The tranquil grassland beneath the ancient tree remained wrapped in silence after the six heroes had completed the trials of their Circuit Marks. A gentle breeze drifted across the endless fields, carrying the scent of fresh earth while the leaves overhead swayed softly. The pressure surrounding each of them had completely changed. It was no longer unstable power bursting from newly awakened Circuits. Instead, it had become calm, refined, and complete.
Arata observed them from his chair beneath the giant tree. Closing the book resting in his lap, he smiled faintly as he looked over the six young heroes. Their bodies had not only become stronger—their very presence had changed.
A quiet smile crossed his face.
"How about you spar a little to get used to your strength before going back?"
Denma's grin immediately widened.
"I thought you'd never ask."
Jess nodded confidently.
"I don't see a problem."
Kaelen rolled his shoulders before smiling.
"Let's run it."
Gene stretched lazily before letting out a sigh.
"Let's make this fight my dream."
Faith simply smiled.
Kimotsu rested a hand on the hilt of his sword.
"A swordsman never runs from a duel."
Arata slowly rose from his chair.
"Good. That's the spirit."
His calm gaze swept across the six heroes.
"You'll be fighting an opponent from a different dimension."
Without another word, Arata lifted a single finger.
"Veydra."
Space distorted before everyone.
A circular portal opened soundlessly several meters ahead, its interior filled with endless darkness. From within, a small black dragon slowly stepped forward. Crimson eyes observed the heroes with quiet intelligence while black scales reflected the sunlight like polished obsidian.
Arata looked toward the tiny dragon.
"This is the same dragon that once chased Kaelven across the universe. It's from Zerathis… the world Kaelven is from."
The heroes' expressions immediately changed.
Arata continued calmly.
"I removed its nature, but I'll return it just for you. Consider it my gift."
He snapped his fingers.
"This dragon possesses seventy billion Double Count."
The instant those words left his mouth, the dragon's body expanded.
The ground shook violently.
The tiny creature transformed into a colossal black dragon whose body towered over mountains. Crimson eyes blazed like twin suns while enormous wings spread across the heavens, blotting out the sky itself. A suffocating killing intent erupted from its body as its destructive instincts returned.
Arata folded his arms.
"Begin."
The colossal dragon threw back its head.
ROOOOOOAAAAARRR!!
The roar shook the heavens. Without hesitation, Gene stepped forward.
His pupils glowed softly as dream energy quietly spread around the dragon.
Using the Gift of Dreams, he made Veydra believe it had already returned to its territory… its shelter… its home. For a brief instant…The illusion took hold.
Then Crack. The dream shattered apart like broken glass. Veydra's crimson eyes sharpened. The dragon inhaled deeply as black flames condensed inside its mouth.
Kaelen's expression immediately changed.
"Black Breath…"
The air itself trembled.
The black fire continued condensing until the temperature surpassed ten thousand degrees Fahrenheit. Kaelen reacted first.
"Reverse."
Time itself rolled backward.
The dragon's charging motion instantly rewound, forcing the attack to return to the moment before it had been unleashed. That single opening was all Denma needed.
The ground exploded beneath his feet as he shot into the air using nothing but overwhelming physical strength. His right fist folded tightly.
Boom! His punch slammed directly into Veydra's jaw. The gigantic dragon staggered sideways.
Before Denma could follow up, Veydra's enormous tail whipped through the sky.
Denma crossed both arms. The impact still blasted him out of the air. Faith immediately raised her hand.
Soft green divine light surrounded Denma's body, healing the damage before he had even landed.
At the same moment Jess and Kimotsu moved. Both disappeared almost simultaneously. Their swords flashed. Jess slashed across Veydra's left foot.
Kimotsu cut through the dragon's right foot.
The colossal dragon shifted its weight. That single moment was enough. Kaelen burst upward from beneath the dragon. White dragon scales covered his right arm.
His fist crashed into Veydra's abdomen. The punch launched the enormous dragon into the sky.
Waiting above was Denma. Using nothing but raw physical strength, he swung his right leg downward.
Boom! His kick hammered the dragon back toward the earth.
The colossal body crashed into the ground with enough force to shake the surrounding mountains.
