Ancestral Lineage

Chapter 197 Maverick. The Beast of Alchemy.

The gargoyle rolled its shoulders, the obsidian veins across its body pulsing as if responding to its rising power. The air around it rippled, distorting under the sheer heat emanating from its form.

Ethan watched, unimpressed.

The beast crouched slightly, wings spreading wide, then vanished.

Ethan's instincts screamed. He moved—tilting his head just in time to avoid the massive claw aiming for his skull. The sheer force of the missed strike sent a shockwave blasting through the fortress, cracking the walls.

Fast.

But not fast enough.

Ethan twisted mid-air, planting a foot on the gargoyle's outstretched arm, then launched himself forward, driving an elbow into the beast's chest.

Boom!

The impact folded the gargoyle inward, its body hurling backward like a meteor. It crashed into a stone pillar, reducing it to rubble.

Ethan landed smoothly, rolling his shoulders. "This all you got?"

A deep, guttural chuckle rumbled from the debris.

The gargoyle rose, red eyes gleaming with something disturbingly close to amusement. It wiped molten gold from its lips.

"You hit harder than before," it admitted. "But that alone won't be enough."

Ethan's smirk didn't waver. "I wasn't asking."

The gargoyle lunged again, but this time—Ethan met it halfway.

Their fists collided, sending out a concussive blast that tore through the fortress. The floor beneath them caved in, massive chunks of stone plummeting into the abyss below.

Neither relented.

Ethan dodged a swipe aimed at his ribs, responding with a brutal knee to the beast's gut. The gargoyle grunted but retaliated instantly, swinging its wing like a blade.

Damn, Ethan thought, ducking just in time. The wing carved through the air, leaving a thin cut across his cheek.

Asteria chimed in. 'You're smiling way too much for someone getting cut up.'

Ethan wiped the blood from his face, his grin still intact. 'You think this is bad? You should've seen what I looked like the first time around.'

The gargoyle didn't give him time to recover—its tail lashed out, faster than before.

Ethan caught it again—

But this time, the beast expected it.

The moment Ethan's fingers closed around the tail, the gargoyle twisted, using his grip against him. The momentum whipped Ethan into the air, sending him flying toward the ceiling.

Alright, he thought, twisting mid-air. Clever.

Asteria hummed. 'Gonna need help?'

Ethan laughed internally. 'You think this is trouble? Watch this.'

His body stopped mid-fall—hovering as golden energy crackled around him.

The gargoyle's smirk faltered.

Ethan vanished.

The next second—he reappeared directly above the gargoyle, fist already swinging downward.

BOOM!

The punch connected with earth-shattering force, slamming the gargoyle through the floor. The beast roared, its body smashing through layers of stone before crashing into the depths below.

Silence followed.

Dust and debris filled the air, the only sound being the distant crumble of broken rock.

Ethan exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders.

Asteria's voice was amused. 'You didn't even give it a chance to breathe.'

Ethan huffed. "What's the point of a rematch if I don't prove I've changed?"

He stared down into the abyss where the gargoyle had fallen.

Then—

A deep, slow chuckle echoed from the darkness.

Ethan's brows rose. "Still alive, huh?"

The red glow of the gargoyle's eyes reignited, brighter than before.

Then—something shifted.

The air became heavier, thick with an oppressive force. The fortress walls trembled—not from damage, but from something else entirely.

Asteria spoke, her tone unusually serious.

'Ethan... something's wrong.'

Before he could respond, a voice echoed from the depths.

"You're strong," the gargoyle admitted. "Stronger than before."

A pause.

"But strength alone won't save you."

Asteria's voice was gentle. 'Looks like you found your history.'

Ethan exhaled slowly. "Yeah..."

His golden energy flared one last time—sealing the young gargoyle's movements, ensuring it wouldn't lash out again.

The fight was over.

And now, the real questions began.

Ethan stared at the young gargoyle—no, the last Barix, the only direct descendant of Babel. His golden eyes narrowed slightly as he processed the information.

"You can talk now, huh?" Ethan said, crossing his arms.

The gargoyle, smaller and far more humanoid than before, nodded. "It was part of the evolution."

Ethan's gaze swept over the ruined Hive. The place was different from what he remembered—darker, more twisted. And the other gargoyles he had fought? They were more beast than human.

"So how did this happen?" Ethan asked. "This place seems off, and your kind... they aren't like before."

The gargoyle's expression darkened. "It was the work of the elders. After you defeated them last time, they used a forbidden ritual, sacrificing themselves to ensure this transformation. It was meant as a trap for you, in case you ever returned."

Ethan frowned. "Defeated? I didn't defeat them—I barely escaped."

The gargoyle exhaled. "Regardless, I was part of the ritual. My essence was used to fuel it. That's why I wasn't completely corrupted like the others."

Ethan's gaze sharpened. "You were used?"

The gargoyle nodded. "I am a Barix, the only direct descendant of Babel left. Without me, they couldn't have completed the ritual. And now... they are all dead."

Ethan clicked his tongue. "Then it's a miracle you're still alive."

"More like a curse," the gargoyle muttered.

Ethan's fingers flexed at his side. "Is there a way to revert everything?"

"Yes," the gargoyle said, "but it requires Curse magic or at least the affinity for it."

Ethan's mind immediately turned to Asteria.

'Asteria? Is it possible?'

'Yes,' she responded smoothly. 'Fortunately, you do have the Curse affinity.'

Ethan blinked. 'Eh? Since when?!'

Asteria's voice held the faintest amusement. 'It was part of the affinities you received from Uncle Nethrix. He merged it with Necromancy, so you wouldn't notice. You just need a trigger to awaken it.'

Ethan exhaled slowly. 'Well, I guess this guy is the trigger then.'

'Yes,' Asteria confirmed.

Ethan turned his attention back to the gargoyle. "I have the Curse affinity, but I'll need you to sign a deal with me first."

The gargoyle tilted his head. "What kind of deal?"

"A Spirit Beast contract." Ethan's tone was firm. "It means you'll be bound to me permanently. You can never leave me unless death separates us."

The gargoyle's golden eyes glowed faintly. "Will I have to leave the Hive?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm in."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

The gargoyle gave him a weary look. "This place is suffocating. I have no reason to stay."

Ethan smirked. "Good answer. What's your name?"

The gargoyle hesitated. "I... never had one."

Ethan hummed, then said, "Then from now on, your name is Maverick."

The moment the name was spoken, energy surged between them. Golden sigils materialized in the air, circling the two. Ethan extended his hand, and Maverick placed his palm against it.

The contract formed.

A pulse of energy shot through Maverick's body, solidifying the bond. The lingering traces of Curse magic within him stirred—and that was all Ethan needed.

Golden and black energy swirled around Ethan's arm, consuming him for an instant.

His Curse affinity awakened.

Asteria's voice was calm. 'There you go.'

Ethan exhaled, the power settling into his core like an old friend.

"Now," he said, "let's end this."

With Maverick as the medium, Ethan unleashed a grand ritual. He wove his newfound Curse magic into an intricate spell, fusing it with his Alchemy. Black sigils expanded across the Hive, entwining with the corrupted energy that lingered. The ritual took hold, purging the corruption, breaking the spell that had twisted the Hive and its inhabitants.

The air grew thick, reality itself seeming to waver. The gargoyles scattered throughout the Hive let out distorted cries as the forbidden magic unraveled.

But Ethan didn't stay to watch.

The moment the ritual was complete, a black portal ripped open behind him.

Without hesitation, Ethan stepped through.

Maverick followed.

And then—they were gone.