Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1474 - 1473 - Shadow Play

Chu felt it! Lind's power was in that Art! The dragon was also not far off from his face! He had infused her swords with it or was it something else?

The fact Cyntilla went out of her way to announce the name spoke volumes. Chu felt her heart beat faster as she dove into the illusion. It may hurt her but it would be nothing since it was only illusion.

A coolness washed over her scales but the expected attack did not come. Where had the demoness gone? Her emerald and black eyes scanned the platform but she could not find her!

The dragon head turned and came back at her yet she had gone right through it to find nothing. A distraction? Maybe it simply was all a decoy move to hide her usual attack?

Chu suddenly felt her instincts scream of danger and she jumped up. Her tail was not fast enough.

Blood flew in the air as a short sword cut through her scales! How?! It should not be that easy to break her defenses!!

Worse, she only saw the sword but the coolness reminded her the illusion was on her. Chu let her own aura flare as her breath came to the fore.

Emerald and black flames turned the stone to glass. It was far hotter than normal flames thanks to her draconic abilities, but no declaration of victory came.

Neither did the floating dragon maw go away. It survived?

Her eyes narrowed as she tried to sense it better. What had she called it again?

[Dragon Shadow Maw Art, right? Rather specific but it is a projection not a–] Her eyes went wide as she transformed back to her humanoid shape.

The space to work with increased and the steaming glass hardly bothered her in either body.

The maw was now giant but she saw it! A pool of shadow Qi floating with the head! The head was both decoy and main attack!

It had no substance but it did produce a shadow to hide the wielder!

She sneered as she was a demonic beast too! Shadow Qi was hers to command! She covered her body and dove into the shadow there, at least she tried.

Two short swords nearly skewered her as if expecting her to arrive! Cyntilla was not hiding, she was watching as well! A sharper glance revealed tendrils of shadow Qi going to the eyes of the dragon head!

A devious Art but effective. It was also clearly well practiced but she could not recall a single mention of it at all. No one knew about it! Lind never intimated about their various Arts and skills but he would always train with them when they improved or had ideas.

It was usually public but it was clear this Art was hidden!

"You hid this from all of us?!" The words left Chu as she felt blood flowing down her ribs. She had not been quite fast enough to avoid a shallow cut. Her regenerative ability fixed it quickly but her body was much more resilient than that.

How were the swords cutting her so easily?!

A laugh suddenly came from behind her as Chu rolled to the side. A sword swiped at where she had just been standing! The dragon maw was across the stage but a tendril of shadow Qi had touched Chu's own shadow!

Such a powerful Art must consume Qi like a monster. Chu, however, did not rely on that. Cyntilla would not be moving so lackadaisical without reason.

Chu quickly checked her dantian and confirmed a new fear. Her own Qi was lower than it should be! The damned Art was insidious! She quickly used her Qi to isolate her body and dantian.

The result was instant. The tendrils snapped back but there were far more than she expected! At least a dozen!

[Not bad. You did better than expected, but this is only phase 1.] Qi density increased and the previously slow moving dragon maw became solid! It also increased in speed. Chu's instincts screamed at her but she was done running.

Her arms became draconic once again and became black as night around each.

"ROOOAAARRRR!" Chu screamed as her fists slammed into the floating head. A satisfying crunch was followed by the head slamming into the stage. It did not sizzle as it had no flesh but the head was disfigured by the force of her attack.

Shadow versus shadow. Both of them used demonic Qi but Chu had to use far more as Cyntilla seemed far more efficient with it. The Art was expensive to use though and thus vulnerable to a brute force attack.

At least from Chu it was.

Dragons were ridiculously powerful and anyone that carried their bloodline broke the rules when it came to brute strength. Combine that with her tiger blood and it only compounded the issue.

Still, Chu was impressed as the dragon head quickly healed.

[I really did not want to use this.] Cyntilla's voice was cautioning. It was like she was warning Chu. Her instincts suddenly screamed at her but she could not find the source!

The maw suddenly opened and a dragon's breath was revealed! How?! Cyntilla was a pure demoness! Even if Lind infused all he could into a weapon or artifact, it should only be his harmonic Qi available.

It would feel like his but it was pure Cyntilla coming from those flames!

Chu wasted no time and summoned her own breath. Transforming everything would take too long but her throat was easy enough!

The 2 flames exploded outward and met in the center of the glassy platform.

The sound of thunder was heard as the weavings now strained to contain the power of the 2 attacks. Lind suddenly appeared and infused his own Qi into it. It was all he could do safely but the fact he had to spoke volumes at the power the 2 unleashed.

A massive crater was slowly revealed with 2 singed but very much alive women inside it.

Chu's skin was singed and blood flowed down her body but she seemed to be recovering. Cyntilla was in worse shape.

Her lavender skin was very pale and blood dribbled from her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Her armor was heavily damaged but still covered her. That alone spoke volumes of how powerful it was.

Many eyes swiveled to Lind as he was likely its creator.

"Damn dragons. You just could not accept defeat?" Cyntilla smiled and spoke first as she wipe the blood sway with the back of her hand.

"I will admit, you are better than I believed. Worthy of being my Sister always but now I accept you as a fellow dragon. You do not have our blood but you have our spirit." The dragons watching all stood up and bowed low.

Lind smirked. His thoughts were unknown but the Harmonic Dragons joined in after he did that.

Cyntilla checked her short swords and then took a more familiar stance with right foot forward and sword tips pointed slightly downward. Chu also went on all fours and the glass cracked under her claws.

The pair seemed to vanish but the Phantasmal Fang Crush Art was on full display once more. The wolf's head seemed to flow like an unstoppable force as the clang of metal on claw was heard.

Blood began to fly and all knew the end was closing in. Some began to wonder if one was about to truly die too.

The audience became enraptured. The flashy moves had gone by too quickly but now the slug fest dragged on yet it was just as mesmerising.

Lind had remained out in case he was needed but all knew he was concerned.

Suddenly, an arm went flying. It took only a few moments to see the leather armor to know it was Cyntilla's! The wolf's head vanished and revealed a very bloody demoness. Her light figure was heaving as blood left her in rivers.

Chu appeared stunningly in little better shape. Massive chunks of her flesh were missing! Even as she regenerated, it was far slower than before.

Neither seemed inclined to give up but many saw the end of Cyntilla. She could not use her Art!

Che smiled as her tail suddenly grew and slashed outward. It was so fast and the only thing many could do was watch.

Yet, Cyntilla smiled as a wolf's head appeared once more! It only had 1 fang but it was definitely a wolf's head!

Chu was too surprised and the blade impaled her heart! She stumbled backwards before falling down and looking up at the demoness.

Her body was dying but she could still fight!

She tried to stand but a boot slammed into her skull sending her into darkness. Cyntilla could have killed her easily but she knew she would not.

It would make Lind sad. Neither of them would do that. She finally accepted the truth. Cyntilla was not first simply by chance. It was not fate either. She was a tenacious and unwavering woman who never let go of her goals no matter what.

As she saw the smile on Cyntilla she noticed the demoness was barely hanging on too. Yet, she would not fall, not until Chu was out. So darkness embraced her and she wondered what kind of scolding awaited her once she awoke.

Mira would be angry and Lind would just sigh as he let his Mother go at her. Chu fell with a smile at the end of her fight. It was a worthy one.