Chapter 79: Lake Spirit

Ronald floated on the lake, his body relaxed, his face serene as if lost in deep contemplation. The whispers, which once haunted the waters, were silent now. He had prepared for this moment, the ancient ritual that would fuse the lake’s essence with his water affinity, drawing him closer to creating his mana pool. He didn’t care how the gifted recruits viewed his unconventional methods anymore—this was his path, and he was determined to follow it.

Drifting gently on his back, Ronald murmured the words of the ancient incantation, each syllable slipping from his lips like water. His body moved with the lake, a part of it, as the stars above twinkled faintly through the light mist that hung over the water. The process was slow, deliberate, and the water surrounding him seemed to respond to his words. He remembered the doubts from before, how Edmund and Tina had refused to support him in this path, but it no longer mattered. He was alone, yet resolute.

As his chant came to an end, a strange silence fell over the lake, even the usual whispers from the spirits below ceased. For a long moment, nothing happened. Then, without warning, Ronald felt a sudden force seize him, pulling him downward beneath the surface of the water. He didn’t fight it—this was what he had prepared for. His body submerged into the cold, dark depths, still facing the sky, his expression calm.

Beneath the water, ghostly forms swirled around him—spirits of the lake, perhaps the souls of those who had lost their lives here. They danced around him in a chaotic spiral, their ghostly faces and forms moving like tendrils of mist. Despite their frantic energy, Ronald remained calm, focused on the process. He had known that this lake was not ordinary, but he hadn’t known exactly what it would hold. Now he was at its mercy.

Before him, the water rippled unnaturally, and he watched as a sphere of glowing, greenish-blue energy began to form. It materialized out of nothingness, drawing the very essence of the lake into a single, pulsating point. The spirits howled silently as they spun faster, almost as if caught in the orbit of this mystical energy. Ronald felt the water around him tremble with a sense of anticipation.

The orb grew larger, brighter, its color shifting from a deep, ominous blue to a vivid green. The water was being drawn into it, consumed, until the lake itself seemed to shrink before Ronald’s eyes. The orb hovered just in front of him, and with a final pulse, it shot forward and buried itself in his chest.

Ronald gasped as the energy surged into him, his entire body glowing for a brief moment. The water spirits spiraled away, disappearing into the depths of the lake as Ronald's eyes burned with the greenish glow of the orb. And then it was over. The orb had become a part of him, the lake and its spirit was now within him.

He swam to the surface, emerging slowly from the water. As he floated there, he could feel the lake itself inside him, like a second heartbeat. He had succeeded—the lake was now his domain. Testing his new power, Ronald summoned a glowing sphere of ghastly water, its surface rippling with faces and voices, all bound to his will. With a simple thought, he caused the sphere to expand, and as it grew, the lake itself began to drain into it, collapsing into the sphere until nothing remained but the dry lakebed beneath him.

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He stood atop the barren ground, water swirling around him in small orbs, feeling the surge of power within him. He had done it—he had taken the lake into himself, and with time, he would master this new ability.

Before Ronald could fully bask in his brief victory, the ground trembled violently. From the edge of the lake, a grotesque figure emerged—an abomination, its body writhing with eyes, twisted vines, and tendrils, all while gripping the mesmerizing plant from the village garden.

Ronald’s eyes widened as the creature lumbered forward, each of its heavy steps rattling the illusory world around them.

"You... you stole my lake! Those souls were mine! I will not let you claim what I worked for!" it screeched, its voice a blend of gurgles and snarls. The abomination's many eyes fixated on Ronald, a venomous hatred burning in each of them. "You will die for this!"

With a guttural roar, the abomination reached for a massive boulder, one so large it seemed impossible for anything to lift. Effortlessly, it hurled the stone toward Ronald, aiming to crush him where the lake once stood.

In response, Ronald’s eyes flashed with steely resolve. A ripple of energy coursed through him, and from the depths of his core, ghastly water began to materialize. The air around him shimmered with eerie green light as a sphere of translucent liquid formed, surrounding him in a protective bubble. The moment the boulder neared, the water surged outwards, transforming into a colossal hand. With a deafening slap, the watery limb batted the boulder aside, sending it crashing into the distance.

But Ronald wasn’t finished. With a sharp motion, the water twisted again, forming a sturdy platform—a palm beneath his feet. He leaped onto it, elevated above the battlefield, his calculating eyes locked onto the abomination. Every detail of the creature's grotesque form pulsed in his vision. He stood tall, balancing on the shimmering water, as his mind raced through the possibilities.

The creature, enraged by Ronald’s calm defiance, let out another ear-splitting roar. Its form shifted, vines sprouting from its body, lashing wildly around. The illusory world began to warp and shift, but Ronald remained steady. His mind worked quickly, analyzing every move the abomination made. He knew he had to end this, and he had to do it soon.

"Let’s see who really owns this lake," Ronald muttered, his voice low but filled with determination. His power surged as he prepared for the abomination’s next attack, his every movement calculated and precise.

Ronald internally tensed, unsure if he could take on such a creature alone, especially after his ritual, which he hadn't had time to digest yet. But then, from the corner of his eye, he saw movement. Abel and Gravedigger were approaching, weapons drawn, their expressions serious. Ronald’s heart sank. He now had to take these zealots into consideration as they might implicate things.

Gravedigger spoke first, his voice urgent but firm. “Be careful, Ronald. That thing’s more dangerous than it looks.”

Relief washed over Ronald as he realized Abel and Gravedigger were not under the illusion either. They were here to fight alongside him. As the abomination growled and charged, the three of them prepared for battle. Ronald’s hands glowed as he summoned his new power, ready to test the limits of his newfound abilities.

The battle had begun.