Dust swallowed the battlefield.
Then…The dragon began shrinking. Black scales dissolved into darkness. Its gigantic frame condensed into a humanoid figure.
Standing within the settling dust was a young man. Tall black hair flowed behind him. Crimson eyes gleamed calmly.
He possessed a slim athletic build, standing at roughly five feet eleven inches, with two black wings extending from his back and a long black tail swaying behind him.
Kaelen smiled.
"This will be fun."
White energy erupted around him.
His body transformed into his Dragon Bearer State. White dragon horns emerged from his head. White wings unfolded behind him.
A white tail swayed gently as dragon scales spread across portions of his body.
Jess activated her awakened form.
Kimotsu drew his sword.
Gene, Faith, and Denma all prepared themselves.
Without warning Veydra vanished. Kimotsu reacted instantly.
"Kedo."
His body disappeared. He reappeared beside Veydra with sword already drawn.
The slash moved so quickly that space itself seemed to split.
Veydra lowered his body.
The blade missed him completely. Far behind them A massive mountain split perfectly in half. Veydra answered with a kick.
Kimotsu crossed his sword to block. The impact blasted him backward. Jess extended her hand.
"The Inescapable."
Invisible divine chains wrapped around Veydra.
His body froze in place. Jess instantly appeared before him.
"Divine Retribution."
Her glowing blade descended toward his neck. Veydra merely smiled.
"Nullify."
Crack. The divine restraints shattered into countless fragments.
Jess's sword still continued downward. Veydra leaned backward just enough for the blade to miss.
Jess used the momentum to flip gracefully before driving a powerful kick into his chest.
Although Veydra blocked, the force launched him toward the ground.
The instant he landed Denma was already waiting.
Boom! A single punch smashed directly into Veydra's face.
The impact sent him flying through the air before crashing into the side of a mountain.
Before the dust could settle Kaelen drew Axiomfall.
"Extreme Time Slash."
He swung once. Dozens of invisible sword slashes instantly appeared across Veydra's body.
Behind him the entire mountain wall fragmented into countless pieces before collapsing.
Even after enduring the combined assault…Veydra remained standing. He slowly raised one hand toward the heavens.
"Dragon God's Wrath."
The sky cracked apart. An enormous rift stretched across the heavens. From within that fracture, an unimaginably massive dragon's head slowly emerged.
Its ancient eyes overlooked the world like a deity judging creation itself. The colossal mouth opened. Flames condensed within it.
Kaelen stared upward. A smile appeared on his face despite the overwhelming pressure.
"In the legends it states that a Dragon God's Wrath can burn the world."
He tightened his grip on Axiomfall.
"Let's face it."
The attack began descending.
Before anyone could react..Snap. Arata's fingers echoed softly. Everything stopped.
The enormous dragon head remained frozen in the heavens. The descending flames halted in place.
Time itself seemed to have paused around the attack while everyone else remained capable of moving.
Arata looked toward the stunned heroes.
"Let's stop here."
His voice remained gentle.
"You guys are not ready to face such an attack yet."
Another snap echoed. The colossal dragon head dissolved into particles of light before disappearing completely.
Arata casually waved his hand. The injuries covering the heroes vanished instantly.
Veydra also returned to perfect condition. Finally, Arata removed the dragon's destructive nature once more. The crimson killing intent faded from Veydra's eyes.
His body shrank back into the small dragon everyone had first seen.
The little dragon quietly walked back toward Arata before sitting beside his chair as if nothing had happened.
Far away…In another dimension…On the planet Zerathis…An ancient forest stretched beyond the horizon beneath a dark sky.
John stood before an enormous tree whose roots disappeared deep beneath the earth while its branches reached into the clouds themselves.
He rested one hand against its rough bark.
"So this is the seed that he planted."
Not far away, Tessandra sat comfortably atop a weathered stone, silently watching John.
Nearby, Alzwalt and Britanya continued chatting casually with one another, seemingly unconcerned with everything around them.
Kaelven sat beside Tessandra with his arms resting across his knees.
After a long silence, he looked up toward the distant sky.
A faint smile crossed his face before he sighed.
"I wonder what Kaelen's doing right now."