The Battle Begins
The red dragon moved first.
Without a roar.
Without a warning.
Its massive body vanished in a burst of crimson mana.
BOOM!
The ground shattered beneath where it had stood.
Ebruhan's instincts screamed.
He launched himself skyward an instant before a gigantic claw ripped through the space where his chest had been.
SWOOOSH!
The shockwave alone tore apart the ruined street below.
"Fast...!"
Still climbing, Ebruhan gathered blue mana between his jaws.
The energy compressed until it shone like a miniature star.
He fired.
BOOOOM!!
A blazing sphere of blue mana streaked toward the red dragon.
The crimson dragon didn't dodge.
A translucent scarlet barrier unfolded before it.
CRASH!!
The explosion engulfed the battlefield.
Smoke billowed across the ruined town.
When it cleared—
The barrier remained intact.
Not even a crack.
The red dragon smiled.
"So that's the famous Royal Dragon."
"...I've seen fireworks that were more impressive."
Crimson light gathered between its horns.
Before Ebruhan could react—
BOOM!!
A crimson mana blast erupted.
Ebruhan crossed his forelegs, throwing up a shield.
The impact hit like a mountain.
CRACK!
Blue fractures raced across the barrier.
An instant later—
SHATTER!!
The shield exploded into fragments of light.
The blast hurled Ebruhan through the air.
The red dragon didn't give him time to recover.
It accelerated after him.
Its enormous body cut through the sky with terrifying speed.
A claw descended.
Ebruhan twisted away.
The talons grazed his shoulder, tearing away several blue scales.
Before he could regain his balance—
WHAM!!
The red dragon's tail slammed into his ribs and Ebruhan crashed through the roof of a ruined house.
BOOOOM!!
Stone and timber erupted into the air.
Pain surged through his body.
He forced himself upright—
Just in time to see a massive shadow descending.
The red dragon.
It crashed down like a falling mountain.
Ebruhan rolled aside.
CRAAASH!!
The impact left a crater where he'd been lying.
Dust swept across the battlefield.
The red dragon emerged from the cloud without a scratch.
"You dodge well."
Its voice remained calm.
"But you're spending all your strength surviving."
Then it attacked again.
This time there was no hesitation.
Claw.
Tail.
Wing.
Every movement flowed into the next with brutal precision.
Ebruhan met the assault head-on.
Blue mana wrapped around his claws.
He deflected one strike.
Slipped beneath another.
Countered with a slash that carved sparks across crimson scales—
But failed to break through.
The red dragon barely acknowledged the hit.
Its foreleg swept sideways.
BOOM!!
Ebruhan blocked—
Too late.
The impact hurled him across the street.
His claws dug furrows through broken stone before he finally stopped.
He inhaled sharply.
"Its physical strength..."
"...It's overwhelming."
The red dragon advanced with measured steps.
"That all?"
It looked almost disappointed.
"I expected more from the kingdom's guardian."
Blue mana gathered around Ebruhan once more.
His breathing had grown heavier.
But his eyes remained steady.
"I don't need praise..."
"...from someone slaughtering innocent people."
For the first time—
The red dragon's smile disappeared.
"Innocent?"
It laughed quietly.
"What an amusing word."
In a blur of crimson, it lunged again.
Ebruhan transformed mid-charge.
Blue light engulfed him.
His dragon form collapsed into his human body.
A blade of condensed mana formed along his arm.
SHING!
He slashed upward.
The mana blade carved across the red dragon's chest.
A shallow wound opened.
The first blood of the battle.
The red dragon blinked.
"...Not bad."
Then its claws flashed.
Ebruhan barely raised a barrier.
CRAAACK!!
The shield buckled.
Another strike.
BOOM!!
The barrier fractured.
A third.
SHATTER!!
The blue shield exploded.
Before Ebruhan could retreat—
A massive claw crashed into him.
BOOOOM!!
He slammed into the ground hard enough to leave a crater.
His mana blade dispersed.
Blue light engulfed him as he instinctively returned to his dragon form.
He tried to rise—
The red dragon's foreleg came down on his chest.
THUD!!
The earth groaned beneath the weight.
Ebruhan strained with every muscle.
The enormous claw didn't move an inch.
Blood trickled between his scales.
The red dragon looked down at him.
