Novel's Extra: The Lost Heir of Dragon Queen-Chapter 50: A Rank Mission (2)

Monster body was a mass of writhing tentacles, its form shifting and pulsing with dark energy.

"Tell me that’s not part of the plan," Lira quipped, her voice edged with panic.

Kael’s jaw tightened.

"Change of plans. Marcus, hold its attention. Lira, flank it and look for a weak spot. Ren, keep the smaller ones off us. Aelina—" kael shouted.

"I know!" Aelina interrupted, her voice resolute. "I’ll destroy the crystal!"

Marcus braced himself as the monstrous entity lunged, its massive tentacles crashing against his sword with enough force to send him skidding back.

Lira darted in, her daggers slicing through one of the smaller appendages.

Kael leaped into the fray, his sword glowing faintly as he channeled his energy into each strike.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

"Focus on its movements! It’s strong but slow!" Kael said.

Meanwhile, Aelina’s concentration deepened, her magic building to a crescendo.

The air around her shimmered with raw energy as she aimed her spell at the crystal.

"Almost there!" she called out.

The beast roared again, sensing the threat.

One of its tentacles lashed out toward Aelina, but Kael intercepted it, his blade slicing through the thick mass.

"Not today," he muttered.

The crystal began to crack under the force of Aelina’s magic, dark energy spilling out like a wound.

But the beast wasn’t done yet. It reared back, its entire form radiating an intense, destructive energy.

Kael’s eyes narrowed.

"Everyone, brace yourselves"

The beast roared, a pulse of energy rippling outward, knocking Marcus and Lira to the ground.

Ren’s arrows barely scratched its hide, and Aelina struggled to keep her focus on the crumbling crystal.

Kael stepped forward, his blade steady, his eyes locked on the monster.

"Enough of this." Kael said.

The air around him shifted, charged with an unseen force.

His teammates paused, their eyes drawn to him as if the battlefield had momentarily stilled.

Kael raised his sword, and it began to glow faintly, the light intensifying with every second.

"You want power?" Kael said under his breath, the words meant for no one but himself. "I’ll show you power."

The beast lunged at him, but Kael sidestepped with an almost unnatural speed.

He slashed upward, the glowing edge of his blade tearing through one of the creature’s massive tentacles.

The severed limb fell, disintegrating into a cloud of black ash.

"Impossible," Ren muttered, his grip on his bow faltering.

Kael pressed the attack, his strikes precise and relentless.

Each swing of his sword seemed to cut not just the beast’s flesh but the oppressive energy radiating from it.

For a brief moment, he wasn’t just Kael—the leader of their team—but something far more formidable.

As Marcus struggled to his feet, he stared at Kael, his determination unwavering in the face of overwhelming odds.

A memory surfaced, unbidden.

"Useless," his older brother had said, his voice laced with contempt.

Marcus had been no older than twelve, standing in the training yard with his siblings.

THUD.

Marcus fell off as his brother gives the final blow

"You can’t protect anyone," his sister had sneered. "Why do you even bother?"

Marcus had clenched his fists, tears stinging his eyes.

"I’ll get stronger." Marcus said.

"You’ll never be strong enough," his brother replied coldly.

"Useless."

The memory burned in his mind, fueling his anger and frustration.

He had carried those words with him for years, their weight heavy on his heart.

Kael leaped high into the air, his sword glowing brighter than ever as he prepared to strike the beast’s core.

The team watched in awe, the light from Kael’s blade illuminating the battlefield.

"Kael, don’t!" Marcus shouted suddenly, his voice filled with raw emotion.

Kael hesitated for a fraction of a second, but it was enough.

Marcus charged forward, his sword raised high.

"Get out of the way!" Marcus roared, his eyes blazing with fury.

"This is mine!"

Kael landed lightly on his feet, stepping back as Marcus took his place.

The beast roared again, sensing a new challenger.

Marcus tightened his grip on his shield and sword, his entire body trembling—not with fear, but with determination.

"You think I can’t do it?" Marcus growled, his voice low and fierce.

"Watch me." Marcus shouted, Tears felling off his cheeks.

The team held their breath as Marcus faced the monster, his past failures and doubts seemingly falling away with every step forward.

The beast roared, a dark pulse emanating from its core as it prepared to crush Marcus under its massive claws.

Yet, Marcus stood firm, his sword gleaming with defiance.

He could hear their voices again—those who doubted him, who told him he was weak, useless, incapable.

But instead of bowing to the weight of those memories, he used them as fuel.

"This ends now!" Marcus bellowed, his voice echoing in the chamber.

The beast lunged, its claw descending with deadly speed.

Marcus raised his sword, the impact reverberating through his arm.

Pain shot through his body, but he held his ground.

He gritted his teeth and pushed forward, his shield creating an opening.

"Ren, now!" he yelled.

From the side, Ren loosed a flurry of arrows, each one finding its mark in the beast’s vulnerable joints.

The creature faltered, giving Marcus the opportunity to strike.

With a roar of his own, Marcus drove his sword into the beast’s chest, right into the glowing crystal embedded there.

The monster screeched, its form shuddering as cracks of light spread from the crystal.

Aelina, seizing the moment, unleashed a powerful spell, her hands glowing with arcane energy.

A massive surge of ice engulfed the beast, freezing away its shadowy form.

Grrrrr.....

Finally, with one last guttural cry, the beast collapsed into itself.

The room grew quiet, save for the heavy breathing of Kael’s team.

Marcus dropped to one knee, his sword clattering to the ground.

He was trembling, not from fear, but from the realization of what he had just done.

Kael approached him, offering a hand.

Marcus looked up, meeting Kael’s gaze.

"Good work," Kael said simply, a faint smile on his face.

Marcus hesitated, then grasped Kael’s hand.

As Kael helped him to his feet, Marcus felt something shift within him—a newfound confidence, a belief that he could stand tall.

As they exited the portal, the atmosphere was lighter despite their exhaustion.

Lira let out a low whistle.

"Well, that was... intense." Lira said.

Ren nodded.

"I didn’t think we’d make it out of there, but somehow, we did."

Aelina looked at Marcus, her usual calm demeanor replaced by genuine admiration.

"That was amazing. You really stepped up." Aelina said.

Marcus rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish grin forming.

"I couldn’t have done it without all of you." Marcus said.

Kael, standing slightly apart from the group, observed them with a satisfied expression.

His gamble had paid off—not just in defeating the monster, but in bringing his team closer together.

"Let’s head back," Kael said, sheathing his sword. "We’ve earned some rest."

As they walked toward the mission hall to report their success, Marcus lingered for a moment, staring at his reflection in his sword.

"You’re not useless," he whispered to himself.

For the first time in years, he believed it.