"Altan, wai—" Kaelan tried to say, but Altan's spear aimed directly at him. "Fuck!" Kaelan ripped the long sword from his back, bracing himself for the attack. "Astraea!"
"Yes," Astraea muttered slightly, acknowledging the call as Altan reached them in an instant after leaving the cliff.
"Who is that guy?!" Leonardo shouted, his voice tinged with shock as Kaelan and Astraea positioned themselves into what seemed like battle formations.
"Altan Karzaar! Duck, Leonardo!" Anna yelled, trying to direct Leonardo away from the danger. He was standing too close to Kaelan.
Kaelan fully unsheathed his sword, shifting into a style known as The Knight's Ward,
an offensive-defensive stance characterized by powerful, sweeping slashes that formed a protective perimeter around the wielder. This style emphasized both strong counters and maintaining a vigilant guard, making Kaelan appear like a fortress that could strike back with devastating force at any moment.
All expectations were for Altan's spear to clash with Kaelan's longsword, but Altan defied them. In mid-air, he twisted his body, distorting himself unnaturally.
He landed with his hands on the ground, using his legs with unrestrained power, shocking everyone.
"Down!" Leonardo tried to warn, but Altan's legs struck Kaelan's chin with a brutal upward kick, even denting Kaelan's armor.
Both Kaelan's guarded arms and longsword were rendered ineffective in a split second.
Kaelan was lifted into the air momentarily, then thrown back a considerable distance.
"That's one," Altan muttered, his grin widening as Kaelan was sent flying.
Altan standing slowly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You're next. Let's use my attachment skill, shall we?" The silver dragon mark on his armor began to glow faintly.
"Altan, what is this?!" Elara screamed, unable to comprehend why he was doing this.
"I'm just having fu—" Altan began to say before a blast erupted, not from those talking but from Astraea. She directed a beam of light from her staff toward Altan's position.
Altan twisted his body with snake-like movements, his speed dramatically increasing. He wasn't moving like a normal person;
"He's moving like an Argashis; they have multiple limbs" Leonardo muttered, watching Altan's unpredictable movements; creatures found in the caves where Leonardo was from—beings that moved with a disturbing fluidity due to their multiple limbs.
Altan feigned a strike with his spear, posturing as if he were about to launch it with deadly accuracy, only to drop it mid-air, shocking Astraea.
With a swift, unexpected kick, he strikes Astraea's face, sending her flying and almost knocking her hat and veil as she is knocked sideways "You're all weak? Even a raugdran is stronger than you," Altan taunted.
Kaelan rose once more, blue light swirling around him.
"Is that a shield? His attachment skill must involve shields.. so defence?," Altan observed.
"Sit down, Altan!" Kaelan roared, fury lacing his words as a radiant blue shield materialized on his left arm.
"Ah, heir. I seem to have gotten a bit sidetrac—" Altan tried to say, but Kaelan hurled the shield at him with incredible force.
Altan's eyes widened in shock. He managed to bend down, flattening himself to the ground with an extreme flexibility that defied normal human limits.
"That would have hit if not for my-no it wouldn't have," Altan said slowly, the shield embedding into the ground before fading out of existence.
"You, come," Altan demanded, pointing at Leonardo. "That one's down, and you seem to be Anna's guide. Draw your sword" He pointed to Leonardo's sheath, which was empty.
[Adaptive Evolution]
Leonardo's vision blurred momentarily as fear seized his spine. This was the same feeling he had when he narrowly avoided death before—a moment of heightened danger.
"It's—it's empty," Leonardo replied, staring at the towering figure before him.
"Huhhh?" Altan dragged the word, appearing genuinely shocked. He moved closer, attempting to inspect the scabbard.
Altan's long white hair fell over his face as he peered inside. "It really is empty. Why even carry this thing—"
A punch struck Altan's side where his appendix would be. Kaelan.
"How did you reach here so fast?" Altan asked, looking down at Kaelan, who has closed the distance with surprising speed, and whose sweater was torn and tattered.
Another punch landed, though it didn't seem to hurt Altan much. It was enough to show that the prey could fight back.
The effects [minimal enhanced strength],
[minimal enhanced speed],
and [minimal enhanced defense] manifest
Three effects came.
[no more bonuses into this area. Slight body advancements]
How badly was he about to get beat?
A hand is falling, Altan's, approaching Kaelan.
"Anna?! Astraea!" Kaelan calls out, his voice filled with desperation.
"Pause," Anna commands she's using her attachment skill, walking over to them. "Everyone, move."
Astraea stands, her stance indicating she is charging up an ability.
"Two categories" Elara notes, observing the situation.
"Oh, this? The air seems..." Altan's expression changes as he feels the imaginary pressure around him. He staggers but remains standing, his smirk not fading.
"I haven't fully activated my skill yet," Altan says with a smirk melding into his face.
"Burst!" Astraea shouts, unleashing a large burst of energy toward Altan. The rest of the group has already moved to safety.
"Ouch, that isn't stopping me you know" Altan mutters, barely flinching as the energy slams into him.
The dragon that emerges in Altan Karzaar is a magnificent and imposing creature, perfectly matching the color and aesthetic of his armor.
The dragon's scales are intricately patterned, with a subtle sheen that reflects light similarly to the shifting hues of Altan's armor.
These scales are not just armor; they seem to have an almost liquid quality, flowing and shifting with every movement, as if they were made from the same mysterious material as Altan's protective gear.
Its wings are expansive and majestic, stretching out like grand, bat-like appendages, with the membrane between the wing bones also displaying the same metallic luster.
When unfurled, the wings create a formidable shadow, emphasizing the dragon's size and presence.
The dragon's head is adorned with sharp, crest-like ridges running from the snout to the back of the head, echoing the jagged prongs of Altan's spear.
Its eyes are a piercing, cold white,
Its tail is long and sinuous, ending in a spiked tip that could be used as a weapon, enhancing its predatory and combative appearance.