Amid the rising tension, the dragon's agonized roar echoed in the distance, accompanied by the sounds of countless clashes unfolding across the battlefield.
Standing firmly amidst the chaos was Aldous, facing an opponent who seemed impossible to overcome...
He cracked his knuckles with determination, adjusted his stance, and prepared himself.
Meanwhile, Valerius was still struggling to comprehend what had just happened.
He slowly rose to his feet, his eyes unable to believe what they had witnessed. Turning toward Aldous, he stared at him with a gaze filled with confusion and disbelief.
His lips moved on their own...
"You..."
"What have you done to him...???"
"How dare you deceive that boy???"
His voice gradually darkened...
"You are monsters."
"And monsters deserve to die."
Aldous frowned, completely baffled by his words...
"Listen," he said firmly...
"I've said this before, and I'll say it one last time."
"I don't know who you are..."
"I don't know why you're attacking us..."
"But I won't forgive you..."
For a brief moment, uncertainty flashed across Valerius' face, as if he was about to ask something important.
But a magma-coated fist arrived before the question ever could...
Transcendent Fist!!!
A direct strike.
Or so Aldous believed...
Valerius barely managed to intercept it and was forced several steps backward.
He closed his eyes...
Then whispered softly, a voice audible only to the two of them.
"The time for negotiation is over..."
His body ignited...
Nine Flame Arts — Third Art: Ignited Body...
The battlefield erupted...
A storm of blazing fists descended upon Aldous.
Countless strikes...
An endless barrage...
A relentless inferno...
The air itself became unbearable as waves of heat spread across the battlefield...
Yet the final blow belonged to Valerius.
A crushing punch struck Aldous directly and forced him backward.
Without hesitation, Valerius lunged forward to finish the exchange.
But suddenly—
A grin stretched across Aldous' face.
A grin so wide it nearly reached his ears.
Valerius instantly sensed danger...
Too late.
Aldous grabbed his leg.
Then slammed him violently into the ground.
The impact shook the surrounding area.
Without wasting a moment, Aldous tightened his grip and launched another concentrated strike...
But before it could connect—
An overwhelming force descended upon him...
Gravity...
Aldous was slammed into the earth...
Valerius regained his footing and slowly approached...
Aldous struggled beneath the immense pressure, his body trembling as he fought against the crushing force...
Valerius stopped before him...
A mocking smile appeared on his face...
"What happened to that confident smile of yours???"
His voice echoed...
Nine Flame Arts — Fifth Art: Miniature Sun...
The moment those words were spoken, Aldous' expression changed...
Instantly...
Danger...
Pure danger...
Valerius condensed a blazing sphere of destructive heat within his palm.
Then prepared to strike...
But before he could—
A massive stone pillar erupted from beneath him and launched the attack off course.
At that same moment, a whisper reached his ears...
"This is all I needed..."
A magma-infused fist crashed into him from behind.
Valerius failed to react in time.
The strike sent him stumbling several steps away...
Only after regaining his balance did he notice the burn mark spreading across the back of his shoulder.
His eyes narrowed.
"I need to be careful."
"That strike was rushed..."
"And it was merely a warning..."
The words remained unspoken, existing only within his thoughts.
Meanwhile, Aldous was focused on a single realization...
The Fifth Art...
I cannot afford to take that attack head-on...
And the fact that he possesses gravity as well...
That's outright cheating.
A dangerous opponent...
Both warriors smiled...
Not out of amusement.
But out of recognition.
Because both had reached the exact same conclusion.
This is no ordinary enemy...
In the next instant—
They vanished.
A collision here.
A clash there...
Shockwaves exploded throughout the battlefield...
Then—
At the exact same moment.
Both abandoned defense.
Aldous unleashed a magma-coated kick.
Valerius answered with a gravity-enhanced flaming punch.
Impact...
A thunderous explosion erupted as both were hurled away from each other...
The moment Aldous raised his head—
Another fist was already approaching...
The same devastating attack...
He attempted to evade...
But gravity bound him in place...
A crushing blow struck directly...
Aldous was launched backward and slammed violently into the ground...
Slowly, painfully, he forced himself back onto his feet.
Blood spilled from his mouth.
He gasped desperately for air.
Each breath felt heavier than the last.
Meanwhile, the sound of Valerius' footsteps echoed across the battlefield.
Steady.
Calm.
Unstoppable...
Like the ticking of a final clock.
Rocks began floating around him as he advanced.
A confident smile rested upon his face...
"What a disappointment..."
"I thought I had finally found someone worthy...."
Yet despite his condition—
Aldous smiled.
Without saying a word...
A colossal stone wall suddenly emerged behind Valerius.
The warrior immediately noticed it and prepared to evade...
But Aldous was already moving.
His magma-coated fist surged forward.
Valerius attempted to leap away.
Then realized—
His feet would not move...
A pool of semi-solidified magma had trapped him in place...
His eyes widened...
That bastard...
Then—
BOOM.
A double impact shook the battlefield...
Nearby, Zak observed the fight while exchanging blows with Saon...
A smirk appeared beneath his expression...
"Heh..."
"Everything is proceeding according to plan..."
At that exact moment, Saon's blade grazed him...
A shallow cut...
Nothing more...
Zak clicked his tongue in annoyance...
"Tch..."
"You're irritating..."
Purple, twisted energy wrapped itself around his blade...
Saon merely stared through the mask that concealed his face...
No reaction...
No emotion...
Only silence...
Elsewhere...
The battle between Araki and Lorian had reached a critical stage...
Araki was visibly growing irritated.
Lorian laughed.
"It seems you've finally lost your composure..."
"Where's that overwhelming confidence from earlier???"
"Did merely hearing that name make you tremble???"
The moment those words left his mouth, Araki's expression darkened...
His anger intensified...
Then—
He suddenly stopped...
Took a deep breath...
And smiled.
"Heh..."
"It seems our old friend spent more time than I thought doing something other than searching for his family..."
Lorian's eyes sharpened...
"Indeed."
Flames engulfed his sword...
He surged forward...
And drove the blade directly into Araki's right shoulder.
The strike landed cleanly.
But instead of retreating—
Araki grabbed the sword and locked it in place within his own flesh...
Then he smiled...
A terrifying smile.
Without warning—
He bit down...
Crunch...
Two of Lorian's fingers vanished between his teeth...
Lorian immediately retreated, horror filling his face as blood poured from his wounded hand...
His body trembled...
His eyes widened...
He stared at Araki in disbelief...
"You..."
"You monster!!!"
Araki merely smiled...
Then casually tossed the sword back toward him...
His sharp yellow eyes gleamed...
His blood-covered mouth twisted into a horrifying grin, revealing rows of unnatural fangs...
Then he spoke...
A voice that no longer sounded entirely human...
"The outcome..."
"Was decided..."
"The moment you set foot in this place..."