Artherion was flustered. A kid-like human had undone his magic alone.
"What is this ...."
It wasn't something just anyone could do. If it were, there would have been no need to hide the controllers' locations.
Even with a few more people, they could have dispersed to several fortresses and prepared countermeasures.
To control such immense magic power, one needed to be at an extremely high level. Such individuals weren't common.
Artherion glared at Alpoi.
"That little runt ...."
No matter how he looked at it, Alpoi wasn't a high-circle mage. At best, he was around the 5th circle.
The first fallen controllers had worked together to manage the flow of magic.
Even high-circle mages did so, yet this guy succeeded in controlling it alone. It was unbelievable even as he witnessed it.
"How could that insect undo my magic!"
Artherion's eyes gleamed with more killing intent than ever before.
The magic he had poured immense power into was undone. With his depleted mana, casting another powerful spell was difficult.
The opponent had also expended enormous mana. Most of the gathered mages were likely down.
But with the remaining mages, they could now unravel his spells. He himself had little mana left.
"You wretch! How dare you!"
Consumed by rage, Artherion lunged at Alpoi.
At that moment, Ghislain stepped in front of him, leaping toward Artherion as he shouted.
"Well done! Alpoi!"
Ghislain's aura blade shone brighter than ever.
"You truly are...."
Ghislain laughed loudly and swung his aura blade with force.
"A Dragon Slayer!"
Slaaash!
"Argh!"
Artherion staggered back as a long gash opened across his chest. At the same time, Alpoi collapsed, unable to endure any longer.
The magic that had suppressed Artherion vanished. But he no longer had the strength to cast another powerful spell.
Now, he had to fight using only his physical strength. Using his breath attack had further drained him.
He had found a way to turn the situation around, but an absurd fool had ruined his plan.
Graaaaaah!
Artherion let out a monstrous roar, flailing his tail and claws wildly. He lashed out in all directions like a beast in frenzy.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Despite his immense strength, the superhumans facing him were exhausted and could only attack cautiously.
Artherion had fully grounded himself now, unable to lift his massive body due to fatigue.
Thanks to this, Belinda could rejoin the attack.
Slaaash!
Belinda's daggers sliced through the air, cutting into Artherion.
Though the wounds weren't deep, attacks aimed near his eyes or dragon heart drew his attention.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Grrrr!
Artherion tried to use simple magic to keep them at bay. However, the remaining mages continued dispelling his magic barriers.
Crackle!
The opposing mages were also exhausted, allowing a few low-circle spells to activate. But those were easily countered by the superhumans.
Boom!
Even weakened, Artherion remained a dragon. A mere graze from his tail or claws inflicted grievous wounds on the superhumans.
Ghislain, in particular, narrowly avoided losing an arm after overextending himself.
However, the saintess and another saint-like figure continued radiating holy power.
Combined with Ghislain's regenerative abilities, his arm was swiftly reattached and healed.
Clang! Clang! Boom!
As time passed, Artherion's attacks grew weaker.
He was rapidly wearing down. His strikes slowed, and his movements became sluggish.
Still, no one dared to let their guard down. Even weakened, he wielded strength no ordinary human could endure.
Graaaaaah!
Any other creature would have died long ago with such wounds, but Artherion stood tall.
His rage-filled eyes still burned fiercely, and his roar sent shivers through the air.
"Adversary!"
Artherion now fixated solely on Yulian, deciding there was no other option.
Even if it meant his own death, Yulian had to die.
Not even the mighty Yulian could fully withstand Artherion's relentless, self-sacrificing assault.
Yulian kept dodging while slashing his sword.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Wounds quickly opened across Artherion's massive frame. His sheer size made evasion impossible.
As his strength waned, the wounds deepened. Pain distorted his expression.
Yulian, who had been attacking without rest, suddenly stiffened.
'Why is my strength...'
After such a long fight, exhaustion was to be expected. His mana was indeed running low.
But his body told a different story. His mind remained sharp, and his body surged with energy.
He was growing stronger even while battling the dragon.
"How?"
Yulian had always known his growth rate was faster than others. But even he advanced in stages.
Through training, combat, and reflection, he would gain insights and progress to the next level.
But now, there was no enlightenment. He wasn't learning anything new—only gaining combat experience. While his skills might improve, the surge of energy was a different matter.
'This isn't normal. I need to figure this out.'
Yulian observed his surroundings and himself while dodging Artherion's strikes.
Focusing his mind, he finally noticed the source.
'What is this?'
Something faint seeped into his body, making him stronger.
He couldn't yet identify its exact nature.
'Just a bit more observation, and I'll know.'
"Adversary!"
Boom!
Artherion suddenly closed the distance to Yulian and swung his claws.
"......"
Yulian barely dodged, refocusing his attention on Artherion.
