her ultimate skill ready to end the battle decisively as her form began to distort and ribbons of darkness harboring curses of humanity emerged from her hand.
But just as she was about to release her attack.
Noir moved with blinding speed.
Before Charybdis could react, he landed a fatal blow utilising the pinnacle of his current abilities, his attack coated with dimensional energy distorting fate on a small level piercing through her defenses and striking her down beyond recovery in a single blow leaving behind only her head.
As she lay on the ground, her vision fading, Noir leaned down and put a finger on her lips, preventing her head from uttering anything that might activate some sort of magic from her words.
"When you revive, let's have a proper conversation. Until then, farewell."
Charybdis's thoughts were surprisingly calm as darkness consumed her.
She had fought while assuming herself to be invincible although she did have the ability to not die that batrlw could've been over the moment she encounterd noir.
But in her hubris she had chosen to use the opportunity as a lab test.
In the end she could only sigh and wait for her to reform.
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Yooo👋 🪨🗿🥰🔥🔥