Chapter 44: Ruler of Flame
ROARRR!
A roar that shook the heavens erupted, unleashing a powerful force aimed at the stars above—something the beast found tantalizing. The force slammed into the first star, the Red star, causing the last chain to struggle but ultimately fail.
Snap!
The chain broke, and the Red star was unlocked. The force attempting to engulf it was repelled, as if another beast had roared in defiance, chasing it away. A dazzling red light enveloped the inner world, resembling a baptism by primordial flame.
Boom!
Brilliance filled Nero’s mind as his soul was drawn into the newly unsealed Red star. The first thing he noticed upon entering this world in his soul form was the oppressive heat; it was excruciatingly hot.
He found himself in a world literally made of magma, where active volcanoes erupted, spewing torrents of molten lava in every direction. The ground was a vast sea of bubbling magma, its surface shimmering with an otherworldly glow, while rivers of fiery lava snaked through the landscape, illuminating the darkened sky with a hellish orange hue. The air was thick with sulfur, and the sound of bubbling lava echoed like distant thunder, creating an atmosphere that was both mesmerizing and terrifying. This was a realm of raw, untamed power—a reflection of the fiery essence of the unlocked star.
Nero marveled at the stunning scenery; to him, it appeared beautiful, evoking a profound sense of nostalgia.
’How strange that I feel this way. It should be my first time here, yet I feel such nostalgia, as if I’m returning home after a long absence,’ he remarked. He also discovered another surprising fact: while he had previously felt the scorching heat, now he felt none of it. On the contrary, he felt comfortable, and being here brought him a happiness so euphoric that it threatened to overwhelm his control over his emotions.
’This is dangerous.’
Nero reined in his feelings, thinking rationally.