Coiling Dragon: Reborn As The Armored Razorback Wyrm

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*(Author's Note: The original novel does not mention the existence of Law-attributed magicite cores. In this story, the protagonist will develop a Destruction-attributed Dragoncore. Below is the reasoning for this.

Within the Coiling Dragon world, there exist many magical beasts with innate affinity for a single element, including those who cultivate the Laws of Destruction. What elemental affinity would such a beast have during its juvenile stage? If a Destruction-attributed beast were born with a Laws-attributed magicite core, it would likely possess clones of other elements. Since the original novel does not elaborate on the early stages of Destruction-attributed beasts, it is plausible that they may have a Laws-attributed magicite core, though it would be extremely rare.

Thus, in this story, magical beasts that possess a Laws attribute will also have a Laws-attributed magicite core. The protagonist, due to being a transmigrator, will gain a Destruction-attributed Dragoncore.)*

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"Be careful, this beast is highly skilled at tunneling underground. It could launch a surprise attack from anywhere."

The six warriors pressed together in a defensive stance, ensuring that they wouldn't be ambushed by Sadius from below.

In the sky, Aru had just unleashed a series of spells, but to his dismay, none of them were able to harm the Armored Razorback Wyrm before him. He could only smile bitterly.

Just moments ago, he had been confident that, with his Rank-Nine Grand Magus power in wind magic, he could subdue Sadius. Only now did he realize how laughable that thought had been.

At that instant, a massive figure suddenly erupted from the ground.

"Damn it! That beast is targeting Aru!"

None of the six Rank-Nine warriors had anticipated that the Armored Razorback Wyrm, a creature without flight capabilities, would actually attempt an aerial ambush on a Rank-Nine Grand Magus of wind.

Sadius burst forth from the earth, leaping more than ten meters into the air.

However, this height was still far from reaching Aru. By all logic, he shouldn't have been able to land an attack.

But then, Sadius slashed forward with both claws, sending two terrifying blades of darkness-elemental energy streaking toward Aru.

Aru attempted to dodge, but it was too late. The dark energy blades were incredibly fast and struck at an angle that was almost impossible to evade.

The blades sliced through the wind-elemental defensive spell Aru had cast upon himself, piercing his body.

A Rank-Nine Grand Magus of wind—killed in a single blow!

On the ground, the six Rank-Nine warriors, seeing this, immediately charged at Sadius.

They had been sent by the Holy Church to aid Aru in contracting a magical beast, yet Aru had been slain instead. They could not return empty-handed. To report back to the Church, they had to kill this Armored Razorback Wyrm!

The Angelic Battle Formation surged forth. Sadius, now back on the ground, had no time to retreat into the earth and was forced to confront the attack head-on.

With no other option, he wildly channeled the darkness-elemental energy within his Dragoncore, simultaneously gathering the insights he had accumulated from his years of training in the Bloodviolet Sword Intent.

Then, with a sudden motion, he reared up onto his hind legs and slammed his claws downward toward the Angelic Battle Formation.

This attack was the strongest strike he could unleash—apart from a suicidal move.

Even an unguarded Saint-level expert would suffer severe damage from it.

The six Rank-Nine warriors also unleashed their full power, their formation pressing in.

In the next instant, at the point of impact between the two forces, a terrifying elemental explosion erupted.

Both sides had underestimated the other's strength.

The shockwave sent all combatants flying.

Thanks to his immense physique, Sadius stabilized himself quickly.

The six Rank-Nine warriors, however, were blasted over a hundred meters away, struggling to regain their footing.

Both sides were gravely injured, with most of their battle-qi and magical energy depleted.

Yet, it was clear that Sadius, having fought alone against six, had suffered the greater toll.

Lying motionless on the ground, Sadius was still capable of fighting, but his situation was dire.

His Dragoncore, originally pure darkness-element, had long been tainted by the impurities of the Bloodviolet Sword Intent.

That last full-powered strike had caused those impurities to resonate violently within the core.

And now, as the battle concluded, a crack suddenly formed within his Dragoncore.

The Dragoncore, located within his skull, was the essence of his power. Any disruption to it would bring excruciating pain.

A sharp agony spread through his mind.

Six years… he had only been in this world for six years. He hadn't even reached the Saint level and gained eternal life—was he really about to die here?

Unwilling! Sadius was utterly unwilling! But he had no way out.

If his Dragoncore shattered, his life would be forfeit.

Would his soul be dragged into the Netherworld, his body transforming into an Undead Wyrm, doomed to wander in a daze until one day he attained divinity and regained his memories?

Sadius let out a low, unwilling growl.

The pain in his head worsened.

In the distance, the six Rank-Nine warriors cautiously advanced.

"The beast's energy is exhausted. Now is the perfect time to kill it!"

Nodding to each other, they re-formed their battle formation.

This time, however, their Angelic Battle Formation was noticeably dimmer.

They stepped forward warily, fearing a desperate counterattack.

Seeing that Sadius appeared truly spent, they launched their assault.

"Damn you, Radiant Church!" Enduring the searing pain in his skull, Sadius made his final decision.

Just as the six warriors reached him, Sadius activated the sharp spines across his body, launching them in every direction.

They had never expected the Armored Razorback Wyrm to possess such a suicidal attack.

The deadly spines tore through their hexagram formation and impaled their bodies.

Shock and disbelief filled their eyes before the light of life faded from them.

As the last warrior fell, Sadius felt his soul growing weaker.

The pain in his skull, however, lessened.

Driven by instinct, he clawed at the earth, burrowing underground.

Though he had been a human before, he had inherited some instincts of his new body.

He did not wish for his corpse to be scavenged by other magical beasts.

Burrowing into the earth to await death—at least he would have a burial of sorts.

The battle ended, and the magical beast mountain range returned to its usual tranquility.

Deep underground, Sadius's soul weakened, on the verge of detaching from his body and being drawn to the Netherworld.

But just as his consciousness faded, his Dragoncore suddenly split into two.

The darkness-elemental energy and the Bloodviolet Sword Intent separated.

One half of the core remained a deep abyss of darkness, while the other radiated with a purple glow, the aura of Destruction surging wildly.

At that moment, the darkness and Destruction elements from the surrounding environment frantically rushed toward Sadius.

The overwhelming energy washed over his body, stabilizing even his near-departed soul.

Unaware of these changes, Sadius lay unconscious as the spines he had launched slowly regrew, and the dark scales covering his body began to shimmer with a faint purple hue.

His split Dragoncore—one half absorbing darkness, the other devouring Destruction—grew at a visible pace.

Now, he possessed not one, but two Dragoncores—one of darkness and one of Destruction.

His body gradually recovered, though the process was agonizingly slow.

Days passed.

The corpses of the seven fallen Rank-Nine humans were eventually devoured by an opportunistic Rank-Eight magical beast.

Empowered by the energy, this creature ascended to Rank-Nine.

A newly evolved Rank-Nine Black Dragon surveyed the scene, deducing from the remaining spines and battlefield scars that an Armored Razorback Wyrm had fought the humans to mutual destruction.

Sensing the potential treasure buried beneath, the Black Dragon began to dig.