"So this..."
"...is the kingdom's last line of defense."
Its voice carried neither anger nor excitement.
Only disappointment.
"I almost feel cheated."
It leaned closer.
"There is still time for you, you know?"
"Swear loyalty to me."
"Help me erase this kingdom."
"And I'll let you live."
Ebruhan coughed, blood staining the stone beneath him.
Then—
He smiled.
"Over.."
He trying to life the paw up
"My death body"
The red dragon sighed.
"So be it."
Crimson mana gathered around its foreleg.
The pressure increased.
Stone cracked beneath Ebruhan's body.
His vision blurred.
His royal crest pulsed desperately, trying to heal injuries faster than they were appearing.
It wasn't enough.
Darkness crept into the edge of his sight.
Then—
BOOM!!
Something struck the red dragon from the side and red dragon staggered half a step.
Its claw lifted from Ebruhan's chest.
"...Hm?"
The red dragon slowly turned.
Standing between the ruined buildings—
Black scales glistened beneath the gray sky.
Purple mana shimmered around her body.
Mia.
She walked forward without taking her eyes off the crimson dragon.
Then she glanced down at Ebruhan.
Blood.
Broken scales.
Labored breathing.
Her expression hardened.
She looked back at the red dragon.
"...Did you do this?"
"That not very nice!"
The red dragon studied her for a long moment.
Then a slow smile spread across its face.
"...Interesting."
Its crimson eyes gleamed.
"Such dense mana..."
"And so young."
It chuckled.
"Perhaps this battle has become worth my time after all."
Mia lowered her stance.
Purple mana began flowing around her claws.
Behind her, Ebruhan forced out a strained warning.
"...Mia..."
"Leave..."
She didn't even look back.
"No"
Her eyes remained locked on the crimson dragon.
"I won't let you die here"
The wind swept across the shattered battlefield.
Blue mana flickered weakly behind her.
Purple mana rose around her like smoke.
Crimson flames danced around the red dragon.
Red dragon lowered himself it attack stance
A grin spread across its face.
"Oh... this should be entertaining."
Without another word—
It vanished.
BOOM!
Its enormous claw crashed toward Mia.
Her instincts reacted immediately as she castes a dark-purple barrier in front of her.
CRASH!
The impact shook the battlefield.
The shield bent inward under the force.
A second strike came before she could recover.
BOOM!!
CRACK!
The barrier shattered like glass.
The shockwave hurled Mia backward.
CRASH!
She tore through one ruined house.
Then another.
Then vanished beneath a mountain of stone and timber.
The red dragon snorted dismissively before turning away.
Its attention returned to Ebruhan.
The blue dragon was forcing himself to stand.
Blood dripped from dozens of wounds.
Before he could regain his footing—
CRUNCH!!
Massive jaws closed around his torso.
"GRRAH"
The dragon shook him violently like prey before flinging him across the battlefield.
BOOM!!
His body smashed into a tree.
The trunk split down the middle.
Ebruhan collapsed to the ground.
This time...
He didn't get back up.
The red dragon slowly turned toward the pile of rubble where Mia had disappeared.
A cruel smile crossed its face.
"Now..."
Its voice was almost gentle.
"You can watch her die."
Silence.
Then—
ROOOOOAAARRR!!
A furious roar exploded across the battlefield.
The rubble erupted.
A black blur shot into the sky.
Stone and dust scattered in every direction as Mia burst free like a meteor.
One beat.
Two.
Then—
BOOOOOM!!
She became a streak of black lightning.
The red dragon barely managed to react.
A crimson barrier appeared around its body—
Too late.
Mia's mana-coated head slammed directly into it.
CRAAAAACK!!
The barrier fractured from the sheer impact.
The enormous dragon slid backward, gouging trenches through the earth with its claws.
For the first time...
Surprise crossed its face.
Then—
"Oh?"
"Hahaha..."
The dragon laughed
"That..."
It lifted its head.
"...was impressive."
Its remaining eye locked onto Mia.
"But do you honestly believe anger makes you stronger?"
Its wings spread slowly.
"That fantasy belongs in children's stories."
It launched itself to Mia, then,
BOOM!!
Its head slammed directly into Mia.
The collision was overwhelming and her vision exploded into white.
