Epic of Ice Dragon: Reborn As An Ice Dragon With A System

Chapter 2356: Oda Nobunaga’s Endless Castle [74]

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Despite his bravery, Triton was struggling to break through his opponent’s defenses. The powerful Kami, Omoikane, was among the strangest of his kind, a god originally associated with wisdom, whose powers had evolved into formidable psychic abilities. He was the only Kami to wield such power.

Omoikane was a natural-born Esper. He didn’t manipulate magic, but psychic energy, a force born from the brain and mind, expanding and shaping itself through imagination and willpower. The wiser the user, the greater the power.

As one of the first Kami created by Amaterasu in Zipangu, Omoikane was ancient and wise. His vast knowledge flowed through his immense mind, elevating his psychic powers to an extraordinary level.

His connection to the Esper Dimension allowed him to expand his psychic abilities into a Dominion—a world of his own making. Unlike other Dominions, his own could shift endlessly, forming a labyrinth that trapped Triton’s mind.

"Let me out of here!"

Triton roared, running through an endless maze of black bricks. Illusions of his friends, family, and father appeared, acting friendly, until they attacked when his guard was down.

"Come on, Triton. Why do you keep running, my dear? Let’s take it easy."

His mother appeared. It was the first time. Triton froze, glaring at the illusion. He knew it wasn’t real, yet something deep inside him stirred.

"No... You’re not my mother! Ugh!"

Perhaps it was because he was still a child, still growing. Maybe he missed her too much. Or maybe he was the least experienced dragon in combat. Likely, it was all of the above. Triton was vulnerable to attacks like this.

Omoikane exploited that vulnerability, baiting him while keeping a safe distance. He knew his psychic powers granted him immense control, but left his body fragile.

"How can you say that about your mother? Who else would I be, my son?"

"N-No, get away from me!"

In his Dragonoid form, Triton screamed. His Aura surged, and he fired a massive beam of water at the illusion. It screamed in agony.

"Aaaaagh!"

"Eh?! Mom!"

Triton panicked, rushing toward her. The scream was too realistic.

"Mom! Are you okay?! Are you alright?!"

"Oh, my dear Triton... You’re so naïve! GAHAHAHA!"

The illusion twisted into a monstrous fish-like creature, laughing as it lunged. Triton dodged the massive jaws and summoned a trident, piercing the beast. It exploded into white smoke.

"Was that even real? What’s real here? Nothing? Can I walk through walls—nope."

He had hoped illusions were intangible, but psychic constructs could be made real with enough energy. They only revealed their false nature when destroyed.

"Ugh, damn it..."

Triton looked battered. Wounded from countless battles, he realized Omoikane was enjoying this torment, wearing him down slowly.

He had chosen his Dragonoid form to conserve energy and soul essence, but it wasn’t working.

"I’m not your toy. I’m not your plaything..."

He looked skyward. His Aura surged. Triton had been patient long enough.

"I refuse to be your entertainment, you damn old creep!"

RUMBLE!

His Aura erupted. Omoikane’s eyes widened. He expected Triton to revert to his Sea Dragon form—and he did.

FLUOSH!

Triton’s body exploded into water and azure light, transforming into a massive aquatic dragon. He swam through the air, his long arms swinging with power.

His Soul Aura surged, forming waves of oceanic energy. Sea serpents, aquatic dinosaurs, and dragon-like Soul Beasts emerged, roaring as they struck the invisible ceiling.

"HAAAAH!"

CRASH! CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!

BOOM!

The ceiling shattered. Omoikane had underestimated him.

"His power rose out of nowhere. What a strange ability... Dragons from Yggdrasil are truly fascinating."

Omoikane stroked his beard, analyzing Triton as he burst from the labyrinth. The dragon was already upon him, Soul Beasts in tow.

"THERE YOU ARE!"

"You broke through all the illusions?! I had twelve more ready!"

"Like hell I’m going through that crap again! I want action, not puzzles nobody cares about!"

RUMBLE!

Triton’s Aura exploded. His claws lunged. Omoikane dodged, conjuring psychic shields around himself.

"Now, now, son. Why don’t you explain how you broke through? I wasn’t alerted, and I created that illusion."

