Judy paid no heed to the half-elf's taunts. She remained perched calmly atop her dragon, hand resting on the hilt of her sword, and fixed the man before her with a cold, unwavering gaze—as impassive as a statue carved from stone. Yet her indifference did nothing to dampen the man's spirits. Kaelan scratched the tip of his nose, then chuckled softly once more.
"Trying to keep me here?"
Silence. Judy did not utter a single word. She simply went on staring at him, her expression betraying neither joy nor sorrow.
"What a pity," Kaelan sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead in a gesture of genuine regret. "It seems you have no interest in conversing with me. And it is far too late for pleasantries tonight… Until we meet again, then…"
With that, he raised his hand.
It was no more than a casual wave of farewell—but the moment his fingers lifted, Kaelan's figure, along with those of the cavalrymen flanking him, began to blur and fade. Like mist scattered by a sudden gale, they vanished into thin air before her eyes.
"Hmph!"
Only then did Judy let out a sharp snort. She tightened her grip on the dragon's reins and gave a sharp yank.
"ROAR!!"
A deafening dragon's cry split the night.
A ring of blazing crimson fire exploded outward from Judy's position, turning the frigid air searing hot in an instant. The pitch-black earth below was bathed in a blood-red glow, and the once-solid rock ground began to warp and sink like soft mud. Even the corpses of the orc mercenaries lying motionless on the ground burst into flames, reduced to ash in the blink of an eye.
"BOOM!"
As the red ring of fire swept outward, a harsh, ear-splitting screech of metal grinding against something unseen erupted from thin air. A ring of vivid blue light shot skyward, colliding with the red ring and grinding to a halt, deadlocked against its relentless advance. Through the heat-shimmered air, the figures that had vanished reappeared once more. This time, the half-elf's face was no longer the picture of composure. He stared up at the red-haired girl hovering in the sky, his jaw clenched tightly. Behind him, his cavalrymen found themselves rooted to the spot, unable to retreat another step.
"You cannot conceal your soul power… You cannot even adjust the power of your aura?"
Judy finally spoke, her voice as cold as her gaze, laced with unbridled contempt from her lofty vantage point.
The half-elf stared back in equal parts shock and disbelief. The technique he had used was no trivial trick—it drew on the power of his innate aura. He had thought he could slip away without a hitch. But never in his wildest dreams had Kaelan imagined that this dragon knight would also wield an innate aura. By the Divine Light! How was this possible? If she truly was a Gifted Knight, why had he failed to sense her soul power earlier?
For Kaelan, this had been nothing more than a leisurely evening excursion—a post-dinner stroll, nothing more. He had never anticipated encountering an equal here. Wester had a Gifted Knight in its ranks? Why had the Empire's intelligence network failed to uncover this? Something was very wrong here!
As Kaelan reeled from the shock, scrambling to formulate a plan, Judy's voice cut through the air once more.
"So this is the vaunted Scourge General? Go back and master the basics first, novice."
It was a blatant insult, a naked display of disdain.
At those words, the half-elf's eyes narrowed to slits, and for the first time, a flicker of killing intent ignited within them.
"You insolent bitch! How dare you look down on me? No woman has ever dared to spurn me! No woman!!"
Kaelan roared with fury, flipping his wrist to draw the slender sword at his waist and pointing its tip straight at Judy.
"I'll make you regret this, you sow!"
He snarled the words, and the moment they left his lips, a howling gale erupted around him.
But just then, a shadow lashed out at him like a striking viper. Kaelan's eyes widened in alarm—he dodged the black whip by instinct, then spun around to face his attacker.
Ophelia emerged from the raging inferno of dragonfire, her steps slow and deliberate, her face like thunder.
The wind stirred.
Blake stood at the window, watching the clash of red and blue light in the distance, one eyebrow arched faintly.
"Master, it seems Lady Judy has engaged the enemy," Charlotte said, standing quietly behind him and reporting the situation with her usual calm.
"Shall we send reinforcements?"
"No need," Blake replied, shrugging his shoulders and reaching a decision in an instant.
"The Gifted Knights of this era are nothing to fear. Their understanding and mastery of their soul abilities are still in the most rudimentary stages. Judy, however, has spent centuries delving into these powers. When it comes to the combat experience and techniques of a Gifted Knight, even I am not her equal. These fledglings who have barely crossed the threshold are not worth a second glance."
With that, Blake turned away from the window, having lost all interest in the battle unfolding outside. It was no surprise. As Gifted Knights had gradually declined and faded from the world, many of their most advanced techniques had been lost to time. Take the Four Scourge Generals of the Sith Empire, for example—though they possessed the power and signature traits of Gifted Knights, that did not mean they had mastered the true depth of the art. Advanced skills like soul concealment, aura manipulation, power amplification, and will reflection were completely beyond their grasp. They relied mostly on instinct to accumulate combat experience and techniques. And because Gifted Knights possessed overwhelming power, they had never felt the need to pursue such complex combat methods.
