Beneath the rubble, the darkness was absolute. Dust danced in the stifling air, seeping into even the tightest spaces between the stones. Cassandra, Dani, and Btrix huddled together, protected by the dome Strax had erected in thest moments before the explosion.


    Inside the improvised cocoon, the crimson light of blood magic blended with the icy blue glow, casting a ghostly contrast in the ustrophobic space. Strax knelt at the center, his hands outstretched, veins bulging along his arms as he channeled every ounce of his strength to keep the shield intact. His breaths were short and heavy, but his eyes remained fixed on the dome''s ceiling, where the pressure of the debris continued to grow.


    "Strax..." Cassandra''s voice broke the silence, trembling butced with concern. "You can''t hold this forever!"


    "I can, and I will," Strax growled, the muscles in his neck taut as more energy poured from his body. "None of you are getting hurt."


    Dani moved closer, her hands trembling. "Let us help. We can—"


    "Be quiet," Strax cut her off sharply, his voice full of determination. "This damn castle isn''t made of cheap crap. Even we, cultivators at the King Stage, couldn''t survive under this… Heavy as hell, fucking castle."


    Btrix nced around, analyzing the barrier''s limits. Her critical gaze faltered under the weight of the situation, though her confidence remained intact. "Strax, the barrier is starting to give. No matter how strong you are, the weight of this rubble is increasing every second."


    Strax took a deep breath, sweat streaming down his face as the blood in his arms flowed almost like liquid, reinforcing the shield''s interior walls. He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on an idea.


    "We wait for your mother," he dered. "I''ll use assimtion to strengthen the ice so you can get out of here." He dered and, mentally, called for Ouroboros. "Help me, love," he pleaded.


    Dani shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes. "And you think we''re leaving you here? Not a chance!"


    "I already told you, I''m getting all of you out," Strax said, his voice low, almost a growl. He knew time was running out. The barrier was beginning to show cracks in the ice, and his body was nearing its limit.


    Slowly, he raised one hand, sending a wave of ice through the cracks to reinforce the weakest areas. With the other, he used his blood magic to form an extension of the shield, trying to create more space to maneuver.


    "Now…" he murmured, his eyes shifting color for a few seconds. The air around him grew colder, his power surging. "ck Ice Maniption," he murmured, and the ice became denser, stronger, and thicker, spreading across the bloodyer.


    Inside the cocoon, the cold became almost unbearable. A shadowy glow began emanating from the surrounding ice, its blue hue giving way to a deep ck, as if absorbing the light itself. Strax, now encased in this new manifestation of power, appeared different — more focused, but also charged with an ancient, almost otherworldly energy.


    Cassandra, Dani, and Btrix watched the transformation with both apprehension and fascination. The air was so cold it was difficult to breathe, but none of them retreated. On the contrary, their determination only deepened.


    "ck Ice…" Cassandra whispered, recognizing the rare and incredibly powerful magic.


    Strax didn''t respond immediately. His eyes, now glowing with a mix of crimson red and dark icy blue, were fixed on the top of the shield. He could feel the weight of the world copsing on them, but with the additional strength granted by Ouroboros, he knew he could hold it long enough.


    "Dani, use your me to raise the temperature in here a bit. Btrix is shivering," he finally murmured. "No point in doing all this if she''s going to freeze to death."


    As the ck ice spread, it formed denseryers around the blood, creating an almost imprable barrier. Dani summoned a warm me in her hand to help her sister. Eachyer seemed to pulse with living energy, as if the ice itself responded to Strax''s will. The pressure from the rubble continued to increase, but the barrier held firm, though at the cost of more energy from his body.


    Dani looked at him with evident concern. "Strax, this is draining you too fast. It''s not safe!"


    Heughed briefly, a weary sound. "My safety was never the priority, Dani. Yours is."


    Btrix frowned, her voice firm butden with emotion. "Stop ying the martyr! We can fight by your side, so stop carrying everything alone!"


    Strax looked at her for a moment, his gaze softening slightly. "You strengthen me, but right now, I need you safe. That''s not negotiable."


    Closing his eyes for a moment, he felt Tiamat''s presence within his mind. The entity responded, her seductive and calm voice echoing like a whisper inside him. "My strength is yours, dear. Use it wisely."


    Strax''s eyes gleamed once more, intense and threatening, as his body began to shift subtly. Dark scales started to emerge on his skin, as if something far older was awakening within him. The scales shimmered faintly in the dim light, a mix of ck and icy blue, pulsing with energy. He took a deep breath, each inhale more controlled as he fought to contain what wasing.


    "I don''t want to use my transformation," he murmured, his voice rougher, almost a growl. "Not yet."


    With a decisive motion, Strax began manipting the ck ice, reabsorbing all the blood he had used to reinforce the barrier. The ice, now sustained purely by his magic, acted as a fortress, keeping the debris at bay. He moved toward the ceiling of the barrier, cing his hands against it. The scales on his arms shimmered as he prepared himself.