Every bone in her body screamed as she was launched backward like a ragdoll.
CRASH!!
One building collapsed.
CRASH!!
Another.
Then another.
Five ruined buildings crumbled in succession before she finally skipped across the street and came to a stop.
Dust rolled through the air.
"...Ugh..."
Mia pushed herself onto one knee.
The entire world spun around her.
"Okay..."
She shook her head.
"...that asshole hits like a truck."
Heavy footsteps echoed through the smoke.
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
The red dragon approached without hurry.
Like a predator certain its prey could no longer escape.
Mia narrowed her eyes and mana surged through her body.
Dark-purple light gathered around her horns and claws.
Before the dragon could attack—
She exploded forward.
At the same time—
Dozens of mana spikes materialized around her.
SHHK!
SHHK!
SHHK!
The entire volley shot forward.
The red dragon immediately cast another crimson barrier to incoming spikes
The spikes struck—
Then... They passed through the barrier like it was no there,
Red dragon eyes widened in susprise,
"...What?"
SHHK!
One spike pierced its chest.
Another ripped through its shoulder.
Three carved bloody lines across its wings.
The last one—
Drove straight into its left eye.
"AAAAARGH!!"
The dragon staggered backward, clutching its face.
Blood poured between its claws.
Its roar shook the battlefield.
Its remaining eye glared at Mia with murderous fury.
"GRRAH.. so.. you can pierce mana barriers."
Crimson mana erupted violently around its body.
"...Then I simply won't rely on them anymore."
ROOOOOAAARRR!!
Its fury exploded.
The dragon lunged.
The ground burst apart beneath every step.
Its jaws snapped shut.
CRUNCH!!
Mia twisted aside just in time.
The teeth missed her by inches.
She beat her wings and shot skyward.
"Run all you like!"
Crimson light ignited along the dragon,
SHHK!
SHHK!
SHHK!
A storm of crimson mana spikes filled the sky.
Mia dodged the first.
The second.
The third—
The fourth pierced straight through her left wing.
"arrgh"
Agony exploded through her body.
Her flight collapsed instantly.
BOOM!!
She slammed into the street hard enough to crater the stone.
Before she could move—
A massive shadow swallowed her and the red dragon crashed down on top of Mia body
The earth shattered beneath its weight.
Mia groan as her body being crushed under the enormous weight of red dragon.
Every breath became a struggle.
It leaned close.
Its remaining eye burned with hatred.
"I'm going to kill you..."
Its voice became almost a whisper.
"...slowly."
SHING!!
A flash of blue crossed the battlefield.
The red dragon froze.
For a heartbeat...
Nothing happened.
Then—
SPLASH!!
Blood erupted into the air.
Its entire right foreleg slid from its shoulder before crashing onto the ground.
"AAAAARRRGHH!!"
The dragon stumbled away.
Standing behind it—
In human form—
Was Ebruhan.
His breathing was ragged.
Blood covered nearly every inch of his body.
Yet his mana blade still burned brilliantly in his hand.
His gaze never wavered.
"Get..."
He took one slow step forward.
"...away from her."
The red dragon clutched the stump where its arm had once been.
Its expression twisted into pure hatred.
"Insects..."
Crimson mana erupted around its body like wildfire.
"I WILL SLAUGHTER YOU BOTH!!"
Mia forced herself upright.
Pain shot through every muscle.
She glanced at the hole in her wing.
Already...
Dark scales were knitting back together.
Good.
Then her eyes shifted toward the enemy.
The severed arm was regenerating into new limp.
Even the destroyed eye socket was slowly rebuilding itself.
"...You've got to be kidding me."
Ebruhan stepped in front of her.
Still in human form.
Still bleeding.
His breathing grew heavier with every second.
"Mia..."
His voice was strained.
"Leave."
She blinked.
"What?"
Before either could say another word—
The red dragon tilted its head back.
Crimson fire gathered deep inside its throat.
Ebruhan's eyes widened.
"Oh, no..."
ROOOOOOOAAARRR!!
A colossal stream of dragon fire erupted toward them.
Ebruhan thrust out one hand.
A blue barrier expanded instantly.
BOOOOOOM!!
The inferno struck with the force of a tidal wave.
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
His arms trembled violently.
