Novel's Extra: The Lost Heir of Dragon Queen-Chapter 53: Immortal Monster

(Elise’s POV)

Elise sat at the edge of the academy garden, her slender fingers twirling a strand of her black hair, her sharp Red eyes fixed on the distant training grounds.

"Three A-rank missions already," she hissed, her lips curving into a devious smirk.

"Kael’s team is starting to gain recognition. If they complete a fourth one, they’ll outshine everyone in the academy."

"What do we do, Elise?" one of her lackeys asked, their voice tinged with nervousness.

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Elise’s smirk widened.

"Simple. We strike when they’re at their weakest—after this mission, when they’re too exhausted to fight back." She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

"The plan is already in motion. Gather our allies from the lower ranks. Once they stumble out of that portal, tired and vulnerable, we’ll teach them what happens when you rise too fast in this academy."

"And Mission is out of the academy area so Academy will not interfere in it"

Her mind whirred with thoughts of Kael’s downfall.

"This academy has no room for commoner."

.

(POV : Kael team)

Kael stood in front of the swirling portal, its vibrant blue light illuminating his team’s determined faces.

He turned to his companions—Lira, Marcus, Ren, and Aelina—and gave them a confident smile.

"This is it," Kael said firmly.

"Our fourth A-rank mission. Once we finish this, we’ll shift our focus to completing B-rank ones and solidifying our position. We’ve come this far; let’s give it everything we’ve got." Kael said.

"Got it, Kael. Let’s make this quick and clean." Lira said.

Marcus gripped the hilt of his sword, his eyes flickering with determination.

"We’ll get it done. No mistakes this time." Marcus said.

Ren slung his bow over his shoulder, flashing a confident grin.

"I’m ready. Aelina, you with us?" Ren asked.

Aelina, her calm demeanor hiding the fire in her eyes, nodded.

"Always."

As they stepped toward the portal, Kael turned back one last time.

His voice was calm but commanding.

"Let’s move."

Kael’s instincts screamed danger the moment he crossed into the portal.

His entire body trembled, as if an unseen force crushed him with its overwhelming presence.

The air was dense, thick with an ominous energy that made it hard to breathe.

Without hesitation, Kael’s hand shot out, grabbing Lira, Ren, and Aelina.

His voice boomed with authority.

"Get out now!"

In a flash, he hurled them backward with a powerful push of mana, forcing them out of the portal just as it began to close.

"Kael, what—" Lira’s panicked shout was cut off as the shimmering portal sealed itself shut, leaving only Kael and Marcus inside.

The oppressive aura intensified, weighing on their bodies like lead.

Marcus gritted his teeth, his hand gripping his sword so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"Kael… what is this?" Marcus’s voice was shaky, his eyes darting around the dimly lit space.

Shadows twisted unnaturally in the distance, and an eerie growl echoed around them.

Kael’s mind raced.

"I don’t know, but whatever it is, it’s nothing we were prepared for." Kael said.

Despite the fear gnawing at him, Kael’s expression hardened.

"Marcus, stay close. If we panic, we’re dead."

---

Outside the Portal

Lira stumbled as she landed outside, her heart pounding in her chest.

Ren and Aelina quickly helped her to her feet.

"What just happened?" Lira demanded, her voice trembling.

"Kael… he told us to get out. But why?!" Aelina’s calm façade cracked as worry consumed her features.

Ren clenched his fists, his jaw tight.

"We can’t go back in. Once the portal seals, only one person can enter again—and even that’s a gamble." Ren said.

Lira’s eyes darted to Ren.

"Then we have to get someone stronger! Someone who can open the portal or help them!" Lira said.

Without another word, the trio took off, sprinting toward the academy.

The path back would take them an hour at best, but every second felt like an eternity.

As they neared the halfway point, their path was blocked.

A group of at least thirty students stood ahead, their smug grins and mocking expressions making Lira’s blood boil.

At the center of the group stood Elise,She folded her arms and tilted her head with a sly smile.

"Well, well, well," Elise drawled, her voice dripping with fake concern.

"What’s the rush? Did something happen to dear Kael?" Elise asked.

Ren’s hand instinctively went to his bow, but Aelina placed a hand on his arm, stopping him.

"Get out of the way, Elise," Aelina growled. "We don’t have time for your games."

Elise smirked, stepping forward.

Her team surrounded them, cutting off their escape.

The tension crackled like lightning in the air.

"You’re going to regret this," Ren muttered, his voice low and dangerous.

Elise laughed, the sound cold and hollow.

"We’ll see about that. But first, why don’t you tell me what happened inside the portal?"

The trio exchanged tense glances.

Time was slipping away, and Kael and Marcus were still trapped.

....

Inside the portal.

Marcus paced back and forth, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword tightly as he scanned the desolate landscape.

The atmosphere was thick with tension, the oppressive aura growing heavier with each passing moment.

Kael, standing a few feet away, kept his eyes fixed on the shifting darkness surrounding them, his posture rigid but composed.

"This place," Marcus muttered, his voice shaking slightly.

"It feels like… it’s alive. Like it’s waiting for us to make the wrong move." Marcus said.

Kael nodded, his face grim.

"It’s not just a feeling. Something is watching us." Kael said.

Before Marcus could respond, the ground beneath them began to ripple like water, and the air was filled with an otherworldly screech.

From the shadows, figures began to emerge—hulking monstrosities made entirely of swirling darkness, their glowing crimson eyes piercing through the gloom.

"Here they come," Kael said, his voice steady despite the rising tension.

The first monster lunged toward them, its claws extending like jagged blades.

Kael reacted in an instant, his sword slicing through the creature with precision and power.

Marcus followed suit, his blade cutting through another monster, but the severed parts of the creatures began to reform almost immediately.

"They’re regenerating!" Marcus shouted, his voice tinged with panic.

"What are these things?!" Marcus said.

Kael didn’t answer, his focus locked on the creatures as he unleashed a flurry of attacks.

His movements were a blur—fluid, precise, and overwhelmingly powerful.

Darkness swirled around him, his magic enhancing each strike as his sword glowed with an eerie black light.

Marcus could only stare in disbelief.

How is he doing this? he thought, his breath catching in his throat.

Is he even human?

Despite Kael’s ferocity, the creatures continued to rise, their bodies reforming as though nothing had happened.

"This isn’t working!" Marcus yelled, his voice cracking under the strain.

"They’re not dying! Kael, what should we do?! At this rate, we’re going to—"

"Calm down!" Kael snapped, his sharp tone cutting through Marcus’s panic.

He dodged another swipe from one of the creatures, his mind racing.

Marcus shouted back,

"They’re not dying! They’re—"