The bolt from the Thunderbolt Pernoa surged through the onslaught of Breath, undeterred by its immense power. It maintained its course, piercing through the chaotic tempest. Meanwhile, Eugene shielded himself from the residual shockwave of the Breath using Gedon's Shield.
The shield possessed the ability to nullify anything it intercepted, but Eugene remained uncertain about directly blocking the breath attack, even with Gedon's Shield. Furthermore, he doubted his ability to withstand the tremendous mana depletion that would accompany such a feat.
He strategically evaded direct hits, prioritizing blocking the attacks that threatened to pull him closer. Eugene cleared his mind of any unnecessary thoughts, including those concerning Vermouth, the Moonlight Sword, and the Demon King of Destruction. Dwelling on such matters was futile. His sole objective now was to eliminate the Demonic Dragon.
Eugene pressed forward, defying the relentless onslaught of Raizakia's attacks. Amidst the chaos, he caught sight of the Black Dragon suspended in the midst of the enveloping darkness. To his surprise, Raizakia showed no signs of astonishment at Eugene's unscathed advancement. Instead, a twisted smile curved upon the dragon's lips, his eyes gleaming with sinister delight.
Fwoosh!
Raizakia's tattered and ragged wings unfurled, unleashing a tempestuous flurry of Dark Energy. The destructive force cascaded down upon Eugene like a torrential storm.
Eugene could not hear Tempest’s voice. As he feared, the Spirit Kings seemed to have no influence in this space. But even if he had Tempest’s help, Eugene knew it would have been impossible to counter the storm with one of his own.
It was impossible for him to break through from the front. He could block the dragon’s attacks with Gedon’s Shield, but he didn’t want to unnecessarily consume his mana.
What about leaping through space? Was it possible? In the short moment he had, he calculated the possibility. It wasn’t impossible. The coordinates were set up, and although a small error would throw him outside to a distant dimension, Eugene couldn't possibly make any errors.
The feathers of Prominence shone brilliantly, and Eugene passed through the storm of Dark Power through a series of leaps. He came to land right next to Raizakia’s head, and when he glanced sideways, he saw Raizakia’s unmoving eyes fixated on him.
Eugene stabbed the Moonlight Sword into Raizakia’s eye with a loud shout.
Craaaack!
The clash between the radiant light of the Moonlight Sword and the malevolent Dark Power emanating from Raizakia created a dazzling spectacle. The ominous moonlight started to erode and consume the corrupting influence of the Dark Power. Sensing the opportune moment, Eugene swiftly sheathed the Moonlight Sword within the protective layers of the Empty Sword, channeling his focus and determination into a decisive counterattack.
But Raizakia had no intention of standing still.
Boom!
A massive force pushed Eugene. It wasn’t simply Dark Power, but magic.
‘Draconic.’
To Eugene's relief, the combined effects of the overlapping Ignition, the protective properties of the Holy Sword, and the divine blessing of the rosary shielded him from any physical harm. The tremendous power he had harnessed through Ignition granted him a heightened resilience, allowing him to withstand the brunt of Raizakia's assault.
“You play petty tricks,” said Raizakia with a smile.
Wooooooo!
The darkness surrounding Raizakia pulsated with eerie energy. Without uttering a word, the Black Dragon commenced a silent invocation of a Draconic spell, seeking to manipulate and disrupt the very fabric of space that enveloped them.
“Did you really think that a mundane spell cast by a human would work against a dragon, the progenitor of magic? I’ve never seen any magic like yours before, but I’ve already figured it out. You’re using the feathers as coordinates,” continued Raizakia. The feathers of Prominence began to vibrate along with the space. “Now, try your little trick again, that is, if you can.”
“Fucking bastard,” Eugene spat while straightening his posture. He discerned Raizakia's nefarious scheme.
The Black Dragon's manipulation of space was causing a disruption, a deliberate attempt to destabilize the coordinates of Prominence. Eugene realized the perilous predicament he would face if he dared to employ his feathered leap once more. It would only lead him straight into Raizakia's treacherous snare, casting him into an uncharted dimension.
