The monster took a step forward.
Another spell formed in its palm and immediately unleashed.
Dark energy pierced the ground, erupting beneath Alpha's feet, shaking the entire arena.
Alpha bent slightly from the blast's force but did not falter.
The monster didn't stop.
It raised both hands, and a series of magical circles appeared, stacked one above the other.
In an instant, waves of knives shot out, followed by heavy gusts of air.
Wounds began to pile up on Alpha.
One on the shoulder, another on the leg, a third piercing his side.
Blood flowed, but he remained standing.
The monster cracked its neck, then smiled:
"If you won't attack... I'll finish this now."
It advanced, then vanished for a moment, reappearing behind Alpha.
A direct kick to the back, followed by a strike from above that forced Alpha to kneel.
But Alpha stood again, expressionless.
The monster cast a powerful spell—this time, a black cloud enveloped Alpha's entire body and exploded from within.
The ground trembled, dust rose, and shockwaves radiated in all directions.
When the smoke cleared, Alpha was standing… barely.
The monster shouted loudly:
"Still alive?"
It stepped back, its body beginning to change.
Its skin stretched, veins darkened, its mouth widened to its ears.
Its spine began to protrude, and fingers transformed into long claws.
Then it roared:
"Round two!"
The transformation completed.
Its body grew bulkier, its head lengthened, and its eyes split into four.
Its voice deepened, as if more than one creature lived inside.
It stood before Alpha in its new form and spoke in a dual voice:
"Come on, dragon… don't disappoint me again."
The monster stood there, heavy breaths shaking the ground beneath it.
It raised its arm, preparing to pounce again...
But Alpha's voice cut through the silence.
"Is that all you've got? Just a bigger body?"
He lifted his head and stared straight at the monster.
"I thought round two would bring something new… but all that changed is your size."
He took a deep breath, a faint smile appearing on his tired face.
"Come on… show me a little fun."
The monster stared for a moment, then growled softly...
The monster charged again.
It raised its hand and launched a complex offensive spell—fireballs tracking their target, followed by a violent shockwave.
But...
The fireballs exploded before touching Alpha.
The shockwave didn't move him an inch.
The monster stopped.
It raised its eyebrows and cast another spell—compressed lightning in an energy spear.
It rushed straight toward Alpha's chest.
But it vanished into thin air before reaching him.
Alpha didn't move, only watched.
Then he said calmly:
"Failed spells... Is that all you've prepared?"
He stepped forward, the ground slightly compressing beneath him.
His eyes blazed brighter.
"Want me to show you what real dragon magic looks like?"
The monster didn't reply.
Nor did it advance.
A slight smile curved Alpha's lips.
"What's wrong? Scared?"
The monster instinctively stepped back half a pace.
Its gaze dropped to its hand, trying to summon another spell, but the energy flickered and faded.
Alpha slowly raised his hand, still not attacking:
"Get ready... I won't repeat this show twice."
Alpha raised his hand high, his eyes glowing with calm energy.
"Dragon Magic – Rank Twenty-Five…"
He paused, then continued in a low, steady voice:
"Combination: Shockwave with Fireball."
Above the monster, magical circles began to appear.
One after another...
Until fifteen overlapping circles glowed dark red, their energies intertwining in sequence.
The monster looked up, eyes widening, trying to move...
But the air around it thickened.
The more it moved, the stronger the circles became.
It was completely trapped.
"No... this can't be..."
The monster muttered, attempting a defensive spell — but it failed to complete.
In the sky, the light grew brighter… until it was visible to everyone in the city and beyond.
At the city's edge, the mercenary leader suddenly raised his head.
He stopped walking and stared at the sky.
"What is that...? That's not an ordinary spell."
In the royal palace, the king stood beside the tall windows.
He saw the red glow flickering far behind the mountains, then looked to one of his commanders.
"Do you see what I see?"
The commander replied in a low voice:
"That… is dragon energy."
In a solemn silence, Alpha raised his hand toward the sky, where the magical circles still spun above the monster.
He looked at them for a moment, then quietly said:
"Explode."
He pressed his fingers together.
At that moment, the sky turned into a mass of light.
A single strike descended from above at tremendous speed, burning with unbearable heat.
It hit the ground directly.
The explosion's roar shook the place.
The monster was consumed within the firestorm, everything around it torn apart.
The earth cracked open.
A massive hole formed at the impact site, a pit so deep its bottom was unseen.
Distant houses crumbled from the pressure wave, dust blanketed the sky for long seconds.
When the smoke cleared, no trace of the monster remained.
No scream, no remnants, no energy.
It had vanished completely.
Alpha stood silently, watching the crater.
He didn't move.
And just before the dust fully settled…
Two figures appeared in the air, quietly standing before the hole.
The girl looked down at the massive pit.
Her expression changed quickly, then she called out loudly:
"Did you die that fast… third brother?!"
The man beside her narrowed his eyes, then quietly observed the crater:
"Whaaat a powerful strike…"
They showed no worry.
They remained hovering, silently watching the fading signs of the battle.