Assimilate All Talents

Chapter 347 Raijin

far west of initium lay a rocky and mountainous region known as the jagged peaks, a natural barrier separating crestelia from sylmasera. for the average traveler, the region was treacherous and nearly impossible to traverse, making the only viable route to sylmasera further north through kerman city. almost nothing lived in the region due to its scarce resources and difficult terrain, but it hadn't always been this way.

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thousands of years ago, before even the war against the outer gods, the jagged peaks were home to an unknown race. little was known about them, as there were almost no remnants of their civilization. scholars speculated that they passed down their knowledge solely through oral tradition. however, from the few ruins they uncovered, one thing was certain, whatever race once inhabited this region had the ability to fly.

whether through wind magic or literal wings remained a mystery, but based on the structure of the ruins, scholars deemed it impossible to traverse from one to another without some means of floating or flight.

it was an intriguing subject of debate, as no one could truly prove it. over the years, it became a popular thesis topic among young scholars. some even proposed more outlandish theories such as an intricate infrastructure of space magic connecting the ruins, or that the race possessed powerful psychic abilities, using telekinesis to achieve flight.

speculation aside, after the scholars and explorers combed through the region and took anything of value, it was once again abandoned. it remained that way for many years, until recently.

high atop one of the jagged peaks, nestled within a crumbling ruin carved into the mountainside, a thundering roar echoed through the air, followed immediately by a triumphant yell.

"hahaha! and they said it couldn't be done!" a man with messy green hair and tanned skin threw his head back in laughter, his voice ringing through the ancient stone corridors. "get bent, tamer's guild!"

the man celebrating was varek drayden, an ex-member of the tamer's guild.

varek paced around the restrained beast before him, his eyes gleaming with manic excitement. the runic formation pulsed with power, holding the creature in place as it let out a low, distorted growl. its proud form had been reborn—sleek white fur streaked with black, jagged stripes, and arcs of lightning dancing through its coat. an unmistakable mark of an ancient lineage long thought extinct.

it was no ordinary wolf, it was a raijin. the raijin snarled at him, its golden eyes filled with defiance. sparks of crackling electricity flickered along its fur, but the beast remained bound within the shimmering rune circle. varek stepped closer, his heart pounding with excitement.

he had done it. he had brought back a creature lost to history, an apex predator from a forgotten era.

seeing the raijin triggered memories of his first experiment years ago, when he had successfully revived an extinct species. at first, the guild had celebrated his work, granting him funding and resources to continue his research.

but varek wasn't content with mere revival. he wanted more. much more.

why stop at simple resurrection when he could evolve these creatures beyond their natural limits? combining the strengths of different ancient beasts, fusing their abilities to create the ultimate lifeform—one more powerful, more intelligent, and more resilient than anything the world had ever seen.

with a flick of his hand, the runic formation dissipated, and the raijin collapsed to the stone floor, exhausted but no longer hostile. the beast's golden eyes remained locked onto varek. it had accepted him as his master but it was an unwilling acceptance.

"you and i are going to do great things together." varek whispered, crouching beside it and running a hand through its fur, feeling the static beneath his fingertips.

turning toward his makeshift laboratory, he glanced at the scattered notes detailing his next project—something even more ambitious than the raijin. a fusion of beast and man.

his lips curled into a grin as he whispered, "it's time to head out. with you and the other thunder wolf kings, i'll be able to get all the humans i need for testing."

though the tamer's guild called him mad, even he wasn't insane enough to attempt fusion on himself without some experimenting. that's why he had sent all his previous failed experiments to encircle the nearest town. it not only had a plethora of humans he could use for testing, but even an a-ranker which would make an excellent ingredient.

as he and the raijin made their way to the exit, suddenly, the raijin stepped in front of him, letting out a deep growl as it stared toward the exit.

varek's eyes narrowed. he could feel it through their connection with the beast, someone had found his location.

a slow, deliberate voice echoed from the entrance of the ruin.

"so... this is where you've been hiding."

stepping into view, cloaked in shadows, stood sol. his expression was unreadable, his eyes glowing faintly with psychic energy.

varek's smirk faltered for just a moment before returning in full force. "well, well... looks like the tamer's guild sent someone after all."

'tamer's guild?' sol wasn't sure what he meant by that but it didn't matter to him. instead, he lifted his hand, and seven floating hands materialized beside him, glowing faintly with their respective chromas.

"i'm not from the guild." sol said coldly. "you just messed with the wrong town."

the air crackled with tension as the raijin bristled, electricity dancing along its fur once more.

varek's eyes gleamed with excitement. "bring it on, then."