But in Blake's eyes, these so-called Gifted Knights were nothing more than amateurs. That was why Blake and his companions could sense the presence of these modern Gifted Knights, yet the latter were completely oblivious to their own soul power. These advanced techniques were not always used directly in battle, but for Gifted Knights of Blake's era, they were as basic as eating and drinking. Otherwise, what was the point of a squad of Gifted Knights launching a sneak attack if their auras gave them away before they even arrived? They would have been doomed to failure from the start.
If the enemy had wielded a law-based aura, Blake might have paid a little more attention. But clearly, the opponent had unleashed an element-based aura—and those were far less concerning. Unlike the cheat-like nature of law-based auras, element-based innate auras demanded an extremely high level of skill from their wielders. That was precisely why Judy had developed such peerless combat prowess.
"Charlotte, bring me a cup of black tea. No sugar."
"At once, Master."
The once dark and tranquil night sky was now torn asunder. Red and blue auras clashed and intertwined, with roaring crimson flames surging everywhere, colliding with sudden gales that swept across the ground, creating an atmosphere growing more and more oppressive with each passing second. Two figures darted across the sky, their movements a blur of clashing steel and swirling elements, meeting and separating in the blink of an eye.
"CLANG!!"
The crisp sound of weapons clashing rang out, and sparks exploded in the darkness. Kaelan roared in anger, swinging his slender sword with all his might—a wave of invisible wind shot forth from the blade, hurtling straight toward Judy. But just as it was about to strike, flames erupted from the girl's body, making the air grow scorching dry. The oncoming gale seemed to hit an invisible barrier of fire, losing all its momentum and power. In the end, it did nothing more than ruffle the flames dancing around her.
"Pathetic."
Judy let out a cold snort, then raised her left hand, swinging her longsword down in a streak of icy light. Flames erupted from the blade, surging toward her opponent.
Faced with Judy's attack, Kaelan had no choice but to grit his teeth and retreat. He had no other option—if she had been an ordinary knight, he would have dismissed her without a second thought. His innate attribute was wind, which was why he had earned the title of the Windbringer. He had never expected this battle to be so difficult. He had thought that even if he encountered these dragon knights, he would be more than a match for them. After all, while dragons were powerful, once he activated his innate aura, he could transform into wind within its range, moving freely and rendering their attacks useless. He had never feared such threats.
But he had not expected to face a fellow Gifted Knight.
Battles between Gifted Knights were inherently dangerous. With both sides wielding innate auras, neither could hope to trap the other within their domain. Thus, once they encountered an equal, Gifted Knights had no choice but to abandon their "my domain, my rules" combat style and engage in direct, head-on confrontation. For Kaelan, losing his greatest advantage—his unmatched mobility—was a severe blow.
To make matters worse, much to Kaelan's frustration, his opponent's attribute was none other than fire.
Wind and fire had always been complementary forces—wind fanned the flames, after all. If Judy had not been a Gifted Knight, Kaelan could have used his power to extinguish her flames with ease. But as a fellow Gifted Knight, the flames Judy commanded were far from ordinary. These flames could not be blown out by wind; instead, the gales only served to fuel them, making them burn even more fiercely, much to her advantage. Coupled with the fact that Judy's combat skills and mastery of her innate aura far surpassed his own, the half-elf found himself growing flustered for the first time in his life. Just moments ago, he had felt her enhance the power of her innate aura—and actively adjust its range of coverage!
How was this possible?
It was completely beyond Kaelan's comprehension. He had never received any training in such techniques, nor had he ever heard of such knowledge. The ability to use his innate aura had come to him instinctively the moment he became a Gifted Knight. Moreover, he had never tasted defeat in battle, so he had never even considered that his innate abilities could be wielded in such a way.
Most intolerable of all for Kaelan was that as Judy's innate aura expanded, the surrounding air was growing thinner and thinner. This not only hindered his ability to manipulate wind but also threatened his very safety. After all, fire required oxygen to burn—and Judy's flames were no ordinary fire, consuming far more oxygen than usual. Kaelan was certain that if this battle dragged on, he would be the one to suffer. He was also somewhat puzzled, though—given her position, the air around Judy should have run out long ago. So why was this woman still able to launch such fierce attacks without showing any signs of fatigue?
Should he retreat?
For the first time ever, Kaelan hesitated.
He glared venomously at the red-haired girl before him, his mind torn with indecision. If he stayed, continuing to fight would only end in disaster. But if he retreated… he could not bring himself to accept it. Ever since he had made a name for himself, no woman had ever dared to treat him with such disdain. And now, the look on this red-haired girl's face was bringing back a memory he had tried so hard to bury—a memory that haunted him to this day.
