Chapter 86: Jaws of Nidhogg
"Wulin are you alright?" Questioned Sleipnir as she saw him blinking his eyes.
"Sleipnir do you know what those roots are?" Questioned Tang Wulin.
"I don't really know. Why?" Asked Sleipnir.
"They showed me Shrek being destroyed." Said Tang Wulin causing Zeref and Sleipnir eyes to widen.
"Maybe..." Sleipnir mumbles.
"Maybe what?"
"Maybe... they showed you the future? Although I never heard of this happening." Said Sleipnir with confusion.
Tang Wulin began to frown if Sleipnir is right. Then he has no idea when Shrek will be destroyed. Hell, it might have already been destroyed while they were at Star Luo Continent.
"Unless the destruction of Shrek might lead to..." Sleipnir mumbled.
"Lead to?"
"Something in the Douluo planet changing drastically." Said Sleipnir with a grimace. Zeref furrowed his brow but nonetheless shook his head.
"It should be ok. All we need to do is return back to our era, the day we disappear." Said Zeref causing Tang Wulin to nod.
"But that doesn't mean we know when Shrek will get destroyed." Said Tang Wulin causing Zeref to frown.
"There is nothing we can do now." Said Sleipnir as her connection with Yggdrasil wasn't strong enough to understand more about it. But she was worried as the reason may just be something more than what she thinks.
Tang Wulin shook his head, as he began walking. Although he doesn't care what happened to Shrek, there are people in the city that he cares about. But sadly he doesn't know when Shrek will get destroyed or who even mounted the attack.
Tang Wulin continued traveling through the passageway until he came upon another area block by roots and with Blue Silver Genesis, it broke apart. As he moves inside, he notices this passageway was different from the others.
For one, it wasn't really a passage but instead a room filled with wall paintings. They could see the paintings span on all of the walls as if they were telling a story.
"Hey, look at that one." Said Zeref as he pointed to the one in the middle. Tang Wulin begins making his way over to the middle painting.
On the painting seems to be figures of people leveling their weapon at a shadowlike being. He saw portals like painting surrounding the shadow and Yggdrasil was behind them with the portals around it.
Tang Wulin couldn't see the being form except its red eyes. Tang Wulin gradually moves his hand to the painting to get a better a look but before he could touch it.
His body instantly moved back, as if something was about to kill him. Yet nothing came as if the feeling of dread he felt a second ago was his imagination.
"What happened?" Questioned Zeref with confusion.
"I don't know why, but I felt my instincts go off as I got close to that painting." Said Tang Wulin as he narrowed his eyes.
Zeref turned to the paint and moved his head towards it, similar to how Acnologia did. But then he too instantly jumps back with a look of fright and dread.
"You felt it too?" Questioned Tang Wulin.
"Yes... It's not a feeling one would want to experience again." Said Zeref.
"Sleipnir do you know anything about this?" Asked Tang Wulin but then his eyes widen as he saw Sleipnir was trembling.
"Sleipnir?"
"We have to go now." Said Sleipnir in an urgent tone.
"What ar-."
"Now!"
Tang Wulin eyes widen in surprise but he still moved toward the roots that were in front of one of the passageways. Instantly summoning his martial soul and watching the roots break apart, he was able to leave from the room.
But if had he stayed there for a few seconds longer, he would have seen the eyes of the shadowlike entity in the painting lightning up.
Tang Wulin moved through the passageway until he could see light coming up. It didn't take too long before Tang Wulin found himself on the outside of Yggdrasil. Tang Wulin look down and saw that he was pretty high up on the World Tree.
"I guess the roots transported you to the base of the tree." Said Zeref, causing Tang Wulin to nod his head.
"Sleipnir what was that back there?" Asked Tang Wulin.
"I don't know either but I do know, was that if we stayed there any longer then we would have died." Said Sleipnir.
Tang Wulin and Zeref fell silent after her words. They believed her words not just because they trust her but also from the dread feeling they felt from coming close to the wall painting.
"Well anyway, we should probably-."
Before Zeref could finish what he was going say, Tang Wulin instantly jump down from the branch that they were on.
BANG!
