The second collision goes almost exactly as expected.
Our speed on impact isn't as fast, so my strike is less powerful, but I'm more focused on keeping this dragon entertained while I figure out how to gain slightly more power and fully understand what this yellow hexagon ability is.
The fact that there is no mana or qi inside the manifestation makes me believe this is some kind of unique trait that this being awakened with its True Core.
The Lich King said all True Cores have unique attributes awakened, and I see no barrier magic or any sign of this yellow creation on the creature's status, even now with my mythic-grade appraisal and inspect skills.
I'm able to see every detail of its status, down to the amount of HP remaining, and even its individual stat points.
It only has one buff on its status: [Earth Dragon's Roar].
While I know Ember received the ability to transform into a human after his second rank-up, this ability doesn't show on his status. The only one that does is the fire ability he awakened in his first rank-up.
I'm unsure what this monster's buff is, and if it is activated right now or not... It may very well be the bronze-colored beam that flows from its mouth after every exchange, but this could just be its innate ability. Before I start pulling out some of my own tricks, I want to know more about my opponent first.
Even though a clear path to victory seems to be ahead, I'm not dropping my guard.
Colliding with its Divine deflective barrier a second time is much easier to navigate because I know what to expect.
I aim for its torso instead of its neck and use the energy sent back from the blast strategically to dodge its incoming claws and second beam of Energy.
I'm only sent flying a few kilometers backward this time and hear the ringing of level-up notifications in my ear while I curve out of the way and prepare for another exchange.
We collide again less than a minute later, and I attack another random portion of its midsection to confirm this bright yellow hexagon can really materialize anywhere the dragon pleases.
It doesn't decrease in power either; the density of the gravity wall and the speed at which it's summoned stay exactly the same. This is what I expected, as my levels and mana control are slowly increasing, and I believe I can defeat this monster all on my own, even without the help of my stat-sharing perk from my Rising Emperor's Domain.
The only thing that bugs me is the fact that its unmoving, bored eyes never change.
I'm right on the outer edge of the barrier where I can make use of this buff to its full potential. When within range of my aura, I'm capable of taking 10% of all my subordinates' stats and mana control, plus, after reaching 1,000 citizens and unlocking a new perk, I can obtain an additional 5% of both from anywhere in the world.
While activating this right now would diminish the power gap instantly, doing so would alert the entire Crimson City that we are under attack by an opponent that needs more power than I, their leader, currently have.
Coming off the recent events of the Association's attack last week, I'll only cross this line if it is necessary and the enemy before me truly has intentions to do us harm.
As I clash in my fourth exchange, I realize that in the back of my mind, I'm secretly enjoying having to fight an opponent slightly stronger than me.
Every fight for the last few months since I've defeated the Lich King has been somewhat boring. Training in the growing labyrinth has only granted me levels from defeating weak mana manifestations, and even battling divine-cored monsters in the construct during the exams had no real stakes. There was always the thought in the back of my mind that if I lost, I'd be teleported out just like everyone else.
Even the strongest man in all of the 8 Great Regions fell to my aura alone.
It wasn't a challenge, but this dragon that appeared before me is a worthy opponent, one I can take down myself and finally allow me to push the boundaries of what my True Core can do.
I grin wide, giving in to the rush of true battle while more level-up notifications ring in my ear, and we clash for a fifth time.
The impossibly large flashes of yellow and white light fill the sky with residue from our attacks.
Both of us have mythic-grade plunderer skills enhanced by True Cores that absorb every particle of pure mana in the atmosphere as we zip around the sky.
The seconds pass, and my grin and excitement for this fight only grow more and more.
By our tenth exchange, we fall into a rhythm of battle where both of us understand each other's styles but neither of us want to test anything out that is too risky in case the other is holding back a secret technique. So, the battle rages on. The gravity waves become so immense and the violent rippling down into the earth below us, making the crater deeper and wider with every single clash.
My level surpassed 5,000 by our twentieth collision, and the stat point gains, and now trillions of MCP gains, are starting to become noticeable.
My heart is racing, and both my swords glide through the air like they're dancing.
This exchange of power is decimating deserts and mountains for hundreds of kilometers beyond repair, but it doesn't matter to me at all.
The only thing that does is making sure my next strike is stronger than the last.
Not only is my strength actually rising, but my body is becoming far more accustomed to the immense power.
When before it felt like I was a dam overflowing with unbelievable foreign strength, now, I'm finally able to contextualize this power and make full use of this core.
I'm getting sharper and learning how to make the silky energy flow to create denser points of gravity within my own blade to push down through the hexagons of light much deeper each time.
Instead of just activating my Divine Energy, and letting it seep into my normal attacks; I'm beginning to take control of the energy itself, and actually create far more deadly and concentrated strikes.
