The gargantuan Angler Fish loomed in the darkness, its grotesque body almost blending into the surrounding abyss. Only the ethereal glow of its bioluminescent lure stood out—a beacon of hypnotic, psychic energy that seemed to pulse in time with Arthur's heartbeat. The lure danced, twisting and turning in a mesmerizing, otherworldly pattern, trying to wrap itself around his mind and lull him into a trance. The cold, unfeeling stare of the fish's eyes seemed to pierce into his soul, its maw opening slightly, revealing rows of jagged, needle-like teeth that promised a swift and agonizing end.

But Arthur was no longer the naive fighter who had faced the eel and Manta Ray, vulnerable to their tricks and illusions. He had grown stronger, more resilient. He clenched his jaw, molten claws blazing with power as he focused on the core of his being—his will. He would not be a puppet. With a surge of determination, Arthur charged forward, his claws cutting through the darkness like molten blades. The psychic pull weakened as his molten energy surged, and with a single swipe, he left the once-hypnotic Angler Fish in shreds, its bioluminescent glow fading as it crumpled into the abyss.

No sooner had the light from the Angler Fish died away than the earth beneath Arthur quaked, and out from the shadows emerged the giant Crustacean. Its hard, rock-like shell seemed impenetrable—an armor forged by centuries of underwater evolution. Each step it took made the seabed shudder, and Arthur knew immediately that brute strength alone wouldn't suffice this time. Then, with a swift flick of its massive pincers, the Crustacean’s power became apparent—telekinesis. Massive boulders and debris, remnants of ancient shipwrecks, rose into the murky waters, suspended momentarily before they flew towards Arthur with terrifying speed.

Arthur braced himself, weaving through the projectiles, his horns blazing with an ominous, blood-red glow. He could feel the crushing weight of the boulders as they smashed into the seabed, each impact sending shockwaves that rippled through the water. The Crustacean’s eyes glinted with malicious satisfaction, as if it had already declared itself victorious.

But Arthur was relentless. He felt every beat of his heart, every surge of power coursing through his veins. He would not be deterred. With a roar, he surged forward, using his body as a battering ram, his molten energy turning his very flesh into a weapon. He rammed into the Crustacean's shell, feeling the impact reverberate through his bones. The shell cracked, then shattered. Arthur's claws followed, tearing apart what remained of the Crustacean's defenses. Its telekinetic hold wavered, then dissipated, and with a final, decisive strike, Arthur ended the beast, its broken shell crumbling away like sand in the current.

The victories should have been exhausting, but instead, Arthur felt the power growing within him, his horns pulsing with greater strength, the runes etched into them glowing brighter—blood-red, fierce, ominous. It was as if the abyss itself acknowledged his power, surrendering to the destructive force he had become.

But the abyss was not yet finished testing him.

The final battle emerged from the darkness—a strange, ethereal jellyfish-like creature, its tendrils glowing with an eerie, psychic energy. Unlike the others, this creature did not rely on brute strength or physical attacks. It sought something deeper, something more insidious. Its tendrils reached out, not to strike, but to infiltrate Arthur’s mind, probing the depths of his consciousness, seeking to fracture his will from within.

Arthur's vision blurred. He stumbled, feeling the creature’s psychic grip tighten around his thoughts, squeezing until his sense of self began to splinter. Whispers echoed in his ears—taunting voices, doubts, fears. He could feel the abyss closing in on him, drowning him not in water, but in despair.

But Arthur was not alone in his mind. The power of his Thunder Mind surged, crackling like a storm within him. He focused on the electric fury coursing through his veins, pushing back against the mental invasion. The whispers became a dull hum, and then silence. His eyes snapped open, burning with rage and defiance.

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With a furious roar, Arthur unleashed his Destruction Pulse—a wave of sheer force that tore through the water, crashing into the jellyfish-like creature. Its glowing tendrils flickered, then shattered, its delicate form disintegrating under the might of Arthur's unleashed power. The storm he had conjured tore through it like a whirlwind through a fragile web, leaving nothing but fading echoes in its wake.

Arthur stood in the aftermath, his chest heaving, his horns blazing with the blood-red runes that marked his victories

With each new victory, Arthur’s horns grew longer, curving inward like the horns of a dark demon, the runes now glowing with a sinister, ominous red light.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

You have acquired five mental skills. Would you like to fuse them into a new ability? This fusion may result in a stronger ability—or failure.

Arthur grinned at the challenge. His claws flexed, the thrill of risk running through him. “Let’s do it.”

The system buzzed, and for a moment, his world went dark as the power within him churned and combined.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

Congratulations! You have successfully fused your mental abilities into a new skill: [Psychic].

New Ability Unlocked: [Psychic]: Manipulate the world around you with beginner-level telekinesis and telepathy. Control objects with your mind, and communicate mentally with those in your vicinity.

Arthur felt the power surge through him. His horns pulsed, the runes now blazing like fire as the mental energy coursed through his veins. He could feel the world differently now—sense the movement of water, the subtle shifts in the environment, and even the faint thoughts of the creatures around him.

Compared to how he was now, he was practically blind before. An evil grin appeared below his snout.

He was ready. He looked into the near-distance of the shores.

It was time for him to make his debut.

*

From the still depths of the lake, a colossal shadow began to stir. Black scales, each one sharper than the jagged rocks of the Badlands, shimmered beneath the murky waters as Arthur's wings unfurled with raw, menacing power. The water, once calm, rippled violently, pushed aside as the beast that had been forged in battles far beneath the surface ascended. His red-tinted horns, now long and wickedly curved, gleamed with malevolent runes, pulsing with the energy of his newfound psychic abilities.

The world above, the scorched wasteland that was the Scorching Badlands, seemed to tremble as Arthur's massive form broke the surface.

Hissssss!

Steam rose in a hissing cloud where the heat of the Badlands met the cold waters, as if the land itself was recoiling in fear. His claws dug deep into the earth, each step leaving craters as he emerged fully, his form towering above the charred plains.

The Scorching Badlands had always been a brutal place—a forgotten island where volcanoes hissed and spat, where the air was thick with sulfur, and the ground was littered with the bones of beasts that had dared to challenge the land. It was a realm untouched by kindness, a lawless territory ruled by the strongest. But now, something far greater has arrived.

A Challenger.

This challenger, his obsidian-black scales reflecting the fiery red of distant volcanoes, towered over the landscape like a demon rising from the abyss. His wings, leathery and vast, spread wide behind him, casting an enormous shadow that swallowed the land beneath. His horns pulsed with glowing red runes, the veins alive with the mental energy he had harvested from countless battles.

His slitted eyes swept over the barren land before him.

The Scorching Badlands had been ruled by savage beasts, but they had not seen anything like him before. The sky seemed darker, the very air heavier as if the world itself knew what had come to its shores. The once-untamed land now had a new apex predator—one who had mastered destruction itself.

In the distance, geysers of molten rock burst from the earth, and towering creatures that had long roamed this forsaken land raised their heads. Even the largest among them—the land-dragons with their volcanic breath and titanic strength—paused, sensing the arrival of something beyond their comprehension. The earth trembled beneath Arthur’s feet, each step sending ripples through the hardened ground, as if the land was kneeling to its new ruler.

Arthur roared, a sound that shook the very core of the Badlands, echoing off distant volcanoes and sending flocks of monstrous birds fleeing into the skies. The red runes on his horns flared brighter, a beacon of his ascension, his power, his claim. The Scorching Badlands would bend to him—or burn in his wake. The land that once swallowed titans now had a new master. And the world, from the coldest peaks to the darkest seas, would soon tremble at the rise of the Drake of Destruction.

The world would never be the same.