A gigantic hand with talons landed on the branch he was on and crushed it. Tang Wulin thrust his Golden Dragon Spear into the tree to stop his descent and look up to see a limb was blocking the entrance back into Yggdrasil.
Tang Wulin watched as frost started to shroud the area where the limb landed. The branches near the limb instantly froze and then started to form cracks upon it. Ice crystals started forming and began to travel towards Tang Wulin who had to pull out his spear, allowing himself to fall further down.
He was able to land on a branch but then an enormous shadow started to loom over him. He looked up in surprise and saw a huge serpentine head leering down at him.
"Interesting. I smell the scent of a dragon on you, yet you don't look like one." Said Nidhogg as his huge head moves down towards Tang Wulin.
"And you are." Said Tang Wulin causing Nidhogg to look at him amusingly.
"You should know boy. I can smell the stench of that battle-hungry wolf on you. Which begs the question why are you here alive and breathing." Said Nidhogg as he leered down at Tang Wulin.
Tang Wulin didn't utter anything as he already figures out Nidhoggs identity. To think he would be fighting another Calamity so soon.
"Any plan?" Questioned Zeref.
'No.' Thought Tang Wulin as he clenches his Golden Dragon Spear.
"I can see if Yggdrasil will be able to help us." Said Sleipnir.
"Well, it matters not how you survive. Its has been a while since I feast on flesh. The name is Nidhogg boy, the White God." Said Nidhogg.
The attack came in the form of a storm so intense that it began to shake the roots of Yggdrasil itself. Layers and layers of frost, blasting from the dragon jaws were storming to Tang Wulin. The sheer volume of it was cold enough to freeze the air around Tang Wulin who instantly dashed down from the branches.
The area that Tang Wulin was at became coated in frost, that shined like it was made out of crystals. Everything that the ice storm touch froze but then the branches began to glow with a golden hue and then shatter the icy on top of it.
'I guess that explains why Nidhogg hasn't destroyed the whole World Tree.' Thought Tang Wulin as he gazes back at Nidhogg who was looking at him.
"Well now, I'm surprised you were able to evade that small gale of wind. Maybe I should have done more than just breathing." Said Nidhogg.
One breathe, just one breath and Nidhogg was able to create a storm that he knew could have frozen a whole city in an instant. Nidhogg crimsons eyes started to slowly fix upon the spear in Tang Wulin hands.
"...That spear, why do you have a Divine Weapon?"Questioned Nidhogg but Tang Wulin said nothing as he tried finding an opening to attack Nidhogg.
"You don't wish to answer? How maddening and yet, I find myself wanting to know even more." The dragon started to move his large body down the tree. With one flap of its four bat-like wings, a huge a gale of wind came down upon Tang Wulin. Who was holding onto with his spear that was in the tree.
Tang Wulin gritted his teeth and with his free hand, thrust up his hand.
'Magic Dragon Explosion.'
Nidhogg eyes widen when he felt his instinct screamed at him and then blue-black energy bursting underneath him. His skin was impervious to all attacks below the level of the gods, its resistance, even more, higher than those of its level and yet to his shock.
Something was able to breach his resistance and durability, to the point for the first time in years he felt the sweet feeling of pain.
Nidhogg roared.
Tang Wulin didn't let the roar distract him as he charged up his next attack while summoning his crown and his fifth ring. A multi-colored ring appeared behind him and lit up as the gems on Tang Wulin crown was lighting up.
'Gems Amplification!'
'Orange, Pink and Purple Gem!'
'Magic Dragon Chain.'
Tang Wulin could feel his strength increasing as he jumps up in the air and moved his leg, which was coated with energy. The energy was bending the space around him and his soul's bone also appeared.
Bang!
Chains erupted around Nidhogg and then a purple-black energy slash smashed into Nidhogg. Then Tang Wulin open his mouth and roared out.
'Magic Dragon Roar.'
A black-blue beam of energy sped toward Nidhogg who had his eyes open and then was hit by the energy beam. Tang Wulin was going to send out another attack but felt his instinct screaming at him and then evaded to the left.
SWOOSH!
A broad blade of ice swept past the area he was falling from, producing a miniature jagged mountain of ice. Tang Wulin was able to see Nidhogg and the damage his Dragon Slayer powers did towards it.
