I Received System to Become Dragonborn-Chapter 1189: Spreading Barrier

The rift opened high above unfamiliar skies, and Thar'Zul-Vekar emerged into the world where the ancient Storm God had been sealed by Adrius and Lysander. Because they had been here before, the ancient god could travel here easily.

The air here carried a different weight. Even when the ancient storm god was already sealed and his rampage gone, the air was still charged with distant thunder and old divine scars that never fully healed.

Clouds that heavy with low storm power drifted in wide and slow currents below them, while the land stretched endlessly beneath, marked by mountains, rivers, and the little glow of mortal settlements far below.

They did not descend.

Instead, Thar'Zul-Vekar rose higher.

Their body hovered far above the ground, suspended at a height where the curvature of the land became visible. Where borders and distances shrank into a single connected whole.

From here, their presence and their senses could stretch farther, spread wider, and no single point of intrusion could escape their notice.

They closed their eyes and extended their will.

The world responded immediately.

Verdant light unfurled from their body in slow waves that expanded, not explosive but deliberate, measured, and absolute.

Invisible lines of force spread outward, sinking into the fabric of the sky itself. The space trembled softly as their ancient and divine Magic began to rewrite the rules of passage.

Thar'Zul-Vekar shaped the first layer of the formation, anchoring it to the ley currents beneath the kingdom.

Roots of power that were unseen yet immense threaded downward through air, stone, and soil, locking the barrier to the world's foundation.

This was not a wall meant to repel simple threats. It was a seal against realms. At least, this was the best they could do against Zerathul's power.

A second layer followed, woven from spatial bindings and natural law.

The air thickened imperceptibly across the kingdom as directions, distances, and transitions were subtly reinforced. Any attempt to tear space open from another dimension would meet resistance long before it reached the surface.

Then came the third layer. Thar'Zul-Vekar was not going to be lacking against that thing.

Their divine perception spread outward like a canopy, mirroring the forests they once embodied.

This layer did not block entry outright, they were watching and listening, and feeling. Any foreign presence brushing against reality, or distortion from another world would be sensed instantly and traced back to its source.

Ancient runic patterns that were not recorded in humanity's knowledge yet formed far above the clouds, vast and silent, rotating slowly as they locked into place.

Lightning flickered faintly along their edges, drawn naturally by the pressure of divine authority pressing against the sky.

Thar'Zul-Vekar opened their eyes.

The barrier completed itself with a deep and resonant pulse that echoed across the sky, unseen by mortals but felt by the world all the same.

The kingdom below now rested beneath a protective formation that spanned horizon to horizon, sealing it from intrusion, interference, and sudden dimensional breaches.

Only then did they allow themselves a moment of stillness.

Their senses remained stretched outward, alert and sharp, fixed upon the deeper currents beyond the world.

Zerathul had revealed himself, if only for a blink, and that meant the silence was over.

Thar'Zul-Vekar could only hope that Erend and company would be done soon.

—

After resting and eating, they did not linger.

Once their Magic energy recharged and stabilized, and their stamina returned, Erend led them forward again, and the Dungeon World responded immediately.

Level 11 opened without resistance, its terrain broader and more hostile but the monsters remained manageable.

They advanced in steady formation, cutting through coordinated packs of beasts that tested positioning rather than raw strength.

Level 12 followed soon after, introducing creatures with thicker hides and rudimentary Magic, forcing tighter teamwork but nothing that truly slowed them down.

Level 13 marked the first real escalation. The enemies appeared in layered waves, some of them engaging directly while the others attacked from range or attempted flanking maneuvers.

But the party of experienced warriors adapted quickly. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Sylmira and Adrius handled battlefield control, Saeldir maintained wide-area seals, the others focused on attacking. They cleared the level efficiently, but the ease they once felt was gone.

Level 14 erased any lingering complacency.

The moment they stepped into it, the density of monsters surged. They were now in a large corridor that once held a handful of enemies now flooded with dozens.

Larger creatures emerged alongside the smaller and faster ones, creating relentless pressure from every direction.

Attacks overlapped, Magic saturated the air, and even brief pauses became dangerous.

Their conversations stopped and their movements sharpened. Every decision carried heavy weight and pressure.

By Level 15, the Dungeon World made its intent clear.

