The battle has begun with a barrage of high-speed attacks. Azar swings his claws like a beast on a rampage while Abel blocks, then proceeds to deliver a strike of his own. Neither of them is dishing out any decisive blows. It's more like they're trying to push each other into revealing their techniques. That's why Azar has decided to conceal his fighting style under an animalistic and brutal technique, giving him the appearance of someone who makes simple moves. This is the best way to conceal his true technique and assess Abel's. From what he can tell, Abel's swordsmanship is refined. Each move he makes serves a purpose and isn't just for show. He wastes no mana either, only using it when necessary, like when defending a blow from Azar. There's also another thing. Every time Azar is about to strike, Abel shifts his sword to the exact place where Azar's claws will be. So Azar decides to increase his speed to reduce the time Abel has to counter, but Abel counters this by changing tactics. Instead of blocking and returning a strike of his own, he uses the side of his blade to redirect Azar's claws downward, pulling the dragon down. Then he kicks Azar in the chin, sending him flying back.
Lucky punk, Azar thinks to himself as he wipes the dirt from his cheek. Close-range attacks aren't working; in fact, they seem to be Abel's specialty, and there's no way Azar will allow the punk to have the upper hand. So he decides to change tactics from a direct fight to mid-range attacks. Azar's claws change back into hands, and he raises them into the air.
"Drago–!?"
Right as he's about to initiate his skill, Dragon Crash, Abel slams his feet into Azar's face and stops the skill from activating. The kick sends Azar back a few feet, but it's nothing he can't recover from. As soon as he regains control, he slams his fist toward Abel's head. Abel manages to block and reduce the impact of the punch, but the shockwave is still strong enough to send him hundreds of feet away from Azar. Heat begins to pour out of Azar's body in violent waves. So much so that Abel wipes the sweat from his face.
"Don't be so mad," Abel says with a smug look on his face. "After all, if it were you, could you say you'd allow me to use a skill?"
Azar doesn't respond. Simply because he knows Abel has a point. Only a fool would allow their opponent to finish activating their skill. In fact, the moment before a person activates their skill is when they are most vulnerable. While it's a bother that he had to be the victim, he has to admit that was smart thinking on Abel's part. But it won't happen twice.
Also—
How did he manage to kick me so fast anyway? The distance between us wasn't large, but it should have taken him a few seconds to reach me. So how did he do it? …Perhaps spatial movement. That's the only option that makes sense.
The option of Abel simply being that fast is not one the dragon will take into consideration. Even if Abel was moving at light speed, Azar would have seen something.
Azar slows down his breathing, and the waves of heat pouring out from him lessen.
Nonetheless, I won't fall for it twice.
With a flap of his wings, Azar flies backward, increasing the distance between him and Abel. Once far enough, without saying a word, he activates Dragon Crash.
---
Azar suddenly distances himself from me. Once far enough, he stops and quickly raises his hand. He's probably about to activate that skill of his, but it's not like I didn't see this coming.
Ahem.
Sorry, I meant we saw this coming.
A calm yet slightly agitated voice answers in my head.
You act as if you predicted this. But since I used the intel you gathered, I suppose I can allow it this time.
That annoyed voice belongs to Khaos. The Astral Skill the Sovereign awakened inside me. Apparently it's always existed within me since I was born, but it couldn't speak to me directly, so it spoke through the system. Now that it's been awakened, it can talk to me directly through my soul. So now, it's kind of like having a second consciousness in my body.
If you don't want to be killed, look up.
Huh?
At Khaos's words, I look up and see a massive fireball the size of a meteor above me. The fireball suddenly scatters into thousands of dragon-shaped fire blasts, each racing toward me like there's no tomorrow.
I attempt to fly away from them, but they follow like hawks. Each time I dodge one of them, it simply stops and then changes course. It's like I'm dealing with a bunch of… of…
Missiles?
Yeah, missiles… wait, what are missiles?
They're self-propelled guided weapons that use wind magic for propulsion, fire magic for heat sensing, and lightning magic to generate a charge powerful enough to cause damage.
And how do you know about this?
You read it in a book your sister gave you a few years ago.
Oh yeah, I remember that. Well, I remember receiving the book. Reading it, not so much. But wait, does that mean you can access my memories of things even if I can't recollect them?
Of course. Do you seriously doubt me now?
Of course not.
Got to hand it to the Sovereign. This wasn't a bad gift at all. But it wouldn't have hurt him to tell me about it. Talk about vague.
Anyway, the flames chase me like missiles, which is pretty annoying. So I decide to try something. I grab the attention of one of the flames and lead it toward another. At the last second, I dodge, and the flames crash into one another. But instead of exploding when they come into contact, the flames combine to form an even bigger and hotter flame dragon that continues to pursue me.
Alright, so that didn't work. Maybe a sword strike will cause some damage.
Shall we use Perfect Control on them?
Wait, I'd rather not reveal any of my cards. Besides, I have a simpler way to do this.
I borrowed a few skills from Shiro earlier and intend to make use of them while I have the chance.
As I'm narrowly dodging the flames, I create balls of water and place them around the sky as if they were stars. Then I use Astra's Body Double skill to create clones of myself to lure the flames into the center of the water balls.