"You're nothing but a pretty-faced loser! A worthless piece of trash!!"
That was what the woman in his memories had screamed at him, pointing her finger and sneering with unbridled contempt. It was a memory Kaelan could never erase. It was why he had trained so relentlessly, why he had endured a trial that should have killed him—and why he had succeeded. Now, no woman dared to look down on him anymore. No woman dared to stand before him and call him a failure! Almost every woman threw herself at his feet, simpering and begging for his mercy and affection. This was what he wanted! This was what he deserved!
But this woman! This damned woman! How dare she look down on him!
Kaelan's rage was beyond words. He wanted nothing more than to drag her down from that dragon, strip her naked, and press her into the mud—to make her understand who was truly the strongest in this world, and who was the real trash!
But… the last vestiges of his reason told him that he was no match for her—not right now.
With that thought, Kaelan narrowed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and finally made up his mind.
If not now, then later! Just like before!
"WHOOSH!!"
As Judy launched another fierce offensive, Kaelan finally made his move. The air around him began to swirl at an accelerated pace, and a sudden whirlwind materialized out of thin air, enveloping his body and carrying him backward at breakneck speed. Noticing this, Judy raised an eyebrow, then flicked her sword— a tiny spark of flame shot from the tip, piercing straight into the whirlwind. A scream of agony rang out, and the whirlwind suddenly accelerated, vanishing into the night without a trace.
"Pathetic."
Only when the whirlwind had completely disappeared did Judy allow a faint smile to cross her lips. She sheathed her sword, then turned to look at the girl standing beside her.
Ophelia stood there, her face filled with dejection, gazing at her with a sigh.
During Judy's battle with Kaelan, Ophelia had not stood idly by. While dragonfire possessed devastating power, Ophelia's shadow attribute allowed her to shield herself from all harm. With Kaelan's innate aura no longer protecting his men, the cavalrymen had lost their ability to vanish at will. Though they had attempted to flee, they had ultimately failed to escape Ophelia's wrath. Despite their vastly superior combat experience, Ophelia had fought with all the fury of a wronged woman, her black whip lashing out relentlessly, sending the hapless cavalrymen flying through the air, horses and all. Some were thrown into Judy's ring of fire, incinerated instantly. Others were luckier, but still ended up with broken bones and bloodied faces. When faced with an overwhelming gap in power, experience meant nothing at all.
"I'm truly sorry, Lady Judy," Ophelia said, her expression grim. It was no wonder—just moments ago, she had been brimming with confidence, feeling invincible. But fate was cruel and unpredictable. In the span of an instant, all her careful plans had been shattered. Her defenses had proven utterly useless, and her men had been slaughtered without mercy. It was a devastating blow to her confidence.
"I… I—"
"This is not your fault, Lady Ophelia," Judy interrupted gently.
"This was not a failure of your judgment. The enemy's power far exceeded what you are capable of handling."
"But… I—"
Ophelia still struggled to accept the consolation. She was a deeply responsible person, and because of that, failure weighed heavily on her conscience, making it impossible for her to simply brush it off.
"If only I had foreseen this—"
"A Gifted Knight is far beyond your ability to anticipate," Judy said, then paused, realizing her words had come out harsher than intended. She sighed, softening her tone.
"Lady Ophelia, what do you think of my strength?"
"You are very strong," Ophelia replied without the slightest hesitation.
"And what of Ladies Messiah and Semia?"
"They are also very strong."
It was a sentiment she felt deep in her bones.
"Then, Lady Ophelia, think carefully. If Messiah, Semia, and I decided to attack you, would you be able to react in time? Could you defend yourself? Could you predict our movements?"
Ophelia fell silent, her lips pursed. She thought for a moment, then shook her head slowly.
"Exactly," Judy said, letting out a relieved breath and offering her a faint smile.
"This was not a mistake on your part, Lady Ophelia. The enemy was simply too strong. Besides, Lord Blake should have already told you that opponents of the Knight rank are beyond your ability to defeat."
"That… is true," Ophelia nodded. Indeed, during her training with Blake in the Twilight Forest, she had asked a similar question. But Blake's answer had been unequivocal: do not engage, retreat immediately. His reasoning had been that such opponents were far beyond her league, and there was no point in even attempting to test her limits against them.
"Tonight's patrol ends here," Judy said, retracting her aura and glancing at the battlefield, now reduced to a scene of utter devastation.
"I think after this lesson, the enemy will think twice before coming back to cause trouble… Lady Ophelia, I understand how you feel. I am not good with words, but… if you have any doubts or concerns, I believe Lord Blake would be more than willing to offer you some sound advice."
Ophelia fell silent again, the image of that man popping into her mind unbidden. She bit her lower lip gently, then nodded faintly.
"Thank you for your advice, Lady Judy. I think… I understand now."