“You must find it difficult to deal with, hmm?” Eugene replied.
“Hahaha! Difficult to deal with? Me? Hamel, you’re trying to provoke me. Don’t be mistaken. I just don’t want you to run away,” Raizakia chuckled, his voice laced with sinister amusement. He exhaled with a chilling demeanor, no longer displaying the overwhelming surge of Dark Power as before. Instead, his breath condensed swiftly into a formidable attack, piercing through the fabric of space with precision.
Eugene could not leap through space. So instead, he escaped the attack while accelerating himself using Lightning Flash.
Raizakia unleashed a consecutive series of Breaths, clearly seeking to limit Eugene’s movements and deliberately lead him in a particular direction. It was an obvious trick. Eugene narrowly avoided the attacks while recharging the Empty Sword with mana.
He didn’t bother dodging all the attacks like last time since the weakened versions of Breath did not possess the same power as before.
Eugene moved forward while cutting through the attacks.
Unfortunately, the breath attack was considered a basic and straightforward weapon for a dragon. Raizakia, being a battle-tested veteran, possessed the knowledge and skill to manipulate Draconic magic, enabling him to manifest entirely new forms of magical attacks.
The oppressive darkness enveloping Eugene intensified as if the weight of the entire world was bearing down upon him. Sensing the immense pressure, Eugene swiftly pivoted his body and swung the Moonlight Sword with precision. In the midst of his maneuver, Raizakia's attacks closed in, encircling Eugene within their menacing reach.
Fwoosh!
A sudden burst of light aimed for Eugene’s blind spot.
Eugene held his breath and swung his arm. Instead of countering with an attack of his own, he had chosen to block the light with Gedon’s Shield. As soon as it came into contact, the light disappeared. However, Raizakia wasn’t quite finished yet.
Hundreds, or rather, thousands of tiny dots, materialized in the darkness. The dots moved shrewdly, scattering throughout the space.
“Will you dodge this, or will you block it?” taunted the Black Dragon as beams of light erupted from the scattered points.
The beams of lights were highly condensed Dark Power. Although it was an attack that couldn’t be seen through with the naked eye, Eugene’s senses were extended with the feathers of Prominence. He was processing everything he saw through the feathers.
His mind raced, and he entrusted the necessary calculations for his movements to magic to Mer. She had regained her composure and swiftly assumed her crucial role in the calculations with a gasp. The thunderbolt swerved chaotically, getting entangled in a haphazard path. Meanwhile, Eugene summoned his mana as he skillfully maneuvered through the maze of lights.
Eclipse wasn’t comparable to Raizakia’s attack in number, but the feathers of Prominence created numerous black spots. A portion of them blocked the beams of light, while the remaining sunspots blocked the movement of the dots.
Boooom!
The dots clashed, but Eugene's retaliatory strike fell short. His bloodshot eyes darted frantically as he raised both the Moonlight Sword and the Holy Sword.
The dance of the two swords commenced. The black flames of the Empty Sword intertwined with the lethal strikes of moonlight, creating a spectacle of destruction. Asura Rampage unleashed its fury, slicing through the beams of light and reducing them to nothingness.
Yet, despite his relentless efforts, Eugene found himself still distant from the Black Dragon, with the gap between them seemingly unbridgeable. Even if he managed to close the distance, what could he hope to achieve? Even the Moonlight Sword, in its complete form, had proven ineffective against Raizakia. Now, Eugene possessed only half of the weapon, and he wasn't Vermouth. Recognizing the futility of such thoughts, he swiftly dismissed them from his mind. They served no purpose and offered no solutions. Instead, he focused his thoughts on Sienna and the others awaiting his return outside the battle.
How much despair would Anise and Kristina feel when he failed to return?
He had posed in front of Cyan, guaranteeing his safety, had he not?
Lovellian would curse himself for being helpless about his disciple’s death.
Melkith would scream as well.
Ciel, that sly little girl, would bawl uncharacteristically if Eugene died.
Gilead — he didn’t want Gilead to lose yet another son.
Gerhard.
His father.
“Ahhhhhhhhh!” Eugene roared while raising the Moonlight Sword.