Seeing him struggle—
Mia casted the second barrier unfolded over the first.
Dark purple layered atop brilliant blue.
The combined shield barely held.
Ebruhan looked at her.
"I told you to run!"
She gritted her teeth.
"And leave you here alone?!"
She shoved more mana into the barrier.
"Yeah... screw that."
CRACK.
Hairline fractures spread across both barriers.
The flames continued pouring against them.
Step by step—
The red dragon advanced.
Forcing the inferno closer.
Ebruhan poured everything he had left into his shield.
"Hold...!"
CRACK!
Another fracture.
Then another.
Finally—
SHATTER!!
His barrier exploded apart.
Only Mia's remained.
Her shield flared brighter.
The dragon breath slammed against it relentlessly as Mia holding it,
"Any ideas?!"
Instead of answering—
Ebruhan slammed his fist into the floor.
BOOM!!
Again.
BOOM!!
One last time.
CRAAACK!!
The ground beneath them collapsed.
Only then did Mia realize—
They had been standing on the remains of a ruined house.
Below it—
A cellar.
Both of them dropped into the darkness just as the dragon breath swept overhead.
The ceiling shook violently.
Dust and debris rained around them.
Mia exhaled sharply.
"...How are we supposed to kill that thing?"
"It regenerates even faster than we do."
Ebruhan took one deep breath.
"The heart."
He looked at her.
"Every dragon's mana core is inside the heart."
"Destroy the core..."
"It dies."
Mia blinked.
"...That's the whole plan?"
A faint grin appeared on Ebruhan's exhausted face.
"...That's the plan."
Then his expression hardened.
"Move!"
They burst back through the broken ceiling.
The instant they emerged—
Both attacked.
Hundreds of mana spikes filled the air.
Ebruhan's blue spikes struck the crimson barrier—
CRASH!
They shattered instantly.
But Mia's dark spikes...
Passed through as though it wasn't there.
The red dragon's eye widened.
Several spikes tore into its chest.
Others buried themselves deep into its side.
The dragon roared in frustration.
Enraged—
It launched itself straight at Mia.
She dodged once.
Twice—
Then its claw closed around her body.
"Got you."
Its grip tightened painfully.
The dragon folded its wings and plunged toward the ground.
Wind screamed past them.
Crimson fire gathered inside its jaws.
Point-blank dragon breath.
In the meantime, mana continued gathering beneath Mia scales.
Ebruhan rushed after them.
"LET HER GO!!"
Mana blade raised—
He closed the distance.
Too late.
The dragon's tail lashed backward.
It wrapped around him like a whip.
BOOM!!
He slammed into the earth.
Again.
BOOM!!
And again.
BOOM!!
His mana blade flew from his grasp.
The red dragon laughed.
"This ends now."
Its jaws glowed brighter,
The purple glow around Mia grew brighter with each passing second.
"Perhaps in your next life you'll learn your place—"
SHHHKKKK!!
A colossal mana spike erupted from below.
Red dragon eyes widened, but before he can do anything, It tore clean through the dragon's heart, then it tip pierced straight out of it neck,
Everything stopped.
"...What..."
Blood flooded from its mouth.
Only then did it realize—
Throughout the entire fight—
While distracting it with dozens of smaller spikes—
Mia had been quietly pouring mana into a single, massive spike beneath the battlefield.
She had been charging it the entire time.
Its grip loosened.
She looked up at the dying dragon.
"...You talk way too much."
For the first time since the battle began—
The red dragon looked genuinely shocked.
Its mouth opened.
No words came out.
Only blood.
Its body swayed.
A wet choking sound escaped its throat.
Then—he stumbled back serval meters away and then.
THUUUD.
The enormous dragon collapsed.
Silence returned.
Only Mia's ragged breathing broke it.
Ebruhan slowly climbed to his feet.
Bruised.
Bleeding.
Barely standing.
He walked over to her, turning his back to dead dragon
"You okay?"
Before she could answer—
The red dragon corpse moved.
Its eyes snapped opened
With the last of its life—
The dragon lunged.
Claws outstretched.
"Ebruhan!!"
Without hesitation—
Mia slammed him away with her snout.
SLASH!!
The claws carved across her body.
Agony consumed her.
The world spun.
Darkness swallowed her vision.
And everything...
Went black.