THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR-Chapter 298 COLLAPSE
The chamber floor gave way with a deafening crack—not a simple break, but a catastrophic structural failure that sent shockwaves through the ancient stone. What began as hairline fractures rapidly multiplied into a spiderweb pattern of destruction, each line glowing with dangerous energy as centuries of magical containment failed simultaneously.
"Hold on!" Elara shouted, her eyes blazing with inner fire.
She raised her arms skyward, and crimson flames erupted from her body in a spectacular display of arcane mastery. The fire didn't simply appear—it spiralled outward in complex geometric patterns, each strand of flame moving with intelligent precision. The heat was so intense that falling debris vaporized before it could reach them, turning to ash that danced through the inferno.
Her flames took shape, forming a massive phoenix-like cocoon that expanded outward, encasing the unconscious forms of Salomonis, Yue, Litty, Kairos, and Aria. The magical construct lifted them with surprising gentleness despite the raw power fueling it, suspending them in protective pockets within the fiery shield.
Luna moved in the same instant, her body becoming almost liquid shadow as she pushed her supernatural agility beyond its limits. Time seemed to slow around her as her muscles and reflexes operated at impossible speeds. She weaved between falling chunks of ceiling with balletic precision, each movement a calculated risk that left her mere millimeters from being crushed.
Her claws extended, digging into stone and metal for split-second purchase as she launched herself toward David's glowing form. She twisted in mid-air to avoid a massive falling column, the stone brushing so close against her back that it tore her clothing. With a final lunge that defied physics, her arms locked around David's chest as they both plummeted into the abyss.
The chamber imploded above them, transforming from structured architecture into an avalanche of deadly projectiles. Walls collapsed inward, columns toppled like dominoes, and ancient magical arrays detonated in chaotic bursts of wild energy. The very air became thick with dust and mana, making each breath a struggle.
"David," Luna whispered against his ear as they fell through darkness, her body curled protectively around his glowing form. Her shadows formed a cocoon similar to Elara's flames, though darker and more primal. "Come back to us."
Beside them, Elara manipulated her phoenix shield to keep pace, the strain showing on her face as she maintained the complex spell while navigating the collapsing structure. Sweat beaded on her forehead, her hair now fully transformed into a crown of living flame that illuminated their desperate descent.
"This wasn't in the mission briefing," she managed through gritted teeth, attempting to lighten the moment despite their dire situation.
They plunged deeper into the collapsing tower, the destruction above pushing a wave of pressurized air beneath them that accelerated their fall to dangerous speeds. Luna and Elara exchanged a look of determination—a silent promise that whatever waited below, their charge would survive.
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Several levels below, chaos reigned.
"Where are these things coming from?" A veteran adventurer cleaved through another undead merman, its flesh rotting and eyes glowing with unnatural blue light.
His party formed a defensive circle as more creatures emerged from the shadows.
Siegfried, the Knight of the Broken Blade, directed his forces with grim efficiency. "Hold the line! Don't let them break formation!"
The ceiling above them groaned, hairline fractures spreading across the ancient stone. Dust and small fragments began to rain down.
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"Sir!" One of the scouts pointed upward in alarm. "The structure's failing!"
Siegfried's eyes widened as he processed the implications. "EVERYONE OUT! NOW!" His voice boomed through the chamber. "The dungeon is collapsing! All parties retreat immediately!"
Adventurers abandoned their positions, breaking into desperate sprints toward the distant exit. The cracks above grew wider, larger chunks of stone breaking loose.
"We're not going to make it," someone whispered.
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Elara and Luna fell through layer after layer of the collapsing tower dungeon, narrowly missing massive pieces of debris. The Archon's flames carved a path through the destruction, her face tight with concentration as she maintained protection around the unconscious team members.
"Luna!" Elara shouted over the cacophony of the collapsing structure. "We have no choice—we need to get out of here! Now!"
Luna clutched David's body tighter, her golden eyes filled with conflict. "If we leave the dungeon while his consciousness is still inside..."
"We're all going to die if we stay!" Elara countered, deflecting a falling pillar with a blast of fire.
Luna pressed her forehead against David's, shadows swirling protectively around them both. "Please forgive me if this is a mistake," she whispered, before nodding to Elara. "Let's go."
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"Take it back!" David had Solomon pinned against one of the marble columns, his hands gripping her shoulders. "The legacy, the inheritance—all of it!"
Rather than appearing intimidated, Solomon's eyes gleamed with perverse delight. "My, my," she purred, her lips curving into a suggestive smile. "You'll need to be much rougher than that if you want me to comply, First Son❤️."
David blinked, momentarily taken aback by her reaction. Despite himself, he felt an undeniable pull toward her—this ancient, beautiful, and clearly unhinged empress. He quickly shook the feeling away, focusing on the urgent matter at hand.
"This isn't a game," he growled. "The Yggdrasil fragment will make me a target for every power-hungry entity in existence!"
Solomon gently pushed him back, her playful demeanor shifting to something more serious. "I've had my fun, darling, but I can't take back what I've given you." Her violet eyes held genuine regret. "That's not how it works."
"But—"
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"We're out of time," she interrupted, glancing upward. "The dungeon I created is falling apart. Your physical form is in danger."
David cursed, frustration mounting. "You planned this, didn't you?"
Solomon's smile returned as she leaned forward, pressing her lips against his in a kiss that felt like drinking liquid starlight. Before he could react, she placed her palm against his chest and pushed.
"Goodbye, darling💕," she whispered as a golden portal opened behind him. "Until we meet again."
David fell backward into blinding light.
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Luna and Elara raced through crumbling corridors, carrying their unconscious companions. The entire structure was coming down around them, and the exit seemed impossibly distant.
"We're not going to make it," Elara admitted, her usual confidence faltering as a massive section of ceiling collapsed, blocking their path.
Luna refused to give up, her eyes searching desperately for an alternative route. "David wouldn't leave us. We can't leave him."
The walls around them gave way, and for a terrible moment, they were falling again—this time with nothing below but the distant seas.
Suddenly, brilliant light engulfed them, warm and powerful. When it faded, they found themselves standing on the beach, their unconscious companions safely beside them.
Behind them, the tower collapsed with spectacular finality. The entire structure imploded, sending massive waves outward that would have swallowed the shoreline if not for the quick reaction of guild mages. Their shields rose just in time, invisible barriers holding back the tsunami-like surge.
On the shore, an official from the Adventurers' Guild stared in open-mouthed shock. "The dungeon..." he whispered, dropping the scroll he'd been holding. "It's been defeated."
The words spread through the crowd like wildfire, faces turning toward the spot where the Leviathan's Abyss had stood for generations. Where the dugeon had once pierced the sky, only churning water remained.
"Impossible," someone murmured.
"Who could have..." another began.
Luna looked down at David's form, the golden glow finally fading from his skin. His eyes remained closed, but a small smile played across his lips.
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