Even now, with power, money and women at the tip of my fingers, I wished only for peace and quiet. I had no desire to reach higher in this world or leave my name is history, I just wanted to live a simple life where I would never have to live in fear.
However, even in my past life with a more advanced civilization, I knew that it was natural for the strong to stomp on the weak, that's why I tried to get stronger. I didn't need to be the strongest, just strong enough to escape with my life even against the hero and Demon King.
Still, I hid pride in my strength. I was sure that even this fallen holy knight, while strong, would only be a troublesome opponent. But here on my chest, was proof that I was wrong. The wound swiftly closed, but the pain had been seared into my memory.
In that instant where we crossed blades, he parried my spear and swept his sword across my chest before I realized what was happening. Even though I knew it wasn't his intention, I felt humiliated, I felt ashamed, I felt...threatened.
And to make it worse, he only turned around and waited for me to face him once more. To him it was fairness, but to me how could it be anything but disdain. However,
'This isn't the first time.'
Right, this wasn't the first time I was stunned by how weak I was. I had merely forgotten. I truly believed that I had grown strong, and so I forgot the way I should fight. My heart was full of hubris which clouded my judgement, but that would stop here.
I stabbed my spear into the ground and left it to crumble to dirt as I took deep breaths with my eyes closed.
'...'
Once I opened my eyes, I slowly turned around to face the young man. I watched as he tightened his grip and adjusted his breathing. The way he positioned his body, shifted his feet, distributed his weight, I used the full power of my Magic and Dragon Eyes to capture it.
From now on, I was the challenger.
"You, what's your name?"
"...Why do ask?"
"I thought you would like that sort of thing. Exchanging names with a worthy foe."
"...Ryan Celeste, though I'm no longer fit to use that name."
"Elios."
I already knew his name, but I did this anyways as my way of thanking him for stripping me of my budding arrogance.
'To reach level 7, he can only be called a genius, I can't face him with a weapon.'
Grandmasters attained level 6 weapon skills, but level 7 was a domain only the talented could enter. Against a prodigy I could only rely on my own two fists.
But I wasn't being overconfident. Even though I knew he had a trump card remaining, I played my ultimate move.
"Dragon Form."
First, light-green scales appeared on my body. Then, my fingernails extended until they became sharp claws. Next, my six senses sharpened to the limit as the flow of mana became perfectly clear to me. Finally, a pair of wings sprouted from my back and stretched farther than the height of my body.
With a single flap of these scaly wings, the blue field around us burst in excitement and rose to our waists. Once my transformation was complete, I felt very comfortable. Though I didn't transform often, every time I did, the feeling that this was my true form became stronger.
"You're from the Dragon tribe?! And those scales, could you be related to the Great Protector?"
I expected that he would be surprised by the reveal of my race, but then he mentioned an unfamiliar title.
'Wait, does he mean...?'
"Great Protector? Are you talking about Aura?"
I didn't know what titles Aura had, but something told me that he was talking about her.
"Yes! So you are related to the Great Protector, unfortunately this is rather ironic," he said while lowering his sword.
It was a decent chance to attack, but I also wanted to hear about her.
"Could you tell me why you know about Aura?"
"Ah, the Great Protector healed my injuries and gave me a place to rest my body while I was being chased my demons. Although, as you can see, it was all for naught. May I ask what your relation to the Great Protector is?"
"Well, in simple terms, she's like a mother to me."
'I have the title to prove it too.'
"I see..."
"What, are you hesitant to kill the child of your benefactor?"
"Yes but, I don't really have a choice in this."
In order to prove that he was telling the truth, the blonde man exposed his shoulder that was under armour. On his left shoulder, near the base of his neck, was an ominous magic circle around two black spots.
'As I thought.'
The two spots were caused by a vampire's bite. Fortunately, those bloodsuckers couldn't proliferate as fast as undead like zombies, but each nightwalker had the ability to transform one person into an absolutely loyal servant called a false nightwalker. They would still retain their memories and personalities, but could not resist their master's order.
"Looks like you've suffered. But now that I've shown you this form I can't afford to let you go either."
"That's fine. I would be honoured to face a member of the Dragon tribe as strong as yourself."
As I watched him raise his sword once more and return to a cold expression, I was frustrated by the fact that he wasn't on my side.
'I should try to make him number five after this.'
I loved the way my apparel transformed to fit my new form, but it would only get damaged in this fight so I went barechested instead.
I leaned forward and stared at Ryan like a hungry predator. I then waited for the exact moment that I felt was the right time and pushed off my legs. Last time, I ended up with a mark across my chest, but this time I paid back that debt.
Without thinking, I licked the blood off of my claw and turned to look at Ryan who now had three bloody lines drawn on his arm. Still, I knew that those wounds would only be temporary.
"You know, since I've gone this far don't you think it's time you did the same?"
"You're right. My apologies."
Immediately after, he shook his wounded arm and fixed his stance before yellow sigils lit up all over his body. I narrowed my eyes at the sigils which I couldn't decipher despite the several ancient languages in my memory, but what really caught my attention was the black area around his vampire bites.
The previously stable magic circle expanded and confronted the shining sigils.
'I know they can resist curses but to think it would be effective against that...'
Since I didn't have much expertise on the topic, I didn't know if his sigils were stronger than Brad's, but they ultimately failed to overcome the magic circle and could only maintain a stalemate. I saw the way he bit his lip as he endured the pain from the conflict over his body, but I couldn't afford to give him any more courtesy.
"Round 2."
Despite the pain he must have been in, the sigils still provided a huge boost to his physical prowess. It was hard to judge Strength at our level but it was very close to breaking the limit.
Even I fell behind him in power, but thanks to the additional effects of Dragon Form we clashed evenly at ridiculously high speeds. The flames would flicker everytime my claws made contact with his sword and the earth would crack beneath our feet.
This was the highest-paced fight I had ever been in, but I wasn't overwhelmed. I didn't become so heated that I forgot how to use my other abilities.
As I used the residual force from our confrontation to push me back, I captured the area where he was with my eyes and cast an explosion spell with ease. The burst of blue was pleasing to the eye, still, he broke through that explosion and charged at me with a thrust.
I parried his sword with my hand and gave him a solid uppercut into the sky, then flapped my wings to continue my assault.
I attacked six times but none of my strikes dealt any serious damage before he stabilized himself with wind magic.
By now, I also had a few scratches that made it through my scales, but like him the damage was minimal.
'I'll have to use that too.'
Once I decided to play another of my surprises, I prepared it and charged at him again. As usual, I swung my claw at him and he moved his sword to block, but at the last moment he chose to retreat instead. However, even if he had mastered Wind Magic it wasn't fast enough to evade my technique.
Before he could get away, I deeply inhaled and attacked him with a pseudo-breath of black flames. I didn't have the true Breath skill since I wasn't a real Dragon, but how could I not at least attempt to recreate such classic move? The flames only came from in front of my mouth rather than inside it, but it would do for now.
As soon as the black flames of the underworld, hazz, caught him, Ryan was forced down to the ground. I didn't think that he wouldn't be able to resist it, but it would be fine as long as I gained some time.