As the second boss of Blackwing Lair, the corrupted Vaelastrasz was undoubtedly a formidable foe. In fact, he was arguably one of the most terrifying bosses of the entire Level 60 era!
This was due to a specific ability called Burning Adrenaline, which reduced the target's maximum health by 5% every second. If he wasn't killed quickly, the target would be dead in no time.
Because of the sheer lethality of Burning Adrenaline, even in later expansions like Level 80 or 90, when most players could easily solo Level 60 raids and grind bosses that once required forty people into the dust, facing the corrupted Vaelastrasz still required at least two people. Without a partner, once you were hit by that terrifying skill, no matter how high your armor, base stats, or health pool were, there was only one outcome: death.
Allen had zero desire to test whether he could survive Burning Adrenaline, nor did he want Bodoro or Baise to lose their lives to it. Consequently, he had to do everything in his power to kill the dragon before the skill could be cast on him.
"Are you sure you don't need our help?" Bodoro asked, staring at the boss lying prone on the floor, not yet activated.
"Yeah. It's too dangerous. Even I might end up heavily injured if things go wrong, so you two should wait by the entrance for a while."
As Allen answered, he activated his fire-resistant gear through self-harm and set the coordinates for the Portal of Transit.
On the other side, Vaelastrasz (the Nen beast) had already manifested in her physical form. Her eyes were locked onto her fallen kin; she repeatedly licked her sharp teeth, clearly impatient to devour the enticing Essence of Life within him.
It had to be said that compared to the self-righteous Aspects of Azeroth, she bore a much closer resemblance to the wicked dragons of Western mythology. Her innate greed and insatiable hunger were like the true manifestation of primal human desire. Sometimes, Allen felt she was like a version of himself unshackled by ethics, order, or law—terrifyingly pure.
Once Baise and Bodoro had retreated to the slope by the dungeon entrance, Allen took a deep breath. "Are you ready?"
"Of course! I can't wait to claim that energy!" Vaelastrasz replied eagerly.
"Excellent. Then let us begin!"
With that, Allen completed the dialogue with the corrupted Vaelastrasz and retreated toward the rear door at high speed. He drew his bowstring, focusing every ounce of his Aura into the sharp arrow. Within seconds, a violent, destructive energy began to radiate from the Doomshot.
"Flames! Death! Destruction! Cower, mortals, before the wrath of Lord... No—I must fight this! Alexstrasza, help me! I MUST fight!"
"Nefarian's hate has made me stronger than ever before! You should have fled while you could, mortal! The fury of Blackrock courses through my veins!"
Accompanied by the heart-wrenching roars of the corrupted dragon, the powerful Red Dragon finally released his Essence of Life.
While for Allen this was merely a beneficial buff, for his Nen beast Vaelastrasz, it was a treasure that could catalyze her evolution. She didn't hesitate for a single second, pouncing forward to grapple with the opponent using her teeth and claws, hungrily devouring the blood flowing from his wounds.
The sight of two gargantuan beasts in a melee was spectacular. A single flick of a tail could smash craters into the walls and floor. The hardened floor tiles and stone slabs were pulverized instantly. The tremors from their collisions caused the entire Blackrock Spire to shake violently.
Harnessing the power of the Red Dragon lineage, the corrupted Vaelastrasz repeatedly unleashed Fire Nova. The air grew thick with crimson flames; a single breath was enough to sear the nostrils, trachea, and lungs.
After roughly a dozen seconds of intense combat, he finally cast Burning Adrenaline toward Allen's Vaelastrasz.
"Void!" Allen immediately commanded his Nen beast.
The moment Vaelastrasz vanished into the void, Allen released his fingers, letting the arrow fly.
The next second...
BOOOOOM!!!!!!!!
The massive, corrupted Vaelastrasz was lifted into the air by the arrow's terrifying kinetic energy. He slammed violently into the rear wall, followed by a massive explosion and a structural collapse.
As the dust settled, his corpse was revealed, pinned beneath the rubble. Clearly, the second boss of Blackwing Lair was dead, killed in a single shot.
However, Allen didn't rush to loot the body. Instead, he immediately asked Vaelastrasz: "How do you feel? Did Burning Adrenaline cause any irreparable damage?"
"It feels... strange. I... I think I need to rest for a while," the Red Dragon replied in a weak voice.
"Rest?" Allen frowned instinctively.
"Yes. Don't worry, it won't affect your use of the abilities we've already seized. I simply won't be able to perform Possession or Manifestation for a time," Vaelastrasz explained.
Just as Allen was about to speak, Vaelastrasz suddenly appeared in her physical form. Then, her entire body began to shrink and condense at an unbelievable speed. Finally, she fused into an egg the size of a volleyball, covered in red scales.
"What is this?!!"
Staring at the dragon egg that had landed gently in his hands, Allen was utterly stunned. Based on the incredibly realistic tactile sensation, he could easily tell that this was no mere construct created by Nen. It was a physical, real dragon egg.
"Unbelievable... Did I actually just create a real Red Dragon?"
His jaw dropped in shock. At this moment, if he placed his hand gently on the shell, he could even feel a heart beating inside.
"Ao..."
Lupos approached at this moment, licking the eggshell with a curious glint in his eyes. The little wolf cub following behind him sniffed it with their noses.
"You find it incredible too, don't you?" Allen held the egg in one hand while stroking Lupos's head with the other.
Lupos nodded quickly, transmitting his thoughts to his master through their Spirit Bond. Allen frowned as he processed the message. "You're saying... this egg smells of both me and the corrupted Vaelastrasz?"
"Ao! Ao!" Lupos let out a series of short, urgent low barks.
"Fine. It looks like the mystery will only be solved once the egg hatches. Regardless, this is a surprise. I just hope it doesn't turn into a nightmare."
With that, Allen carefully placed the dragon egg into the first empty slot of his waist bag, his heart filled with apprehension. After all, creating a Nen beast that resembled a Red Dragon was one thing, but bringing a real Red Dragon into existence was quite another.