The tension in the air was suffocating.
Count Vareon Faulmont stood before me, his twisted smile barely concealing the malice in his eyes. His aura flickered like a living beast, pressing down on me with sheer weight.
Behind me, the black-scaled dragon remained chained, her breathing uneven, her body riddled with old wounds. She was watching. Observing.
And yet, she was still silent.
I could feel the fight before it began. The way he clenched his fists, the subtle shift in his stance—he was about to lunge.
"Trying to set my experiment free?" Faulmont sneered. "You're a fool."
I didn't respond. Words were useless now.
Instead, I moved.
Clash.
Faulmont’s figure blurred, closing the distance in a heartbeat. His gauntlet-clad fist came down with a force that split the stone floor. I rolled aside, shards of rock pelting my legs. He pressed the attack, relentless—each blow a test, probing for weakness.
He was faster than before. That gauntlet… I kept my gaze on the black metal, noting the runes that flickered with sickly green light. It wasn’t just a weapon—it was a reservoir, feeding him more power with every swing.
He feinted left, then pivoted, aiming a low kick at my knee. I caught his ankle with my forearm, redirecting the force. He spun, using the momentum to bring his other fist toward my temple.
I ducked, feeling the wind of his strike brush my hair. He overextended, just as I’d hoped. I drove my elbow into his ribs, but the impact was dulled by his aura—a barrier, dense and slick as oil.
He grinned, eyes wild. “You’re clever. But not clever enough.”
He surged forward, aura flaring. I retreated, drawing him away from the dragon. If I could keep him moving, keep him burning mana, he’d tire before I did.
He noticed. “Worried about your little pet?” he taunted.
I didn’t answer. Instead, I flicked my wrist, sending a spray of water toward his face. He raised an arm to block, and I followed with a burst of wind, driving the droplets into his eyes. He cursed, blinking furiously.
I seized the moment, circling behind him. My hand brushed the chains—cold, unyielding. I sent a pulse of frost into the links, then immediately followed with a surge of heat.
Faulmont recovered quickly. He spun, swinging wide. I ducked, letting the blow whistle over my head, and pressed my palm to the chain again. Another cycle: ice, then fire.
He caught on. “You’re multitasking? Impressive. But you’ll need more than parlor tricks.”
He slammed his fist into the ground. The stone rippled, a wave of force racing toward me. I leapt, using the shockwave to launch myself over his head. Midair, I twisted, sending a bolt of lightning at his back.
He spun, gauntlet raised. The lightning struck the metal, the runes flaring as they absorbed the energy. He grunted, but his stance faltered—just a little.
I landed, knees bent, and immediately rolled to the side as he retaliated with a barrage of mana bolts. Each one exploded on impact, filling the chamber with smoke and stinging ozone.
He advanced, using the cover. I closed my eyes, reaching out with my senses. His aura was a beacon in the haze—hot, erratic, hungry.
He lunged from the smoke, aiming for my throat. I sidestepped, grabbing his wrist and twisting. He tried to break free, but I used his momentum to slam him into the wall. Cracks spiderwebbed through the stone.
He roared, aura bursting outward. The force sent me skidding back, boots scraping for purchase.
I wiped blood from my lip, smirking. “You’re getting sloppy, Count.”
He sneered, chest heaving. “You’re getting desperate.”
I risked another glance at the chains. The metal was sweating, fractures spreading like veins. Just a little more.
Faulmont noticed my focus. “You really think you can save her? She’s nothing. Just another beast to be broken.”
I ignored him, channeling another wave of ice, then fire, into the links. The chain groaned, a high, keening sound.
He charged, feinting a punch but instead slamming his palm into the ground. Spikes of stone erupted beneath me. I jumped, landing on one of the jagged pillars, and launched myself over his head again.
He spun, tracking me, but I was already moving—always moving. I hurled a spear of wind at his legs, knocking him off balance. He stumbled, and I pressed the attack, raining blows against his aura. Each strike was calculated, designed to drain him, not break him.
He retaliated with a wild swing, catching my shoulder. Pain flared, but I gritted my teeth, using the momentum to spin and kick him in the back.
He staggered, and I darted to the chains once more.
Ice. Fire. Ice. Fire.
The dragon stirred behind me, her eyes flickering with hope and hunger.
“You… You’re persistent, kid.” Her voice was weak, but there was a spark of respect.
I grunted, not daring to take my eyes off Faulmont.
He was breathing hard now, sweat beading on his brow. His gauntlet flickered, the runes pulsing erratically.
He planted his feet, drawing mana into his fists. The air crackled with tension.
A final attack.
I matched his stance, gathering electricity and wind in my palms. If raw force wasn’t enough, then I’d paralyze him.
He charged, a scream tearing from his throat.
I vanished, wind magic propelling me sideways. His punch struck empty air, the force behind it causing the entire cave to tremble.
He turned, eyes wide with shock.
I was already behind him.
“Too slow.”
I slammed my charged fist into his back.
A violent burst of electricity erupted from my hand, shocking him from the inside. His body convulsed, his muscles locking up for a brief second.
It was all the opening I needed.
I spun around, extending my palm toward the chains one last time.
Ice. Fire. Ice. Fire.
Expand. Contract. Expand. Contract.
I poured everything into this final attempt—
And then—
Crack.
A fracture ran through the metal.
Crack.
The chains trembled.
CRACK.
And finally—
SHATTER.
The moment the chains broke, a surge of power erupted from the dragon’s body. Her aura—faint and weak before—flared with newfound intensity.
Faulmont’s eyes widened in horror.
I smirked, breathing heavily.
“Looks like your subject just broke free.”
To be continued..
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