The monsters were stronger, faster, and far more aggressive than before. They appear in overwhelming numbers that test their endurance as much as their combat skill.

Their bodies carried heavier Magic energy and their coordination suggested something closer to an army than a mindless horde. The group tightened instinctively, falling into battle rhythm without needing to speak.

It was then that King Gulben stepped forward.

His presence changed the flow of combat immediately. He took command with calm authority, issuing short and precise orders that cut through the chaos.

Formations adjusted. Roles became clearer. Every strike served a purpose, every movement supported another.

Under his command, they did not merely survive the pressure. They pushed through it together.

At this moment, Erend, Eccar, and Aesa still didn't help. Even though Erend felt worried for his sister and Aurdis. But this was necessary.

The clashes hardened them further and forged their coordination under constant strain as they advanced deeper into Level 15, fully aware now that the Dungeon World was no longer testing them individually but as a unified force.

King Gulben raised his blade and pointed it forward. His voice carried clearly through the chaos without needing to be loud.

He did not look toward Adrius, Sylmira, or Saeldir. Their roles were already fixed.

Adrius expanded layered barriers around the formation, translucent fields of force overlapping and reinforcing one another to cover every blind side.

Sylmira adjusted the flow of Magic within those barriers, bending space just enough to slow enemy advances and disrupt charge patterns.

Saeldir anchored it all, his seals locking the battlefield in place and preventing sudden breaches or ambushes from behind.

They moved in perfect understanding, maintaining protection and control without a single word exchanged.

King Gulben's gaze shifted to the others.

"Aurdis. Aerchon. Arty. Lysander. Adrien. Billy," he said evenly. "Attack. Kill as many as possible. Don't hold back."

That was all.

He gave no formations, complex maneuvers, or any layered tactics. He did not need to. Each of them already knew how to fight.

Aurdis immediately moved with fluid precision, her Magic guiding her attack and subtly adjusting the flow of the battlefield so no opening went unused.

Aerchon pressed forward with relentless force, his silver aura flaring as he cut down enemies that tried to break through with his Magic sword.

Arty unleashed raw elemental power without hesitation, her attacks tearing through clustered monsters and leaving scorched and shattered ground behind.

Lysander fought with ruthless efficiency, targeting key threats and eliminating them before they could coordinate with his yellow lightning attack.

Adrien and Billy followed suit, striking fast and hard, exploiting every moment of weakness created by the others.

King Gulben remained at the center and front, advancing steadily. His presence alone stabilized the entire engagement.

He watched the flow of battle, adjusted spacing with a gesture or a step, and ensured no pressure point ever collapsed.

Under his direction, the battlefield became simple.

The three Archmages protected the formation and controlled the battlefield.

The rest just focused on destroying and killing.

The monsters fell in waves, their numbers thinning even as more of them poured in from somewhere.

Blood and Magic stained the large corridor but the formation never broke. Their attack fed into another and their movement supported the whole group.

From above, Erend watched in silence.

He felt the pull to intervene, the instinct to step in for Arty and Aurdis, but he held himself back. This was necessary. They needed this pressure to grow without him carrying the weight for them.

And they were doing exactly that.

With every clash and surge of Magic, their coordination sharpened and confidence hardened.

Adrien and Billy fought alongside Lysander, their movements locking together with surprising ease. They covered each other's openings instinctively. It did not feel rehearsed, yet nothing was wasted.

That was what made it stand out.

They had never fought together before or trained side by side, never even met face to face until recently. Yet in the middle of Level 15's chaos, surrounded by relentless waves of monsters, they moved like veterans who had shared countless battles and shared an undeniable sense of camaraderie.

A cluster of enemies surged in, and the three of them dismantled it in seconds.

As they advanced, Lysander glanced at them briefly and spoke without breaking his rhythm.

"You two handle Magic well, especially for people who came from a world without Magic," he said.

Adrien allowed himself a faint grin. "We had plenty of chances to train," he replied.

Billy nodded in agreement, releasing another burst of power that sent monsters crashing backward. "More than enough."

Lysander raised an eyebrow, curiosity flickering across his face. He sensed there was more behind those words, something shaped by circumstances. But the moment did not allow questions.

He gave a short nod instead. "I see."

The conversation ended there, swallowed by the clash of steel and Magic.

There would be time later, perhaps, to unravel that story.

For now, they fought on together with their backs aligned.

—