Since his academy days, Zach's goal had never changed.
He had always wanted to follow in his late father's footsteps-the legendary dragon warrior who had beco one of the Magus Alliance's most feared heroes on the battlefield.
For Zach, life-and-death combat had never been sothing to avoid.
It was the hamr that forged him.
Each battlefield hardened his body and refined his soul. Endless wars, dangerous missions, and relentless training shaped him into the warrior he had beco today.
His unyielding valor, extraordinary talent, and the overwhelming power of his dragon bloodline allowed him to rise rapidly through both cultivation and military rank. When he finally broke through into the Grand Magus realm, his achievents on the battlefield quickly distinguished him from others.
Not long afterward, he was promoted.
Zach Talon beca the youngest Major in the Magus Alliance military.
With higher rank ca greater responsibility.
And greater danger.
He was constantly sent to confront stronger enemies, more brutal battlefields, and missions that ordinary grand magi would never survive. Yet those
challenges also brought him opportunities-rare rewards, secret techniques, and the chance to temper his bloodline further.
Recently, Zach had reached another breakthrough.
His dragon lineage had evolved.
[Bahamut Pri]
The advancent pushed his bloodline to Rank 8, granting him the power needed to step into the Second Cosmos Realm.
With that breakthrough, Zach successfully completed the fifth stage of the Cosmic Bridge and entered the ranks of the Union Elite Top 100. It was there that he first heard whispers of a rising challenger whose na had begun spreading across the Virtual Palace.
Twilight Wolf.
When Zach learned the identity behind that alias, he felt both excitent and anticipation.
Now, standing in the arena across from Ery, Zach felt that sa thrill burning in his chest.
"This fight is exactly what I need!" Zach declared as draconic flas erupted around him.
Ery smiled.
"No," he responded calmly. "I won't be your muse anymore."
He raised Excalibur.
"This is the day you finally lose."
With that declaration, Ery ready to unleashed his half-primal transformation.
At the sa mont, Zach slamd his massive sword into the ground.
A wave of crimson flas erupted around him.
[Bahamut Transformation]
Crimson scales spread across his body like living armor while blazing dragon fire roared behind him, forming the terrifying silhouette of a colossal dragon.
The true fight had begun.
HOWLL
A thunderous howl erupted from his chest as the power of the Star Devouring Beast surged through his body. Dark primal energy coiled around his limbs like living shadows, and the overwhelming pressure of the ancient beast forced even Zach to instinctively brace himself.
The dragon prince's eyes widened slightly.
"Such a beast... incredible."
Then they moved again.
Both warriors charged forward.
The clash exploded like thunder.
Steel collided with steel while fire and darkness erupted across the bridge. Each strike carried terrifying power, yet neither side managed to gain the upper hand.
Both were forced back.
Both were wounded.
Realizing brute strength alone would not decide the battle, Zach changed his approach.
Instead of relying purely on physical attacks, he began weaving draconic flas into his combat style. Massive serpentine fire constructs erged from the battlefield, roaring through the air as they attacked Ery from multiple angles.
Ery quickly discovered an unexpected problem.
His half-primal transformation, while vastly increasing his physical strength, interfered with his ability to cast complex spells. The wild energy of the Star Devouring Beast made delicate spell control extrely difficult.
Watching Zach summon two enormous draconic fla entities to assist him, Ery briefly considered summoning his own allies-Killgragah and
Daurgototh.
But when he attempted the spell, nothing happened.
The failure cost him dearly.
Whether it was his lack of concentration or the Virtual Palace recognizing the Khaos guardians as independent entities, the summoning simply refused to
activate.
That single mont of distraction proved disastrous.
Zach seized the opportunity instantly.
BOOOMM!
A massive explosion erupted as Zach's flaming strike slamd directly into
Ery's defense.
Ery was thrown backward through the air, his body engulfed in burning draconic flas. The fire clung to his flesh like a living curse, continuing to
burn even after the initial attack ended.
These were True Dragon Flas.
To extinguish them, Ery had to summon the restorative power of the Elysian
Tree, allowing its natural energy to wash over his body and cleanse the
lingering fire.
Yet Zach did not give him ti to recover.
The dragon prince charged forward imdiately, continuing his assault with
relentless pressure.
Ery responded by activating his Battlefield Domain, trying to slow Zach's movents through spatial compression.
Zach answered in kind.
His own battlefield domain manifested-but unlike Ery's wide area control,
Zach condensed his domain entirely within his draconic aura. The concentrated field acted like armor, allowing him to resist the crushing
pressure of Ery's domain.
Ery's eyes flashed with fascination.
What an ingenious use of domain power.
The two resud their sword exchange.
Clash after clash echoed across the arena, sparks and flas exploding with
every collision.
Once again, neither side gained a decisive advantage.
Yet another problem soon surfaced.
Excalibur.
The divine sword began resisting Ery's movents again. This strange
reaction had occurred several tis during his training-whenever he attempted to channel primal beast energy through the blade, the weapon seed reluctant to cooperate.
Zach, by contrast, demonstrated perfect harmony.
His dragon bloodline, greatsword, and combat techniques all flowed together
seamlessly.
Again and again, Ery was forced backward.
Cuts erged across his body, though his agility prevented any fatal injuries.
Still-
He was losing ground.
"No..."
Ery tightened his grip on Excalibur.
"I won't lose again."
He forced the sword to respond through sheer will.
Ery tightened his grip on Excalibur, forcing the legendary blade to remain
steady in his hands through sheer willpower.
"Obey !!"
The thought echoed in his mind as he gathered every ounce of strength he had
left.
Without hesitation, Ery activated his Fourfold Dawn Mirror Shield. Four radiant barriers manifested around him in rapid succession, forming layered defensive panels that shimred with twilight light. The shields would not last long against Zach's relentless power, but they would buy him the ti he
needed.
Within those few precious seconds, Ery began channeling all the primal energy inside his body into a single technique.
Deep within his soul, the Star Devouring Beast stirred.
Then it roared.
The ancient beast's will surged through Ery's veins, filling his arms with
savage power as the technique began to form.
[Star-Rending Cleaves]
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