He didn't even possess half of the Moonlight Sword in its complete form, and the Empty Sword couldn't be used to enhance its power. The Moonlight Sword had the unique property of repelling and extinguishing mana.
But ironically, creating the strikes of moonlight with the Moonlight Sword required a tremendous amount of mana. In the past, it had been overwhelming for Eugene to handle, but now things were different. He channeled all of the surplus mana from Superimposed Ignition into the Moonlight Sword.
Fwoosh!
The moonlight surged, expanding in size and radiating an ominous glow. With a resounding cry, Eugene swung the Moonlight Sword with all his might. The crescent-shaped strike cleaved through the darkness, engulfing and obliterating every beam of light in its path. The strike extended far into the distance, ultimately reaching Raizakia.
The barrier of Dark Power encasing Raizakia was sundered by the moonlight, causing the strike to weaken. However, undeterred, the radiant moonlight pressed forward, persevering until it finally reached Raizakia.
Craaaack!
The scales that covered Raizakia’s long neck were broken apart and devoured by the moonlight.
"Kuaaagh!" Raizakia's head recoiled with a piercing scream. His neck had minimal injuries thanks to his thick, strong scales. The moonlight had managed to shatter only the outermost layer of the dragon's scales. Yet, even with such superficial damage, Raizakia let out a resounding cry of agony.
He was enraged. He had allowed his scales to be destroyed by an inferior, lowly human. The Moonlight Sword reminded Raizakia of a humiliating and terrifying memory.
Three centuries ago, a critical moment arose when the dragons, renowned for their greatness and nobility, made a unified decision to intervene in the affairs of lesser beings. Despite their perception of humans as feeble creatures, they recognized the need to rescue the world from impending doom. Gathering the dragons who possessed the strength to battle, they took to the skies and soared toward the domain of the Demon King.
Most of the dragons died. Each ominous and devastating burst of light claimed the lives of these majestic creatures one by one. The dragons, once revered for their grandeur and nobility, met a futile end in the face of the destructive radiance.
“You dare. You dare, you dare!”
He had been afraid of the light and had no desire to die for unworthy, weak beings. So he took the Lord’s heart and devoured it, corrupting himself in the process. So he survived.
Even now, Raizakia did not think of his actions as being humiliating or degrading. Instead, in his eyes, it was humiliating and degrading for great dragons to die for humans and other insignificant creatures.
Raizakia seethed with anger and humiliation as he realized that a mere human wielding the terrifying power of the Demon King had managed to sever his formidable scales. The Black Dragon's pride and dignity were wounded, leaving him seething with rage.
Rumbleee--!
The darkness began to shake, and the giant figure of Raizakia started moving. A mere flap of his wings sent darkness into the surroundings.
Eugene took a moment to catch his breath, his body feeling the strain from wielding the Moonlight Sword with such intensity. He glanced at his hand gripping the weapon, noticing a slight sluggishness in his arm from the exertion. However, the fatigue didn't linger for long. Gradually, his senses began to return.
‘I can’t believe simply swinging it put this much pressure on it.’
A whirlpool of Dark Power began to form in front of Raizakia, signaling another imminent attack. But it wasn't just the centralized power that troubled Eugene. The surrounding Dark Power began to take tangible form, manifesting into various assaults directed at him, guided by Raizakia's will and the ancient language of the dragons.
The scenery looked like an embodiment of hell. All kinds of weapons imaginable began to take form in the darkness, and the weapons floated and moved freely without a wielder. Hundreds of thousands of weapons formed from Raizakia’s Dark Power were aimed at Eugene.
“Ha.” Eugene could not help but scoff at the ridiculous sight.
The movements of the weapons in the darkness weren’t simple at all. They weren’t poised to simply stab or swing, but rather, the weapons were firmly linked as a collective unit and moved in unison to take Eugene’s life.
The weapons began their charge toward Eugene. Eugene responded by rotating like a cyclone and swinging the Holy Sword.
Kwaaaaa!
The black flames created by four layers of the Empty Sword destroyed the weapons.
‘Is there any point in wasting his Dark Power?’