    "I''m going to start lifting this," he announced, his eyes fixed on the barrier''s limits. His voice, though firm, carried the weight of the situation. "You need to find a way out."


    The three women looked at him with expressions of mixed concern and determination. Btrix was the first to act, running her fingers along the edges of the ice barrier, analyzing the possibilities. Cassandra followed closely, her eyes glowing with concentration as she examined the weakest points around them.


    Dani, however, stayed close to Strax, hesitating for a moment before speaking. "Are you sure about this? If something goes wrong—"


    "Nothing will go wrong," he interrupted, his voice low but filled with authority. He looked at her, his eyes now zing with an intense light, reflecting the raw strength he was about to unleash. "I''ll carry the weight of the world if I have to. Just trust me."


    He then began to exert his strength, pressing his hands against the makeshift ceiling. A deep, resonant sound echoed as the rubble above the barrier started to shift,pressed by the immense force he was applying. Veins pulsed along his arms as he leaned forward, every muscle in his body straining with the effort. The ice magic responded to his determination, expanding and reinforcing the walls of the dome as he lifted the debris.


    "Hurry," Strax grunted through clenched teeth. "Find a way out. I can hold this, but not for long."


    The three women moved with greater urgency. Cassandra used her own powers to try and locate a potential opening, while Btrix and Dani worked together to explore the edges of the dome. Everything around them seemed chaotic and desperate, but Strax''smanding presence, holding the monumental weight, kept a fragile thread of hope alive.


    The barrier''s ceiling began to bow slightly under the continuous pressure, but Strax, with unwavering determination, growled and pushed harder. The scales on his body glowed brighter, as if responding to the challenge. The ck ice surrounding them vibrated with the energy he continued to channel.


    "I said we''d get out of here together," Strax dered, his voice as firm as a promise. "And that''s exactly what''s going to happen."


    Btrix was the first to notice a small opening along the side of the barrier, where the rubble was less densely packed. Her golden eyes lit up with determination as she approached, cing her hand against the ice and feeling the faint flow of fresh air from outside.


    "Here!" she eximed, pointing at the spot. "There''s an opening, but it''s blocked by smaller stones."


    Cassandra and Dani immediately joined her. Cassandra narrowed her eyes, channeling her magical energy to shift the smaller fragments obstructing the exit. "It''s not big enough for all of us yet... but I can widen it."


    Dani ced her hands on the structure, using her natural strength to assist. "With magic and force together, this should work. Keep reinforcing the barrier, Strax!"


    Even with the crushing weight above him, Strax nced at the three of them. A weary smile spread across his face. "Quickly… while I can still hold this."


    The ck ice above began emitting creaking sounds, small cracks appearing on its surface. Strax clenched his teeth, channeling even more energy as his scales pulsed with a cold, otherworldly light. He knew he couldn''t maintain it for much longer.


    Btrix nced at him, her stern expression softening for a moment. "Don''t you dare copse now, Strax. We''re almost out."


    "I never copse," he replied through gritted teeth, a grin of sheer defiance appearing on his face.


    Through theirbined efforts, the three women managed to clear enough debris to create a narrow passage. Cassandra looked at Dani and Btrix, assessing the exit. "It''s tight, but we can fit through."


    Btrix nodded. "I''ll go first to make sure it''s safe." Without waiting for a response, she slid through the opening with practiced agility.


    From the other side, she called out, "It''s clear! Come on!"


    Dani helped Cassandra through, ensuring neither got stuck. Before entering, she turned to Strax, her expression filled with worry. "You have toe too, Strax. Now."


    He let out a lowugh despite the tension. "I told you I''d get all of you out. Now go! I''ll be right behind."


    Reluctantly, Dani trusted him and slipped through the opening. Once she was through, Strax focused entirely on the crushing weight above. The ck ice was nearing its limit, but now he only needed one final burst of strength.


    "Time for the grand finale… now that they''re out," he muttered to himself, letting the ck ice retreat slightly, reforming it into a smaller dome directly around his body. Raising his hand, he created an additionalyer of ice to buy himself more time.


    "Why is this so damn heavy? Even for a cultivator at the KING stage!" he grumbled, frustration clear in his voice.


    "If you used your dragon form, you''d have obliterated this ce easily," came a voice from a small dragon floating beside him, norger than his palm. It was, of course, Ouroboros.@@novelbin@@


    "She''s right! Stop acting like a human! You''re a dragon!" shouted another voice from his other side. Naturally, it was Tiamat, her tone sharp and impatient.


    "They''re not wrong, but well… it''s understandable," chimed in a third tiny dragon, floating in front of him. This was Kamos, his expression calm but analytical. "You''ve been cursed," she added, gazing intently at Strax.


    "A curse?" Strax asked, his tone both incredulous and irritated.


    "Yes," Kamos confirmed. "It''s a dual curse: Weakness and Mana Drain. That''s why your ck ice feels so fragile," she exined, her voice matter-of-fact.