"Your psychic powers aren’t invincible! I spent ten minutes in that labyrinth and learned a few things!"

Triton grinned. Omoikane realized the truth—Triton had sent his Soul Beasts into the illusions, trapping them instead of himself.

"I see what you did... But how?! My illusions ignore familiars. They target only the soul of the victim—wait a second."

Omoikane stared in disbelief. Triton’s power wasn’t from spirits—it was his own soul essence. Something unheard of in Zipangu.

"You... Your techniques use your soul?! Those aren’t spirits—they’re fragments of your soul?! How can you discard pieces of it?! Your soul regenerates infinitely?! That’s impossible! It defies all laws!"

"Heh. You figured out something—but not everything! Now die already, old man!"

Triton roared. His Soul Beasts attacked from every angle—jaws, beams of pressurized water, icicle spears, freezing winds.

"Hmph. Don’t underestimate me, young man!"

Omoikane spun midair, unleashing telekinetic waves that tore through the Soul Beasts, scattering them like glass.

"I see... It truly is your soul essence. Fascinating. You could be a source of power for Hajun-sama and Susanoo-sama. I’ll deliver your sealed soul to them once I kill you!"

He grew more ruthless, his Psychic Aura surging. Triton countered with dozens of tridents, but Omoikane shattered them with palm strikes, releasing psychic shockwaves that nullified their energy.

Triton charged, swimming through the air. His jaws glowed, hiding energy within. As he reached Omoikane, he unleashed it.

"GRAAAAHHHH!"

A spiral of azure and golden soul essence erupted—divine water, ice, and soul flames combined into a devastating breath attack.

BOOOMMM!!!

"Gaaaaaaggh?!"

Omoikane screamed. His barriers failed. His face burned, one eye lost, his body hurled through countless rooms of the endless castle.

"That’s what you get for underestimating me, you freak! Want more?! I’ve got plenty!"

Triton was bratty, rebellious, and loved to mock his enemies. It had become more than an act—it was his identity.

"Hmph. Quite a strong child you are."

"Eh?"

Triton felt a chill. Omoikane appeared behind him, smiling as he grabbed Triton’s face.

He wasn’t wounded. The body Triton struck was gone.

"I’ll take your head now. Good night, boy."

"Wha...?!"

CRASH!

Omoikane tore Triton’s head from his neck. Blood splattered.

"Hmm. That was surprisingly easy..."

He held Triton’s head, which still seemed alive.

"A-Ah... Aah..."

"Ah yes, your kind’s vitality keeps you alive a bit longer. You probably can’t breathe, eh? Ohohoho. Just sleep—forever."

"G-Gaah..."

"Hmm, isn’t it taking you quite a while to—"

"GRAAAAHHHH!"

"Ngh?!"

BOOM!

Triton’s head roared, unleashing a breath attack into Omoikane’s face. The God reeled, his body scorched.

"What?! He’s made of light?! Wait—huh?!"

Even the Kami of Wisdom couldn’t comprehend Triton’s physiology.

"Is he a Spirit?! That would explain the beheading... But he’s too solid. Too real!"

Triton’s headless body responded, releasing waves of soul essence—azure and golden, spiraling into spear-like vortexes.

"DIE, OLD MAN!"

"Hmph. Your voice still echoes without a head. What are you? Well, this ends now!"

Omoikane conjured a cube of psychic energy around Triton.

"{Perfect Psychic Cube}! You’re mine now, boy."

"What?! I’ll break through!"

Triton attacked the cube with claws and Soul Beasts, but it compressed relentlessly.

"Aaaggghh!"

TRUUM!

"S-Stop this!"

TRUUM!

"Damn old man!"

TRUUM!

"My body—UGH!"

TRUUM!

"Hehehe! What’s wrong, brat?! Overwhelmed by my superior intellect?! Once this cube compresses fully, you’ll be dead!"

Omoikane laughed, forcing the cube smaller. Triton’s body cracked under the pressure.

"I’ll crush you into pure Spirit Energy! And then I’ll—"

Crack... crack...

CRASH!

"RAAAAHHHH!"

Triton’s body shattered, but a draconic roar echoed. His form expanded—gigantic, muscular, made of golden and azure soul essence.

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