novelraw Chapter 272: You Are the Challenger
Chapter 272: You Are the Challenger
Absurd. How utterly absurd.
Under the newly risen dawn, the faint cold-gold morning light washed over him, and the young Gold Dragon Alberto Aurelius was overwhelmed by an unprecedented sense of absurdity and disbelief. For a moment he even suspected he had fallen into some masterful illusion.
He, a well-connected Metal Dragon. At this moment, he was being besieged by a pack of vicious dragons. Was everything turned upside down?
Feeling the foul wind bearing down, Alberto had no time for more thought. His indignation and anger outweighed any fear. For his ultimate dream—he had sworn in his youth to walk the path of the Saint-Dragon, and, unlike other dragons who rested on their lineage, he constantly honed himself. His life level had surpassed peers of the same age, and he fought stronger than other Gold Dragons of his rank.
The Red Iron Dragon’s unbelievably powerful body did press upon him. Yet—
Alberto’s sharp dragon pupils swept over the foe’s frame and caught a critical detail: there wasn’t a trace of Battle-Hardened Patterns on him—no marks of countless trials and life-or-death combat. That signaled a lack of actual battlefield experience.
On his own glittering golden carapace, however, faint but unmistakable lines like medals were etched across his scales, silently proclaiming past glory and victory. That was ironclad evidence of power and experience.
So, as the initial shock and daze ebbed like a receding tide, Alberto plunged his mind into an icy calm. He did not flee under the onslaught. Instead, he charged straight at the pack that circled him like wolves.
Holy Strike!
The oath-rune of conquest on his right arm flared, spitting a dazzling gold that pierced the dawn. With a roar that split the air, the dragon arm suffused with sacred energy fell like a divine judgment hammer, howling through the wind as it smashed toward Garoth’s chest.At nearly the same instant, the Red Iron Dragon’s massive metal-clad claw, soaked in terrifying force, came straight on with brutal directness.
Boom!!!
A thunderous blast exploded—so deep it could shatter eardrums—violent shockwaves and scattering shattered scales spraying like shrapnel in all directions. The two forces collided with such ferocity both huge bodies were forced back.
But as Garoth’s form staggered back a fraction, several other “evil dragons” lunged like unchained dogs, seizing the fleeting opening. With speed beyond their earlier movements, they brazenly passed Garoth’s temporarily unstable position and attacked Alberto from different angles while he still hadn’t fully regained balance.
Mental Pierce!
Sorog’s eyes blazed with spiritual energy; an invisible, razor-sharp stinger of will—condensed from fierce psychic force—ignored physical defenses and leapt across space to stab deep into Alberto’s mind. The pain bit like electricity through the Gold Dragon’s consciousness, forcing a brief hesitation.
Hardened Body!
Almost the same moment the psychic sting hit, Sorog’s black metallic scales flashed a deeper, steel-like gleam. Using his massive, iron-clad bulk like an uncontrollable siege hammer, he came crashing into Alberto’s flank with crushing momentum.
“Get off!”
Gritting through the pain in his head, Alberto unleashed a furious roar. His tail whipped with a gusting shriek, striking Sorog’s charging form with thunderous force. The iron dragon’s heavy body was flung aside.
But the assault was far from over.
A crimson shadow drew close. Samantha’s mighty dragon wings beat violently; her talons, cloaked in blazing scales, stomped with brutal force onto Alberto’s broad chest. The stamping left a scorch-mark rune of explosive destruction imprinted across the gold scales of his breast.
Boom!
A deafening detonation ripped the air; raging flames and shockwaves detonated across his chest. The continuous blows rocked Alberto’s body violently. Straining to gather strength and steady himself, he relied on exceptional combat instincts and rolled aside at the last instant.
A ghastly white, deep-cold breath sliced past the edge of his wing membrane—the White Dragon Trixie’s sneak attack.
Before he could fully recover, shadow fell over him. The Red Iron Dragon, slightly shorter in length but terrifyingly strong enough to vibrate Alberto’s very soul, had closed the distance to mere paces.
Sacred Armor!
Alarm bells rang in Alberto’s mind. Without hesitation he called upon surging Oath energy. Thick, almost tangible gold light erupted from his core and rapidly formed about his body. In a flash a resplendent armor of pure holy energy, both illusory and materially defensive, wrapped his frame.