As soon as the last flame enters, I immediately use Shiro's skill Water Beam to create a thin stream of water that cuts through the air and connects with one of the water balls. That ball of water shoots out another beam of water and connects to another water ball. In mere moments, a cage of thin water beams is created. Obviously, the flames can escape from this, but the cage just buys me enough time for my next attack.
I use Dome of Water and shoot the arrow at a random water ball. As soon as I do, a fragment of a barrier forms and connects to the other water balls via Water Beam. These water balls then form their own fragments and connect to others. Before I know it, a full dome of water is formed.
The cage of thin beams was to keep it contained and to allow me to expand the range the water barrier could cover without the risk of it breaking into fragments again, since they were connected by the Water Beam.
See, we don't need Perfect Control to do this.
Look again. The barrier is collapsing.
I glance back.
The dome is already cracking under the heat. The dragon-shaped flames inside aren't just burning — they're violently evaporating the water on contact, turning large parts of the barrier into bursts of steam.
Will you use Perfect Control?
You're just desperate to bust out some power.
...No comment.
Well, the answer is still no. Maybe I can try using Void on it and absorbing the Flame.
That would not be wise. I've done an analysis, and the flame seems to have a unique property to it.
Unique how?
It cannot be negotiated or canceled with any Core Skills, Soul Skills, or Magic, meaning Void is useless in this situation despite its overwhelming power. The only way to vanquish it is to completely cancel it or hit it with a flame of the same temperature. Perfect Control is the only skill capable of that.
I breathe out a sigh as I lament Khaos' words. It's probably not lying about this, so I have no doubt that it's true, but I really want to save my trump card.
...wait, I have a better idea. Wanna hear it out?
I'm listening.
---
While Abel and Khaos confront Azar, Shiro is facing a different kind of problem: how to make someone stop crying. Astra is taking the initiative and occupying the black-haired woman.
Shiro kneels and grabs Claudia's shoulders.
"What's wrong?" he asks the weeping Claudia. But Claudia doesn't respond. It's like she's fallen into some sort of trance. All she keeps doing is weeping like a little girl.
"Shiro. This woman… I know her."
The voice belongs to Astra, who's keeping the black-haired woman busy.
"Really? Who is she?"
"If I recall, her name is Luna Dragonheart. Before I served Lord Abel, she frequently came to visit Mistress Claudia. If my memory is correct, through a certain ritual, she is Mistress Claudia and Lord Abel's older sister."
Sister?
Lord Abel never once mentioned he had any other sibling besides the young mistress. Or perhaps, just like him, Lord Abel didn't know either. Either way, this has now made things more complicated. Why would their own sister come to take the life of her own sibling?
Maybe the shock of this is what's causing her to cry. If not, what else could it be?
"Claudia! Please, Claudia, wake up!" But his voice does nothing to reach the poor girl.
---
A little while back, before Abel arrived, when time was still slowed down, Claudia had come into contact with the big sister she hadn't seen in so long. Her entire home may have been destroyed, but if there was one person who would survive, it was her. She was the toughest person Claudia knew, and now she was right in front of her.
As immature as it was, Claudia wanted to give her the biggest hug she'd ever given, but unfortunately she couldn't move. That was when she finally noticed that Luna seemed to be able to move with little difficulty.
Then Claudia's eyes met Luna's. Instead of finding the warm, sometimes strict but kind eyes she was used to, she was met with the cold, heartless stare of an assassin. This wasn't Luna… at least not the one she knew.
Once she realized this, her first instinct was to run, but she couldn't move.
Then it happened.
The red world suddenly returned to its full color, and time began to move normally.
The moment she realized this, Claudia immediately turned and attempted to run away as quickly as she could. But Luna quickly grabbed her by the arm and pulled her in closer. What Claudia expected to be an attack was instead a hug. A hug that was as warm as the sun, yet gentle like the moon.
But… just now she was… she was…
The hug was brief.
Luna's arms tightened around her for only a few seconds before she pulled back. When Claudia looked up, the cold emptiness in her sister's eyes had been replaced with the kind eyes she was used to. This was the Luna she knew.
Luna quickly grabbed something from the corner of her cloak and gave it to Claudia. Claudia's eyes widened when she saw the item. It's Luna's Dragon Claw.
Spiritual energy is energy that comes directly from the soul. Once used, it cannot be replenished. So when someone uses spiritual energy, they are basically giving up a part of themselves. Luna's Dragon Claw was made using Luna's spiritual energy. It was very precious to her, and she wouldn't give it to Claudia for no reason.
"Why are you—?"
But Luna cuts her off midway.
"You must give it to him. Give it to Noir. Tell him to stab my father with it. Please, Claudia, I'm trusting you."
The very moment Luna finishes her sentence, she touches the blade, and it starts to glow with a crimson hue that shines like a star.
But wait… who's Noir? And why do I have to give this to him? Big sister, what's going on?
Claudia tries to ask, but suddenly she feels her consciousness slowly being pulled away from her. It's like being dragged into an endless darkness with no way of escaping.
The last thing she sees is a figure in crimson armor. It is holding a sword that is also glowing. The moment the armored figure raises the sword, Claudia loses consciousness.
Or so she thinks. Indeed, she can't hear or see anything happening outside. Instead, it is replaced with something else.
A warm room lit by firelight. Rain taps against the windows of a mountain estate. A little girl with black hair sleeps peacefully between her parents.
And that is when the memories—and the tears—begin to flow