Using spells of this size would exhaust one’s reservoir of mana, regardless of how great a wizard was. However, that was only by human standards, so the same could not be said for Raizakia, an Ancient Dragon.
Even so, Eugene had no other choice. It wasn’t as if he could simply ignore Raizakia’s attacks. Eugene allocated his reserves of mana while dispersing the volley of attacks that continued toward him. The White Flame Formula underwent a fundamental change after he reached the Sixth Star, and it allowed him to use mana with excellent efficiency. As long as he didn’t completely exhaust his stores, he could immediately recirculate the mana he used in his attacks.
The same held true for Ignition. In particular, the superimposed flame, which was created by using Ignition in conjunction with Prominence, conjured a flame that would not easily be extinguished. As long as Eugene’s body could hold out, the flame would continue to burn.
‘My body… is fine.’
In his previous life, it had been impossible for him to sustain Ignition for too long. But it was different now. He was still fine. Eugene took a big gulp of air and willed the flame to burn brighter.
Crack!
Lightning flashed into existence with the flame. The soaring Wing of Prominence became a weapon and swept away the weapons aimed at Eugene’s back.
Raizakia roared while looking down from the sky. The Breath he summoned was of a different nature than before. If the previous Breaths had been attacks of pure Dark Power, the Breath he summoned now seemed to ooze darkness.
Eugene instinctively recognized what it was. It was the Poison Breath of the Black Dragon, the same attack he had used in his attempt to kill Sienna. It was a discharge of poison formed inside his body from his reserves of Dark Power.
Eugene attempted to swing the Moonlight Sword in retaliation but was interrupted when the Holy Sword started emitting a brilliant light. The light emitting from the beautiful body of the sword pierced through the black flame of the Empty Sword and covered Eugene’s body.
‘Divine power?’
Once again, Eugene found himself in a familiar phenomenon reminiscent of his encounters at the Fount of Light and his confrontation with Gavid Lindman. The Holy Sword emanated a brilliant radiance, seemingly acting of its own accord as if driven by an innate desire to safeguard Eugene and offer its unwavering support.
The luminous aura emanating from the Holy Sword fulfilled its purpose, creating a protective barrier that prevented the poison from breaching Eugene's defenses. In perfect harmony with the sword's radiance, the rosary pendant adorning his neck glimmered in response, invoking a divine power that began purifying the malevolent poison, gradually neutralizing its harmful effects.
Yet, Eugene couldn't afford to let his guard down simply because the divine power was neutralizing the poison. The luminous Light had pierced through the flame, but the presence of the Empty Sword persisted. Instead of extinguishing the flame, the divine power intertwined with it, creating a symbiotic relationship that fortified and intensified its potency.
Kwaawaaaah!
The flame expanded and devoured the dragon’s breath, causing Raizakia to frown. He had unleashed numerous Breaths and performed magic over and over again, but all of it was being neutralized by the Holy Sword and the Moonlight Sword.
“I didn’t want to do this because it’s undignified,” spat Raizakia with a voice filled with irritation. “But I have no choice.”
Boom!
A loud, heavy sound resounded. It wasn’t an attack of magic or Dark Power. Rather, Raizakia swung his tail. However, the speed of the attack far exceeded Eugene’s expectations.
He had taken the large stature of the dragon to be nothing more than a big target, but he had been mistaken. The tail, which had been hidden in the darkness, was fast enough for him to lose track of it, even with the feathers of Prominence heightening his senses. It was because Raizakia had strengthened his attack with a Draconic spell.
Momentarily losing consciousness, Eugene felt the tremendous impact inflicted upon his body by the ignorant physical attack. Despite the protection afforded by the divine power and the flame of the White Flame Formula, the force of the blow surpassed even the formidable strikes of Molon.
“Keugh!” It felt like his body had been shattered into pieces, even though it had not. Eugene was thrown far after being struck by the tail.
[Sir Eugene!] Mer shouted.
‘It’s fine,’ Eugene answered while vomiting blood.
“It’s doable,” said Eugene as his lips twisted into a smile. “I can take a few more.”
In truth, he was lying.
