Reborn With A Technology System In A Fantasy World

Then, with a devastating roar of motion, Adrian threw Lord Cedric downwards with so much force, like a pitcher unleashing a fastball, sending him plummeting towards the cold, hard ground below.

~BOOOOOOOOM!~

Lord Cedric's body smashed into the ground with a sound like thunder, the impact shaking the very foundations of the dungeon.

The floor beneath him cracked and buckled, sending a shower of dirt and stone fragments erupting outwards.

A small crater formed where he landed, a testament to the immense force of the throw.

Luckily for the Duke, in that split second of freefall, he had already prepared a chant, and a shimmering fire shield had materialized around him, a desperate, last-ditch effort at self-preservation.

The fire shield crumbled under the sheer, concussive force of the throw, shattering into a thousand fiery motes.

But it had done its job. The shield had managed to absorb the brunt of the impact, ensuring he kept his life. Although his state was nothing to write home about.

A thick cloud of debris and dust billowed upwards, obscuring the entire area where Cedric had landed.

When the dust finally settled, Lord Cedric's state was revealed. He lay sprawled in the freshly formed crater, his once pristine grand robes were torn and singed, a tattered mess.

His white beard was caked with dirt and blood, and his face was a swollen, bruised mess, his jaw grotesquely dislocated, his eyes glazed with shock and agony. He looked nothing like the revered, dignified Duke he had once been.

But amidst his ruined state, he was still breathing. He was alive. His body, though broken and mangled, was still in one piece.

And Adrian was not satisfied.

He descended from the ceiling at an intense, controlled speed, landing lightly beside the wreckage of the Duke's body.

He picked Cedric up once more, his grip still firm on the Duke's collar. This time, there was no hesitation or emotion in Adrian's eyes. He was ready to end him for good.

But just before he could make his move, a voice, filled with desperation and terror, screamed from behind him.

"Please, don't!"

Adrian turned and his eyes met the familiar face of his sister. Her usual vibrant voice, was now strained with desperation. That alone spoke volumes about the ordeal she had endured.

"Please, don't!" Serena cried again.

Adrian's iron grip on Lord Cedric's collar faltered, loosening almost imperceptibly as his gaze remained fixed on his sister.

"Adrian, please," she continued, her voice trembling and tears welling in her eyes. "Don't kill him because of me. I'll only feel hurt. Please, Adrian."

Her words, so full of genuine anguish and care, seemed to melt the icy resolve that had encased Adrian's heart.

The fury that had driven him moments before began to recede, replaced by a deep, aching concern for the one person he truly cherished. He couldn't refuse her. Not when her voice held such profound pain.

He looked down at Lord Cedric once more. The Duke's face was a bruised, disfigured mess and barely recognizable.

"I won't kill you. But I can't spare you either." Adrian stated. His voice was flat and devoid of the earlier rage, yet it carried an undeniable weight.

Just then, Adrian's senses sharpened. He had been operating with Omnisense active this entire time, but what he was attempting now was on an entirely different plane.

It was an an intricate dance of mana threads only possible with the his superior soul, and magic knowledge.

With his unparalleled ability to locate and weave mana threads, he sent his raw will into Lord Cedric's core.

The process was only feasible because the Duke was so severely weakened. Under normal circumstances, even the slightest resistance would have severed Adrian's connection instantly. But Lord Cedric, in his mangled state, could offer none.

Adrian meticulously located the intricate network of mana threads within Cedric's core. For several agonizing seconds, his will twisted and reformed them, an invisible, ethereal surgery.

Finally, the mana core that had once glowed so brightly within Lord Cedric, the very wellspring of his magical power, was snuffed out.

It winked into oblivion, leaving behind only emptiness. The Duke was crippled.

He was now a dud, just like Adrian himself.

Adrian released him then, letting the Duke crumple to the stone floor. Cedric lay there, twitching slightly, his glazed eyes staring blankly at the ceiling, utterly lost in the profound, horrifying realization of what had just been done to him.

Adrian, however, paid him no mind. His only concern was his sister. He moved swiftly, gently picking her up from the cold floor, and embracing her tightly.

"I'm sorry for not visiting," he whispered into her hair.

After their embrace, Adrian materialized a small, shimmering pill from his Inventory. He carefully settled it on Serena's tongue and it dissolved instantly, its potent magic beginning to work.

Color slowly returned to her cheeks, the haunted look in her eyes softened, and some of her vital energy flowed back into her.

"Let's get you out of here," he said, pulling back slightly.

Serena, still weak but feeling better, pointed to a cell to the left of hers. Adrian followed her gaze, looking inside.

A figure was sprawled on the floor, face down. He didn't immediately recognize him. But as he got a better look, a wave of recognition washed over him. It was Karl.

He immediately yanked the heavy iron bars aside with ease and rushed to his friend's side.

Karl looked frail, his usual boisterous energy replaced by a weak rasp, but his talkative nature, remarkably, was still intact.

"Buddy," he rasped, a faint smile touching his lips, "I knew you were gonna come save us. Man, I'm kind of jealous you're even stronger than before, but damn am I glad to see you!"

He coughed weakly, until Adrian placed a finger over his lips and then another pill into his mouth.

Like Serena, Karl felt the immediate surge of healing energy. His aches receded, his injuries knitted, and a vibrant new strength coursed through his veins.

"Thank you," he murmured, his voice stronger now. "I was gonna save Serena, but, well..." He was still rambling when Adrian enveloped him in a rare, tight embrace.

"No," Adrian said with emotion, "thank you."

Karl's face melted into a genuine, beaming smile. Adrian had never hugged him before. He returned the hug, a silent understanding passing between the two friends.

After they separated, Adrian said, "I'll find somewhere safe to keep you."

But Serena, having recovered remarkably, pulled on his arm, guiding him to yet another cell. This was the one Adrian had first seen Cedric at when he approached.

He looked inside and immediately recognized the occupant: Duke Varyn.

Varyn was in an even worse condition than the others. The binding spell on him required he was constantly weakened.

Adrian wasted no time, yanking off the bars with another effortless tug and approaching the Duke. He administered several more healing pills.

As Varyn's face lightened, and he showed signs of significant recovery, Adrian immediately inquired, "What happened?"

Duke Varyn, his voice still a bit hoarse but now clear, began narrating the entire horrifying ordeal.

His words painted a more vivid picture, and Adrian could tell with his heightened senses that the man was being utterly genuine. The news fueled a cold, burning rage within him, directed squarely at the King.

Adrian then pulled out a Communicator and made a call. He arranged for five Trailblazers to come pick them up, along with all the other innocent people languishing in the surrounding cells.

When he was done, he turned to the trio.

"Some people will come to pick all of you up soon. Follow what they say."

They all nodded in agreement. As Adrian was about to take flight, Varyn reached out, touching his arm.

"Adrian... the King. Don't spare him."

Adrian smirked with a dangerous glint in his eyes. "I won't," he promised, before launching himself upwards and leaving the Palace.

***

Amidst a formidable battle, four figures were being overwhelmed by another being in a dizzying skirmish of the skies.

They fought valiantly, but their defeat seemed inevitable. Then, a new figure appeared in their sight, dropping from above.

He simply touched the dominant figure on his shoulder and said coldly:

"Translocate."

On his single word, both figures vanished from the battlefield, paving the way for a greater confrontation.