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I gave a thumbs up. "Hehe... I know I'm awesome."
Veldanava chuckled softly, the corners of his mouth curving into a smile
Velzard rolled her eyes. "Still as smug as ever."
Velgrynd crossed her arms, smirking. "Careful, little brother. That confidence of yours is starting to sound like Veldora's."
"Hey!" Veldora shouted from behind us, clearly eavesdropping. "I heard that!"
I gave them a grin and a thumbs-up. "Hehe..."
That earned a chorus of sighs and one amused laugh from my elder brother.
Veldanava shook his head lightly, the faintest hint of warmth flickering in his eyes. "Never change, Velsun. The world would be far too quiet without you."
Behind us, the clash between Reinhart and Rudra intensified—light and sound merging into a storm of brilliance that shook the sky itself.
Veldanava glanced toward the battlefield. "Hm. It seems your general's doing well… but Rudra isn't holding back anymore."
The air rippled, divine energy dancing on the horizon.
"You know, elder brother… I think Reinhart might actually win this one."
Veldanava raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? And why do you think that, Velsun?"
I shrugged, a small smirk forming. "Call it… a gut feeling."
Before he could reply, a roar shattered the moment.
"RAHHHHH!"
Reinhart slammed his god-class sword against Rudra's Divine Sword with full force. The impact exploded outward in a shockwave so intense it shook the barren wasteland. Dust and debris scattered in all directions, the ground trembling with the magnitude of their clash.
Inside the barrier I had erected, however, the tremors barely reached us. The protective light cocooned everyone—Veldanava, Velzard, Velgrynd, Zalario, Guy, Karlos, Veldora, Ramiris, and my son Karna—keeping us safe from the raw destruction outside. The barrier's energy pulsed like a miniature sun, reflecting the stakes of the duel.
I shifted my gaze to the battlefield, watching Reinhart and Rudra move with incredible speed and precision. Sparks of holy energy and flashes of silver light streaked across the wasteland. Each strike resonated with raw power, the air itself bending under their combined might.
Even from inside, I could feel it—this was a duel worth watching, and neither side intended to hold back.
Both warriors stopped for a moment. Their breathing was heavy, but their eyes were full of focus.
"I must say, Rudra, you're strong," Reinhart said.
Rudra nodded. "You too, Reinhart. You live up to your title."
Reinhart raised his sword. "Let's finish this now."
Light gathered around his weapon. "Astral Breaker—the end of all defense. If you can take this, you win."
Rudra's holy aura flared up. "Alright, come at me!"
Reinhart's sword came down like a beam of pure power. The air shook, and the ground split open from the force. Rudra crossed his Divine Sword Star in front of him, activating Chosen One. His entire body glowed, and holy symbols appeared in the air around him.
Their swords met.BOOOOM!
The shockwave blasted across the wasteland. Even inside my barrier, everyone covered their eyes from the light.
When the dust settled, both were still standing—but Rudra's sword arm was shaking badly, blood dripping from his hand. His defense had held, but just barely.
Reinhart took a deep breath, his armor cracked, and his sword's glow dimmed. "You really blocked that?"
Rudra gave a tired smile. "Barely. If your attack had been a little stronger, I'd be down."
Everyone watching looked stunned.
Veldora whistled. "Wow… even Astral Breaker couldn't take him out. These two are monsters."
I crossed my arms, smiling a bit. "I told you, Elder Brother. My gut was right. Reinhart would push Rudra to the limit."
Veldanava nodded slowly. "Yes. Their power levels were almost equal. A single mistake from either would've ended it."
Both heroes sheathed their swords and walked toward each other. Reinhart offered his hand. "Good fight."
Rudra smiled and shook it. "Yeah, good fight."
"Great fight," I said, clapping my hands as I walked forward. The sound echoed softly through the wasteland.
Velgrynd rushed past me, immediately holding onto Rudra's arm. "Rudra! Are you alright? You're not too hurt, are you?"
Rudra gave a small chuckle, still catching his breath. "I'm fine, Velgrynd. Just… a little tired."
I smiled lightly. "Sister, I don't think Rudra is that weak. He can handle a bit of pain."