He grimaces as he only saw Nidhoggs scales were chipped and nothing too serious was done to him. But Nidhogg, on the other hand, was livid as its crimson eyes which were filled with amusement toward Tang Wulin, was now filled with murder.
"You ignorant insect. What right do you have to harm me? What right do you have to resist me? Before I was amused by your antics and so I let you run around for a while but now? Now there are no more chances." Said Nidhogg as his voice sounded like thunder.
"I will not kill you quickly human." Nidhogg voice rang out, as he began moving his body around Yggdrasil. Tang Wulin was moving through the branches and roots of Yggdrasil to find some room to limit Nidhoggs attack.
"No, your death must be slow and painful, just like the unforgiving element of ice."
Tang Wulin slid down one of the roots, as one of Nidhogg limbs flash by the place he was.
"You will beg me to kill you mortal but I shall not."
The whole tree was shaking from the deafening voice and movement of the gigantic dragon.
"Where are you worm."
Tang Wulin jump over Nidhoggs tail that was smashing down on to the tree and he then looks back to see Nidhogg moving his head around. Tang Wulin coated his Golden Dragon Spear with his Dragon Slayer magic and then hurled it toward Nidhogg.
Then he jumps down, as he activates his time magic to multiply the spears that were speeding toward Nidhogg hide.
Bang!
Roar!
Tang Wulin could feel the trembling of Yggdrasil from Nidhoggs roar, and he outstretches his hand to summon the Golden Dragon Spear.
"This ends now!"
Tang Wulin felt something huge pushing off from Yggdrasil and then he looks up to see Nidhogg huge figure, blocking out the sun.
Nidhogg reared backs his head as its body was glowing with power and then it roared, as a beam of energy was heading towards Yggdrasil. When it crashed into the World Tree, it began covering and rushing down the tree like an avalanche.
'Crap.' Thought Tang Wulin as he kicks off from the tree downwards, as the raging storm was coming down.
"I'm sorry, the only thing I can do for you is instilled you with the energy of Yggdrasil. But I doubt that will be able to help you much." Sleipnir voice rang out with a hint of trembling.
'Damn it, is there anything that can work.' Thought Tang Wulin as he started thinking.
"There is a possibility." Said Zeref as he appeared next to Tang Wulin.
'What is it Zeref.' Thought Tang Wulin.
"Do you trust me Acnologia?" Asked Zeref as his gaze turned serious.
'Now Zeref!' Thought Tang Wulin as he saw Nidhogg gaze homing on to his figure. Zeref with a sigh started whispering something to both Acnologia and Sleipnir.
Nidhogg with one big flap sped toward Tang Wulin who was looking at Nidhogg.
"I hope this works." Said Sleipnir as she started channeling the power of Yggdrasil into Tang Wulin body. Tang Wulin watch as golden and silver energy started to pour off the branches into him.
Then he became encased by the storm of ice. It was only because of his resistance and the Regalia that he wasn't instantly frozen.
Then Nidhogg came crashing down with his crimson gaze still locked on to Tang Wulin, even after he got caught by the storm and smashes his arm into the storm. Nidhogg large claw grasp onto a bundle of snow and with a huge smile, he snarls.
"I caught you now, you little bug."
Then Nidhogg felt something was wrong and then his crimson eyes widen. A large arm erupted from the storm of ice and clutch onto Nidhoggs neck.
Then two multilayered wings blew away the chilling storm, allowing Nidhogg to see the being that was grasping its neck.
It was a Dragon, a very huge Dragon. Its entire upper body was covered in black round scales which in turn are decorated by spiraling blue markings. It possesses a blunt, rounded head with four large and elongated plates extending backward and has white beady eyes.
It had gargantuan, multilayered wings that are composed of the very same plates covering its whole body, which take on a formation reminiscent of a bird's feathers. Its massive tail splits in two at its end where the black plates disappear and take on a double stinger-like appearance.
The dragon had white eyes with razor-sharp teeth.
Nidhogg did not understand why but he could feel a foreign feeling surging up inside of him.
"You asked me what right I had to injure you?"
"It's my right."
"As a Dragonslayer."