The dragon stays stoic, blocking everything I throw at it, and logically maneuvering attacks back to counter.
Still, there is no malice, and I'm unsure if the only reason it is fighting is because I made the first move and this is pure self defense.
Whatever the case may be, there's no turning back now, and I'm still improving my technique with every single strike I send. Whoever, or whatever this being may be, I may not get another chance to battle a force this strong, so I need to make the most of it.
Another 20 full exchanges go by, and I gain even more levels.
[Level Up] x451
The dragon begins to take a more offensive and aggressive stance once it realizes my attacks are coming at it faster and harder than before.
This works for a few minutes, pushing me back about 100 kilometers just by attacking and diving in faster to gain the advantage each exchange we have.
However, this series of events only fuels me more.
The fact that I'm getting pushed back, closer to the population I need to protect, makes me want to improve even faster.
I'm in total concentration for another 20 exchanges, and my level rises even higher, and a familiar skill gets upgraded mixed in with the strings of notifications.
[Level Up] x507
[Hibernation][Mythic Grade]
It's a skill I received in another Labyrinth a while back, and couldn't find any dungeon monsters to upgrade it. It puts a smile on my face, making me wonder if some of the other unique skills I managed to absorb in other labyrinths will be found in the future, and I continue the battle.
I'm still being pushed back, but my attacks are even stronger and propel me further, another 200 kilometers closer to the Crimson City; however, there's a turning point that displays the weight of my newfound power.
I put my everything into a dual blade slash, fully expecting it to be like all the others—coming so close to breaking the barrier, then getting blasted backward dozens of kilometers by my own energy.
However, that paper-thin line of the strongest gravity at the center of the hexagon that has been holding me back all this time finally breaks.
Mid-slash, another rush of levels and MCP flood my body, bringing me to [Lv. 5991], and the satisfaction I gain from watching the yellow manifestation of pure divine threads break and shatter into millions of pieces makes the countless failures well worth it in this fight.
It is the first time I feel any emotion or see any reaction from the bronze dragon.
A small ripple of genuine surprise comes from the creature's psyche, as for the first time in this entire battle I'm the one that is on the offensive. However, the unbothered eyes and baseline of uncaring confidence is still the dragon's overarching emotion.
It only has fractions of a second to try to react, and it can't twist out of the way in time.
Two waves of Dark Red Soul Energy coursing with yellow divine light collide with the dragon's side.
Instead of myself being pushed backward after every exchange, finally, my energy attacks make contact with the dragon's right side, exploding into an immense energy blast against its natural defenses and sending the mythical creature rocketing through the air as I follow through with both of my blades.
The bulk of the attack was absorbed by the yellow hexagon, but I did it. My blades made it through.
I fly forward with killing intent in my eyes and a clear path to victory ahead.
The next 5 exchanges go much differently than the last.
I'm in total control of this battle now, managing to channel more and more energy into my strikes.
The unbreakable gravity shield that erupted back on me every time I tried to break it at the start of our battle is now unable to handle my attacks at all.
Every time we collide, there is still a pause in the air as our auras clash, but my blades sink through and release violent energy attacks on this dragon every time.
I aim directly for the chest and neck now, but every time the hexagon is still there, taking the brunt of the blow.
The remaining force that actually hits the dragon never makes it past its natural defenses, so I still haven't drawn blood.
However, as I push the monster back the full 300 kilometers that it pushed me, I learn something new about this True Core Barrier that I didn't know before.
With more confidence after each attack, I begin testing out more abilities. I send telekinesis-powered ice spears, fireballs, stone bullets, and even various mental attacks the dragon's way before, during, and after the barrier is broken.
The breakthrough I come to is during one series of attacks where I send off a very concentrated spear of ice its way right after breaking its barrier.
While it can handle taking the mental attacks without fear, it attempts to block the physical attacks with its shimmering yellow hexagon, but there is a small amount of lag in between the breaking point of its ability and the time necessary to create another one.
My concentrated attack of ice magic tethered with divine energy hits the dragon's right leg, actually making contact with its scales for a fraction of a second before the barrier is able to form again and propel the rest of the attack away.
The attack itself wasn't strong enough to actually cause injury, but it's given me enough insight to call this exchange the dragon's fatal move.
While the creation of the barrier itself is too fast for me to outwit this monster in a battle of pure speed and dexterity alone, if I'm capable of letting off a full-force attack just moments after the dragon's defensive move is shattered, I believe I have a chance at victory.
The only thing I'm still concerned about is the dragon's unwavering confidence, and the fact that the second force of gravity I vividly remember sensing on the way over here has not shown their face yet.
[Level Transfer To Main Body: Complete]
[Level Up] x84
Another notification rings in my inner ear, breaking me past level 6000, and I charge up my blades while diving back in for another clash.
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Author's Note:
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