Chapter 226 Jormungand's Presence



Nikol gazed upon the desolate place where he had once vanquished Jormungand, the great dragon that wanted to die and hand over his responsibility to Nikol.

*Tsk

'What an annoying existence, can't kill fully even with my power'

His heart sank as he witnessed the lingering traces of the presence that permeated the surroundings. The very essence of Jormungand seemed to have tainted the land, twisting it into a grotesque manifestation of its former self.

The land upon which his death had been marked had a darkened look with a trace of light blue shining atmosphere, which clearly showed how equal it is to his real dragon body.

As Nikol approached cautiously, he noticed a peculiar hollow that had formed in the ground. It appeared to be a vortex of darkness, emanating an eerie aura. To his surprise, he observed that monsters of all kinds were converging upon the hollow, leaping into its depths as if drawn by an irresistible force.

"Stay back! It might be dangerous,"

Nikol motioned for the girls accompanying him to stay back, not wanting to endanger their lives. He felt a mixture of determination and apprehension as he crept closer to the sinister hollow, his gaze fixed upon its ominous depths.

Drawing nearer, Nikol felt an inexplicable resistance preventing him from entering. It was as if the very essence of Jormungand, the malevolence that had once inhabited the serpent dragon's physical form, had taken refuge within the hollow. He could sense the mind of Jormungand pulsating within, an entity that had survived beyond the mortal body he had slain.

Nikol whispered to himself, "Even in death, you refuse to relent, Jormungand. Your essence lives on, corrupted and vengeful."

He knew it wouldn't be a surprise after all he had been planning his death forever and Nikol knew without a fight, he won't go down and even if he did, there will be a huge empty place that should be fulfilled which might be the hardest thing Nikol will have to deal with.

He turned to the girls, concern etched upon his face. "Stay here and keep watch. I must confront the remnants of Jormungand's power and sever its hold on this world."

With a determined stride, Nikol attempted once more to enter the hollow. Yet, the malevolent force intensified, repelling his advance. He could feel the malignant presence seeping into his thoughts, attempting to weaken his resolve and also his movements got slower which showed how weakened he was.

Nikol clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with defiance. "I will not be deterred, Jormungand! Your reign ends here."

As he stood at the precipice of the hollow, Nikol's mind flooded with memories of his previous encounter with the serpentine dragon.

He recalled the devastating power that had nearly consumed him, the darkness that had threatened to snuff out his very existence. But he had prevailed once, and he was determined to do so again.

"Let's go back for now, I changed my mind," Nikol said as he looked at took a proper distance from the hollow that kept spawning dangerous monsters.

"What did you decide Nikol? What is your plan?" Usha asked worried about him doing something absurd.

"I will build my town right after this hollow, not in the middle of the land, so that I can keep monitoring this without teleporting, I know sooner or later that thing will give birth to something absurd, we need to be ready when the time comes,"

Nikol said and others didn't understand why he used the word 'we'

"What? Are you trying to stay weak all the time? I will give you my power, all of you need to be able to deal with those things without even my support," Nikol knew sooner or later, he will be overwhelmed and when that time comes, he won't be able to help them, so he made the plans give strength to these girls and train them.

It will be basic training, without aiming a specific side of skills, but after they master the basics, they will be able to face whatever challenge they are going to face all alone without Nikol's help.

"..."

"Training for us? I mean I guess, after all, we have been nothing but dead weight for you all this time," Eva said, but she didn't have a good feeling about this training, as Nikol had a little grin on his face but suddenly he looked at the forest with his eyes squinted.

"Perfect! I will start with the wall for now,"

The air crackled with anticipation as Nikol with an aura of command, unveiled his grand plan. Standing near the hollow, he gazed out over the vast expanse, envisioning a town that would bend to his will.

With a swift motion, he tapped into his teleportation ability, and in an instant, the area cleared, leaving nothing but a blank canvas for his ambitions.

"What this? Earth just disappeared, it looks like nothing, this is-" Alva said as she saw the blackness that felt like it was empty.

The girls who had accompanied Nikol watched in awe as he exerted his control over the surroundings. Stones that once lay scattered on the ground suddenly defied gravity, floating in mid-air and aligning themselves with precision.

The stones stacked upon each other, forming an imposing wall that encircled the opposite side of the hollow, like a fortress ready to stand against any threat.

"Whoa! Did you see that? He just... moved everything!" exclaimed Emily, her eyes wide with wonder.

"I've never seen anything like it," whispered Lydia, her voice tinged with excitement.

Nikol approached the wall, his fingers gently brushing against the stones. A surge of power emanated from him, infusing the wall with his mana.

As if responding to his touch, the wall began to transform, reshaping itself into something more than mere stone. Intricate carvings adorned its surface, depicting mythical creatures and majestic landscapes.

The wall, now a masterpiece of Nikol's strange power, shimmered with an ethereal glow, reflecting the magnitude of Nikol's power.

Zenda gasped, barely able to find her voice. "This is... incredible! How did you do all this?"

Nikol turned to face the mesmerized girls, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Universal energy, girls. The power within me allows me to shape the world around me, to bring my visions to life. This town, overlooking the hollow, will be a testament to my dominion and a sanctuary for those who choose to reside here."

"You won't be able to learn this, but I will teach you something inferior to this, but thousand times more powerful than mana,"

The girls exchanged glances, their amazement mingling with a newfound admiration for Nikol's abilities.

Usha finally spoke, her voice filled with curiosity. "What will you name this town, Nikol?"

Nikol's gaze swept across the landscape, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Let it be known as Hollowatch, a place where protection and wonder intertwine, and where I shall watch over the hollow and all who reside within."

The girls nodded in agreement, their hearts alight with anticipation for the adventures that awaited them in the enchanting town of Hollowatch.

They couldn't even imagine what it would look like in future when people start roaming around this town worshipping Nikol as their benefactor and one and only god.

Artemis was also there but she had already given up her desire to act like a god, and she just wanted to watch over Nikol, but even for her, his power was still a mystery as a goddess, who should be a lot more knowledgeable.

As the girls marvelled at the wondrous sight before them, their excitement gave way to a perplexing question. They glanced around, searching for an entrance, a gateway to the town Nikol had conjured.

"Um, Nikol," Alva hesitated, "how do we... enter? I don't see a gate or anything."

Before Nikol could respond, a strange sensation washed over them, as if reality itself had shifted. In the blink of an eye, their surroundings changed, and they found themselves standing inside the walls of Hollowwatch. The girls blinked in astonishment, a collective sigh escaping their lips as they realized it was Nikol's teleportation power that had brought them inside.

Emily's eyes widened with a mix of awe and amusement. "You really do love surprises, don't you, Nikol?"

Nikol chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "What fun would it be if everything was as expected? I thought a touch of teleportation would be the perfect way to welcome you all into Hollowatch."

Usha shook her head, still trying to comprehend what had just transpired. "You certainly know how to make an entrance, Nikol. I don't think we'll ever get used to your incredible powers."

Nikol offered a gracious bow, showing that he is all about their praise. "Consider it a taste of the wonders that await you within these walls. Hollowatch is a realm where surprises and enchantment abound."

"I have so many interesting things, I want to do inside this small town, but you will have to look forward to it,"

Eva glanced around with her eyes looking for the buildings, but seeing nothing like that she knew he haven't made anything like that, but at the same time she knew as soon as she asked about those things from Nikol, he will start making them causing them to become even more surprised about his actions.