The existence of dragons in ancient times was only known to the Dragon Disciples. No one else had discovered them except for the Disciples. Because of this, no one anticipated their measures to revive the dragons and dragon kins.
The Revival Ritual through Magic Circle was a method of revival using Dark Magic. It transcended Life and Death, capable of summoning anyone who had died as long as their remains were present. However, the remains had scattered over thousands of years due to land movements that created continents and many islands.
For the ritual to succeed, human blood was needed, equaling at least 10,000 people. A phenomenon was required for the dragons to awaken from their death, defying the logic of the Universe Order.
"Wait… wait… why isn't the blood rising anymore?" Orca hysterically pondered as he watched the wineglass-shaped artifact.
His eyes returned to the town, narrowing to scrutinize the event.
Smoke billowed from several buildings, the acrid scent of burning wood and thatch mingling with the metallic tang of blood reached him. Panicked cries echoed through the narrow alleys as townsfolk fled in every direction, desperate to escape the carnage. Mothers clutched their children to their chests, their faces etched with terror, while men armed with whatever they could find tried in vain to fend off the attackers.
A group of armed men clad in black, their faces hidden behind hoods, stormed through the streets, cutting down anyone who dared to cross their path. The town guard, though brave, was hopelessly outnumbered and ill-equipped to handle the assault.
Townsfolk watched in horror as a guard was struck down by a brutal swing of a sword. Their screams were lost in the cacophony of battle.
The sounds of destruction grew fainter, Orca's eyes becoming more narrowed. Returning his sight to the golden artifact wineglass, the red hue fully stopped filling it.
As he flashed his sight back to the town, in a corner, his men clashed with a figure similar to them. Orca's demeanor collapsed at this moment, his hand reaching for the hilt of his sword, hiding the artifact in his cloak's pocket.
"Fucker!" he exclaimed, grasping his sword and unsheathing it. "You dare to stop my plans!"
He climbed down from his position, trembling with anger as he followed the figure. The sounds of battle echoed louder as he got nearer, a grim reminder that his men were being overpowered. When he reached the town's plaza, he saw the corpses of his dead men blending with the bodies of the townsfolk.
His boots, now stained with blood, squelched with every step. The stench of iron grew thicker as the breeze of the lonely wind slapped against his skin.
Just as he saw one of his men fighting the figure, a piercing scream cut through the air. Everyone was down; the only one who remained was the destroyer of his plan. His jaw clenched at the sight, and his sword was instantly covered with flames.
The figure noticed him and looked at him, analyzing his stature. Orca oddly recognized the figure's build but couldn't determine who it was.
"Who are you? Who sent you? Are you here to sabotage my plan? Are you one of the disciples?" Orca roared, launching a sword of flame from his burning blade.
The figure barely dodged; the cloak covering his face caught fire, leaving him no choice but to remove it.
As the man revealed his identity, wearing the light silver armor Orca had provided to those he deemed useful and trustworthy, Orca's throat dried up and his head clouded. Veins popped from his forehead, fumes of rage coming from his nose and ears.
"You… I always felt something was odd about you, but I ignored it. You helped my plan, which is why I dismissed the idea that you would be the one to betray me." Orca's fading hoarse voice loomed in disbelief as he dashed toward his enemy. "Jaxon!"
Jaxon raised his own sword, the steel catching the flickering light of Orca's flames. "I had no choice, Orca!"
Orca's sword clashed against Jaxon's with a deafening clang, sparks flying from the impact. The force of the blow sent Jaxon stumbling back, but he quickly regained his footing and countered with a swift Special Arrow aimed at Orca's side. Orca parried effortlessly, his eyes blazing with anger.
"Who sent you?! Was it the kingdom?! Was it the other disciples?! You're a fool to think you can stop me!" Orca snarled, summoning a sphere of fire in his free hand and hurling it at Jaxon.
Jaxon sidestepped, feeling the heat singe his armor, and retaliated by channeling his mana. He muttered 'Rainfall Arrow,' and a number of glowing arrows rained down, wounding Orca's cheeks and hands. The flames on Orca's sword flickered as the arrows deflected its mana, but with a roar, he shattered each of them, the heat of his anger erasing the arrows of mana instantly.
Orca lunged forward, their swords clashing again in a furious dance of steel and magic. Each strike, parry, and counterstrike seemed to echo the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Jaxon's movements were precise, fueled by desperate determination, while Orca's were wild and powerful, driven by burning rage.
"I must thank you for your teaching. Without you, I wouldn't have learned swordsmanship." A smirk on his face intensified Orca's anger.
"Your ignorance towards swords was a lie. You already knew how to use them!"
"Of course, I was already accustomed to swords, but only against monsters. You taught me how to use them in close combat, which is why I am grateful to you."
With a fierce overhead strike, Orca forced Jaxon to his knees, the weight of the blow nearly knocking the sword from his hand. But Jaxon wasn't finished. Summoning his last reserves of strength, he thrust his free hand forward, sending a shockwave of pure mana that knocked Orca back.
Both men, breathing heavily and battered, stared each other down. The plaza around them bore the scars of their battle—scorched stone, holes, and the lingering tension of their clashing wills.
[Undead Hands] – 9s
Orca was caught off guard as skeletal hands crept out of the plaza's bricked road. The hands held him, making it difficult for him to move his legs.
Jaxon didn't waste the opportunity; he cast Wide Range Explosion, catching Orca unprepared.
[Wide Range Explosion] – 29s
Stepping back a few meters away, it rained debris, wood, stones, and blocks of earth. The stench of iron blood was slightly covered with dust. Jaxon took cover, shielding his nose from the explosion.
[Crater Bringer] – 29s [Annihilator] – 29s [Giant Fire Ball] – 29s
It was far from over. He unleashed powerful spells that intensified the destruction at the plaza. The rain of debris didn't end while Jaxon continued bombarding Orca's previous location with his registered spells.
[Special Arrow] – 9s [Pure Arrow] – 9s [Pressing Arrow] – 9s [Liquid Arrow] – 9s [Double Arrow] – 9s [Elemental Arrow] – 9s [Moonlight Arrow] – 9s [Rainfall Arrows] – 9s
[Jaxon, the monster stampede is over. The monsters were eradicated.]
Still not content, he called for Titan One.