This was no time to dwell on personal questions. Artherion's relentless assault left no room for distraction.
'This might actually be a good thing.'
If his strength and vitality continued to grow, he could fight even longer.
Yulian resolved to focus solely on attacking Artherion for now.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The superhumans were struck multiple times, sent flying. Bones shattered and grievous wounds opened, but divine power swiftly healed them, allowing survival.
However, Parniel and Piote's faces grew paler with each blow.
"Ugh....."
Piote trembled, blood dripping from his nose. Parniel didn't look much better.
Their once-abundant holy power was nearly depleted. They were the two most powerful wielders of holy power on the continent, yet even they had almost exhausted their strength.
And this against an opponent who couldn't even cast spells anymore and was visibly fatigued—truly a testament to the dragon's power.
Roaaar!
Artherion let out another deafening roar, showing he still had the will to fight. Everyone tensed at his display.
They could feel the weakening of divine protection. Just one or two more attacks, and the situation would turn dire.
"Hold on just a little longer!"
Ghislain shouted as he swung his sword.
They were so close now. Despite his terrifying appearance, Artherion was no longer the monster he once was.
Boom!
Artherion's tail slammed into Ghislain, who had boldly advanced.
Yet Ghislain endured it. Blood spurted from his mouth, and the impact was massive, but his body didn't shatter like before.
Even with weakened divine protection and reduced regeneration, he had withstood it.
Artherion's strength had undeniably waned. It was time to execute the next phase of the plan.
Fwoosh!
Ghislain launched several magic orbs high into the sky. They didn't target Artherion.
Soon, fireworks erupted from the fortress, lighting up the sky.
But Artherion paid no mind to Ghislain's actions or the surrounding events. He remained fixated on killing Yulian, launching relentless attacks.
Meanwhile, the other superhumans tirelessly slashed at Artherion's body, chipping away his scales.
Even as they inflicted injuries, Artherion's fearsome presence filled them with dread.
Amid the chaos—
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
The sound of galloping hooves echoed from all directions. Artherion finally turned his head, sensing the approaching force.
"Protect the saintess!"
The newcomers were priests led by Parniel and reinforcements from the Lutania army.
Ordinary soldiers were of no use against the dragon. They couldn't even hope to land a hit.
The priests, however, could help, though they had to keep their distance, as a single misstep could lead to annihilation.
Thus, they had waited far away, only rushing in after the signal.
"Oh, Goddess!"
Hundreds of priests unleashed holy power.
In an instant, the wounded were healed. Piote stepped back with a relieved expression, knowing they had bought more time.
The priests' arrival also meant Artherion was nearing exhaustion, unable to spare focus for other threats.
It also allowed the priests to protect their allies.
One figure, who had been holding back rage, finally moved.
"Oh, Goddess, let me send this beast to you today."
Boom!
Parniel stepped forward, eyes blazing with killing intent, gripping her mace tightly.
She had restrained herself for the plan's success, but there was no need to hold back now.
Breaking apart massive, durable enemies was her specialty.
Parniel charged, swinging her enormous mace. Though it seemed small compared to Artherion's size, it was the most destructive weapon among them.
Boom!
A thunderous impact made the ground tremble, and Artherion staggered momentarily.
Grrrr….
He groaned from the overwhelming force. Normally, he would have shrugged it off, but his scales were in tatters, and his wounds were severe.
Enraged, Artherion lashed out with his tail.
Boom!
Parniel, having approached too recklessly, was struck directly and sent flying.
Though incredibly sturdy, she wasn't as tough as a dragon. Failing to dodge, she took the full brunt of the attack.
Her body hit the ground with a sickening crunch, bones shattered.
Thud! Boom! Thud!
The priests abandoned everyone else, pouring divine energy into Parniel. She was, after all, their most important figure.
"Tch!"
Spitting out blood, Parniel stood up again.
Despite nearly dying, she showed no fear and charged once more.
For a saintess, her aggression was downright reckless.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Parniel's fierce assault rallied the others. Her relentless attacks forced Artherion to focus on her, buying time for others to strike boldly.
Although their mana was almost depleted, Artherion's condition was even worse.
Ghislain realized the final moment had arrived.
"Artherion!"
Capturing Artherion's gaze, Ghislain unleashed all his remaining mana in an explosive burst.
Utilizing Dark to amplify his power, he revealed his true strength once more.
Whoosh!
Ghislain's body became shrouded in black shadows, with only his eyes emitting a piercing red glow.
A terrifying aura rippled outward.
This power pushed Ghislain to his limit. Even with most of his mana spent, the strain of amplification was overwhelming.
Seeing Ghislain's transformation, Artherion faltered.
"You, you...."
That form—it was unmistakable. The one he despised the most.
"Adversary ..."
Before him stood not one, but two adversaries.