"There are many power classes formed due to various circumstances in Azderos, but in many civilizations, only two have reached the pinnacle. Aura users and mages. Becoming an aura user requires hard work and a bit of talent. To become a mage, you need talent from the start, and even hard work isn't enough to reach the peak of power. But it's precisely for this reason that every mage is more powerful compared to warriors of the same level. Therefore, we, the mages, are the stars that will illuminate our civilization!"
-A passage from the inaugural speech of Andrew Talisstone, the current Archmage of the Imperial Mage Academy in the Lepidus Empire.
Despite the aggressive attack at the start, Ülgen had calmly taken his stance. The crimson-eyed black knight, empowered by his gloomy aura, began to approach with his spear, realizing his opponent wouldn't make a move.
As the levels rise, battles become more dangerous, with many moves exchanged in a very short time. Any mistake or negligence in this situation could cause damage that could reduce fighting power.
In a short time, there were only five meters left between them. While Ülgen's gaze seemed unfocused, the black knight also did not seem inclined to attack. The area was silent except for the howling of the snowy winds.
"!!"
In less than a second, a massive shockwave expanded the crater created by Ülgen's descent. The source of the shockwave was a bright fist clashing against the spear filled with gloomy energy. In less than a second, the spear and the fist separated and clashed again.
Within seconds, numerous shockwaves flattened the ground they fought on, clearing away the snow. Even the snowy winds dispersed due to the shockwaves. Of course, the real shock was taken by the black knight fighting Ülgen.
The spear he held was a quality piece he had used since becoming a black knight. Made of black steel and forged by dwarves, it was a rare weapon even in the central lands. Yet, despite countless clashes, the fists of the man in front of him weren't even bruised!
With a reverse move, he swung the spear from below rather than from the left, trying to break his opponent's guard. However, Ülgen dodged nimbly and decided to close in on the black knight. The black knight, with a fierce growl, swung the shaft of his spear to push him back and they clashed again.
This time, Ülgen counterattacked. After blocking the spear with his elbow, he pushed his knees to the ground to gain momentum and delivered a rapid elbow strike. Shaken by the blow, the black knight tried a sweeping attack with his spear to push his enemy back. But a massive breath of ice hitting his torso caused his movements to slow down!
When he shattered the ice forming on his armor with his aura, another punch smashed his helmet. At the same time, a kick shattered the joint armor protecting his kneecap. As he swung his spear in response, he took a hit to the hand holding the spear, pushing him back.
"Ha-!" He was about to let out an angry roar when a second breath of ice completely froze his helmet and shoulders.
At the same time, blows began to rain down on the dent in his body from the kick he took at the start of the fight. The cumulative impact of the punches shook his body and completely ruined his fighting rhythm. But he wasn't just any ordinary knight and he was going to show it!
He swung his spear again, and as expected, his opponent moved to strike his arm to push him back. But this time, it was Ülgen who was pushed back!
"Come on, vermin!" With a swift charge, the black knight struck Ülgen with a hard shoulder blow after knocking him away with a spear swing and began his own assault.
In the meantime, Ülgen went into a full defensive stance as if he had been waiting for this moment, calmly deflecting the blows and causing the fight to stall.
As the fight dragged on, the black knight's patience waned while Ülgen's excitement grew. His true form was a 10th degree dragon, naturally possessing a body as resilient as rare metals. Moreover, with his superhuman endurance, prolonging the fight was of no disadvantage to him.
Additionally, he needed experience fighting humanoid beings. With every passing second they fought, he discovered new ways to defend and attack with his body. His movements became more skillful, and his timing improved. Such obvious development didn't escape the black knight's notice.
Every second that passed decreased the black knight's chance of completing his mission. Realizing he could no longer afford to waste time, he released an abnormal burst of aura, sending Ülgen flying several meters back.
"So, it's time to reveal what you've been hiding!" Surprisingly, instead of charging at the black knight, Ülgen composed his stance and... started running!
"?!" The black knight's mind momentarily went blank before he quickly began chasing after Ülgen as his aura surged.
The black knight wore heavy armor, and during their fight, Ülgen had calculated that he couldn't outrun him. However, something the black knight had released was continuously increasing his aura and indirectly his speed. At this rate, it wouldn't take him more than a few minutes to catch up with Ülgen.
As seconds ticked by, the black knight's power began to escalate! First to level seven, then eight, and finally nine!
At one point, his momentum had increased so much that he collided with Ülgen like a shooting star, causing the young conqueror to be embedded in a nearby hill, blood spraying everywhere.
However, the black knight did not seem pleased with his success. "Stupid northerner, you forced me to break the seal my master placed on me to avoid attracting the attention of lizard-like creatures in this remote area!" With a second burst of aura, his armor began to regenerate as if it were alive. "Still, you're not a bad warrior. If I present you to my master, maybe he'll give me what I need to reach the 10th degree!"
Having already decided the fight was over, the black knight hurried towards the hill to avoid attracting the attention of a nearby bronze dragon. He had calculated his strength, confident that he had brought Ülgen to the brink of death. Thus, he planned to take his unconscious body to his master. He believed that the northerner, with such a strong body, would be very useful to his master. They would also get the information they wanted about the child with a special fate.
Unfortunately, all his thoughts came to an abrupt end as the hill shattered and a terrifying dragon breath froze his body. His frozen body was grasped by a massive white claw, and its owner quickly flew away from the area with rapid wingbeats.
"Idiot black knight! We were noticed the moment you broke your seal! That bronze dragon bastard, I can feel his presence on me. I need to reach my mother's territory quickly!" Flying at a speed that broke the sound barrier, there was a slight panic in Ülgen's heart.