Dragon Qi Rotation · Reinforced Claw Strike!
Garoth’s reply was concise and lethal. Black-red dragon qi coiled around his giant claw and swept straight at Alberto’s skull.
Boom!!!
Sorog’s eyes blazed with spiritual energy; an invisible, razor-sharp sting of will—condensed from fierce psychic force—ignored physical defenses and leapt across space to stab deep into Alberto’s mind. The pain bit like electricity through the Gold Dragon’s consciousness, forcing a brief hesitation.
Crack. An audible bone snap made teeth ache. Alberto’s noble head was forced sharply aside; broken, blood-darkened teeth flew from his mouth with a pained grunt.
What chilled Alberto further was Garoth’s restraint. After landing the blow, the Red Iron Dragon did not press for greedy follow-up; he flapped his massive wings and backed away. At that very moment, Sorog, Samantha, and Trixie dove from three more dangerous angles.
“Cowardly! Despicable! Dragons without honor!”
Humiliation and fury in Alberto nearly burst his reason’s dam. He saw their tactics—Garoth intended to use his oppressive presence to pin and distract while the others kept up endless harassment to wear him down.
When facing a death trap, fight to the last!
Alberto slammed up his battered head.
Buzz—!
Radiant, holy light converged and rose above him. The brilliance coalesced and formed shape—the gleam condensed, and in an instant a crown of pure holy light hovered above Alberto’s head. Ancient, esoteric draconic runes were engraved across the crown’s surface, their meanings searing directly into any witness’s mind:
Law: The rule of law holds supreme; it is civilization’s foundation and must be treated with reverence.
Loyalty: Speak and follow through; without loyalty, vows and law are meaningless.
Courage: Be fearless; stand when order trembles, even when odds are slim—if you do nothing, who will act?
Responsibility: Perform your duty; recognize the weight of your actions and accept consequences; strive to fulfill obligations.
Crown Oath!
Alberto had mastered two sacred oath paths. The Crown Oath embodied a lofty ideal of civilization—loyalty to nation, fealty to rulers, upholding law. Alberto’s Crown Oath was different: it extended the Conquest Oath, a fierce vow to guard his crown at all costs.
Crown Oath Spell · Turn the Tide!
Light poured like a life-spring, bathing his whole body. Wounds from the fierce battle—shattered scales, cracked bones, scorched flesh—began to knit before the eye. The life force that had grown faint from fighting and energy expenditure surged like noonday sun, restored and blazing brilliant.
Crown Oath Spell · Defend the Challenge!
He extended his claw and gripped toward the Red Iron Dragon. Garoth, in retreat, felt a sudden tightening in his chest—a powerful resistance that stopped him from moving further away. An indescribable wildfire of fighting spirit sprang up in him, burning and swelling until he wanted to challenge and utterly defeat the Gold Dragon right then.
Garoth understood this reaction came from magic. Yet he smiled and halted—not moving away, but not advancing either.
“You’re the challenger,” he said, curling a dragon-finger at Alberto. “Come, prove you deserve to challenge me.”
Alberto’s teeth ground together. He, a proud Gold Dragon meant to judge and punish evil, was besieged by a pack of vicious dragons and labeled the “challenger.” It was an insult to his lifelong creed.
But fury did not make him reckless. He needed a swift, decisive end.
The crown flamed like an unsetting sun above his head. His scales gleamed with sanctified gold as he launched himself like a golden meteor at Garoth. Claws glowed with blinding sacred light, intent on ripping the Red Iron Dragon apart.
Garoth’s vertical pupils slit to narrow lines. He did not retreat—he met the charge with his left shoulder, armored with the thickest scales.
Boom—!
When the two bodies crashed, Alberto’s horn sparked against Garoth’s shoulder armor—but Garoth’s right claw was already poised. It struck like a searing steel rod for the Gold Dragon’s throat.
At the critical moment Alberto’s tail cracked across Garoth’s wrist, wrenching the claw’s arc and leaving a scorched burn across his own neck.
Pain in his chest—another claw strike followed. The relentless barrage pushed the Gold Dragon back step by step. A vicious wing-slap tore through his Sacred Armor—scales, flesh, bone exposed—driving him backward.