I walked up to the two of them, raising my hand. Soft golden light flowed from my palm—my Sun Magic, warm and calm, not blinding. It wrapped around both Rudra and Reinhart, healing their cuts, sealing bruises, and restoring their strength.
Both of them straightened up, the fatigue slowly fading away.
"There," I said with a nod. "You're both back to full condition. Try not to break each other next time, alright?"
Reinhart gave a small laugh. "No promises, my lord."
Rudra smirked. "He's right. That was fun."
Behind me, Veldora stretched, grinning. "Man, that was awesome! You guys almost blew up the whole place!"
Ramiris sighed, holding Karna close. "Boys and their battles…"
I turned my head slightly, smiling at her. "Heh, it's just how we are."
Then we laughed together—my siblings, the True Dragons, were all crowding around little Karna, who was giggling as they played with him. It was rare to see all of them this relaxed; for once, the world felt peaceful.
Afterward, we had a feast that lasted for hours. When it was finally over, everyone began preparing to return to their own domains.
But just before anyone could leave, Veldanava raised a hand."Before everyone goes," he said with that calm, steady voice of his, "I'd like to give Karna a gift from his uncle."
I tilted my head. "A gift? What kind?"
He smiled. "One that will protect him. But I'll need your help to make it, Velsun."
I blinked. "Make it… as in right now?"
He nodded. "Right now."
Then he reached into the air, pulling something out of a glowing rift—a shimmering mass of golden metal, like liquid sunlight.
"This," he said, holding it up as it pulsed with warmth, "is Solaris Mithril, a divine alloy born from condensed solar essence and starfire. It's extremely rare—almost impossible to shape without enough energy."
He looked at me. "Come here. I'll shape it—you just feed it your energy."
I stepped closer and placed my hand over the glowing alloy. Power surged from my core, true dragon magic mixing with the heat of the metal. The air shimmered, the ground beneath us glowing faintly from the heat.
Veldanava moved his hand, guiding the light and forming it piece by piece until the glow settled. Floating before us was a small golden chestplate with a crimson gem in the center—glowing like the heart of the sun. Alongside it hovered two shining earrings that caught the light in soft golden ripples.
Veldanava smiled. "This creation will be known as Kavach and Kundala. The chestplate can neutralize almost ninety percent of all damage, no magical or physical attack. The earrings amplify the wearer's strength and allow them to passively absorb sunlight—restoring their magicules over time."
He looked toward Karna, who was sleeping peacefully in Ramiris's arms. "They're both god-grade artifacts, crafted especially for him."
I whistled softly. "You really went all out for your nephew, huh?"
Veldanava chuckled. "He's family. Of course I did."
Velzard smiled softly. "Karna's going to grow up protected by more love and power than anyone could imagine."
Ramiris held Karna closer, her expression gentle. "He already is."
Veldanava walked closer, his presence soft but commanding. Ramiris looked up at him, a bit curious, still holding Karna close.
"It won't hurt him," Veldanava said gently, placing a hand near the baby's chest. The golden armor and earrings floated up on their own, glowing with a warm, steady light.
Then, slowly, the Kavach began to shine brighter, turning into streams of radiant energy that wrapped around Karna's tiny body. The glow pulsed once—and the armor merged smoothly with his skin, vanishing completely, as if it had become part of him.
Next, the Kundala earrings drifted toward his ears. They shimmered for a second before attaching themselves perfectly, their golden hue matching his soft blond hair.
Everyone watched in silence. Even Veldora, who always had something to say, just stared in awe.
The glow faded, and Karna opened his eyes, those golden sun-like eyes gleaming brighter than before. He gave a small giggle, completely unharmed, and reached out his tiny hands toward Veldanava.
Velzard smiled softly. "He's even more adorable now…"
Velgrynd nodded. "Those earrings make him look like a little prince."
Ramiris blinked in relief, smiling down at her son. "Thank you, Veldanava… really."
Veldanava brushed a finger gently over Karna's hair, his eyes filled with warmth. "He'll grow strong—strong enough to walk his own path someday."
I looked at my son, feeling a strange mix of pride and awe. "He already looks like he's meant for greatness."
Veldanava gave me a calm smile. "He is, Velsun. That much, I can already tell."