But Gold Dragon was Gold Dragon. The Crown Oath bolstered his massive life energy; he remained fighting fit, far from mortally wounded. Alberto flapped his wings; his gilded body rocketed at Garoth like a comet, claws aflame with sacred light to rip the Red Iron Dragon’s defenses.
“Roar—!”
Sorog, like a black wind of steel, barreled in from the side. Alberto dodged but could not regain footing before Samantha’s Flame-Thunder Breath surged like a raging tide; blistering heat forced him to raise his wings in defense.
“Get off!” he bellowed. His tail lashed like a steel whip, flinging Trixie back several yards. Yet the next instant a heavy iron fist slammed into his spine, cracking scales and splattering dragon-blood.
Damn it!
Gritting through the agony, Alberto fixed his pupils on Garoth and charged again. This time his claws sank into Garoth’s chest.
Boom—!
Oath energy collided violently with black-red dragon qi; a deafening blast exploded and his claws dug deep into Garoth’s scales, shattering a dense layer. Yet the Red Iron Dragon did not bleed. Under the shattered Coldburst Scales lay another layer of black-red armor, crisscrossed with Battle-Hardened Patterns—clearly visible. Alberto blinked, incredulous.
In that brief stunned moment, Garoth’s tail wound around Alberto and jerked. Caught off-guard and unbalanced, the Gold Dragon felt Garoth’s knee slam into his abdomen.
“Cough.” Alberto spat dragon-blood. He was battered by the relentless assault, and before he could rise the iron dragon struck from behind, Samantha’s flame blocked retreat, and Trixie’s frost breath froze his wings.
“Damn!”
He roared. The Crown Oath’s light flared again, quickly sealing wounds, but the attackers gave him no breathing room. Garoth’s strikes came like sudden gales—precise, ruthless; Sorog moved like a mobile iron fortress, slamming into every counterattack and prying at his psychic weak points; Samantha’s flames and explosive runes kept interfering...
Alberto’s scales continued to break and dragon-blood stained the ground. As the fight dragged on, his counterattacks tore more of Garoth’s outer scale layer, exposing black-red scales marked by many Battle-Hardened Patterns. Seeing those lines sapped his fighting spirit—he realized that even in one-on-one combat he might not best Garoth, let alone face such a dishonorable gang assault.
Spear of Conquest!
Alberto suddenly raised his right arm. The oath-runes on his scales shone, tore free, and coalesced into a radiant golden polearm within his claws. He swept it across with fierce force. The air split. The attack’s potency pushed the evil dragons back briefly.
“Fall back!”
He used a command spell; Trixie instinctively recoiled, and Alberto flapped his wings to burst through the gap and put distance between them.
“Pursue!”
The evil dragons stoked their wings to chase, but Garoth halted them.
Meanwhile, ripples in the air signaled an ally’s arrival. A mixed-blood Metal Dragon materialized before Alberto—he first blinked, then brightened with delight.
“Assassins disdain using me because I’m more exposed than a dagger.”
“What am I, Gold Dragon—what am I?” the brass-silver dragon asked with a playful tone.
What? Alberto slightly blinked.
“Aha, it’s Vira!”
Suddenly the brass-silver dragon shimmered and transformed into a small, exquisite Faerie Dragon that blinked at him with innocent mischief.
“The real answer is—backstab!”
Without warning the brass-silver dragon appeared behind the Gold Dragon and belched a bite of frost breath straight into his spine.
Alberto’s body froze inch by inch at visible speed. Hard ice crystals spread like a plague and covered most of his torso. Inflated—!!!
Frozen and rigid, he fell like a meteor to the ground, smashing into the earth. Ice and frozen soil mixed with dragon-blood and sprayed everywhere; a massive crater yawned at the impact point.
Alberto’s scales shattered; thick frost crusted his body. He struggled to pull himself from the fissured pit—
But Garoth’s talon crushed down with irresistible force, stamping his chest. The pressure was so heavy the eastern ground underneath collapsed again. Bones creaked under the strain. The sacred crown above his head could not withstand it either; with a crisp, mournful chime it cracked and splintered into fragments. The golden light scattered away.
“It’s over, challenger.”
Garoth looked down at the Gold Dragon and declared the outcome calmly.