Facing the Duel Head-On!
She lifted her chin high. Amelia placed her hand over her chest.
“I am… the proxy of the Water Dragon.”
Perdikion nodded sharply and opened his mouth.
“That’s it? If you can control water, my brother can use it too.”
That was exactly what Rune had predicted the moment he heard Amelia speak.
Even though she wasn’t as talented as Perdikion, Rune carried the Seal of Water.
More than that.
He was the one who had completed the Seal of Darkness alone.
He also possessed the Seal of the Forest.
The ability to handle multiple attributes at a level beyond what was average was an undeniable strength.
Rune felt a pang of regret.
Compared to him, I’m still a bit weak.
It was true that Perdikion cared deeply for his little brother Rune.
But the real reason he had brought Rune along wasn’t just for the trial.
It was to test his talent and abilities as well.
Amelia nodded in agreement and added.
“Y-yes… but I can also use the Purification Language.”
Amelia was doing better than Rune had expected.
Actually, the ability to acquire a Word of Power at the Hatchling stage was enough to be called talented.
But Perdikion answered with a displeased tone.
“That’s one thing, but purification ability isn’t very useful in combat.”
“Besides, if it’s a Word of Power, I can use that too.”
At those words, Amelia looked slightly taken aback.
Yet she didn’t give up and smoothed her expression.
She tensed again at Perdikion’s next words.
“Time isn’t infinite. Tell me a clearer reason.”
Suddenly, Rune looked at Perdikion.
Wait a minute. I’ve never seen Perdikion use a Word of Power.
It was actually surprising.
He knew Perdikion had talent, but that he had already awakened a Word of Power?
After that, Amelia kept asking Perdikion questions that were even more difficult than Rune had expected.
Just watching makes me anxious.
It was pressure worthy of a king’s questioning session.
When he realized the answers didn’t satisfy him, Perdikion frowned.
“I didn’t come all this way for such boring answers.”
Perdikion clicked his tongue lightly.
Rune tensed and thought.
Could it be that he fails…?
The task was to test the potential of a Hatchling on the verge of adulthood and gain strength.
While he understood why Perdikion was being so picky, for Amelia, who was experiencing this for the first time, it must have been terribly difficult.
Amelia bit her lip hard.
“!”
Suddenly, Amelia turned her head sharply.
At the end of her gaze was Rune.
“?”
Rune made a bewildered face.
The Water Dragon’s gaze toward him was extremely clear.
Her will to desperately find a way through was evident.
Finally, her water-blue eyes widened slightly as if she had understood something.
“I’ll protect Rune.”
An unusually clear voice.
“…”
Rune was bewildered at the absurdity of it.
There was no way that could happen.
Just as Rune thought he needed to do something, Perdikion spoke.
“Prove it.”
An unexpectedly positive signal from Perdikion.
“O-okay…”
Amelia extended her right hand.
Crack!
A massive shield of water appeared in front of her slender white hand.
It shimmered with wave patterns, a shield infused with the power of the ocean.
Kwurruck!
A water wall carrying the power of the sea serpent compressed into a massive vortex in itself.
There’s a strangely overwhelming feeling.
While Rune was watching, Perdikion wrinkled his brow and stared at the water shield.
“Amelia, with… with your power, attack this shield.”
Her words carried the will of an absolute guardian.
But Perdikion crossed his arms and answered with disbelief.
“To test the sea dragon clan’s shield while submerged in the sea? That’s ridiculous.”
“You just wanted to show off your own domain’s power, didn’t you?”
Amelia answered without wavering under the arrogant gaze of the fire dragon boy.
“I’ll… use the Word of Power.”
“!”
Kwurrrurrr!
In the silence of the three, only the sound of churning water echoed.
Through the thunderous noise shone a blue gaze filled with resolve.
Amelia stared at Perdikion with her will burned into her eyes.
“If you can… withstand the… power of the Word of Power I’m using… it will be enough proof.”
Despite the trembling voice, the shield she maintained with her power was the very embodiment of nature’s overwhelming might.
Kurururuk!
The massive vortex tangled even Amelia’s blue hair.
Amelia, holding the rough-waving shield, smiled faintly.
“A-are you… rejecting… it? If… if you want to run away…”
Perdikion let out a hollow laugh and tilted his head.
“Back away, Rune.”
A fierce flame of anger flared in the fire dragon boy’s eyes.
Rune had no chance to stop him.
Perdikion raised his hand and drew a horizontal line through the sea.
Extinction.
Whooosh!
A horizon of cut flames.
Red and blue flames guided by the Word of Power rose in a brilliant white blaze.
Chiiiik!
Flames that burned the sea.
The hissing steam was terrifying.
Bubbling steam formed an air layer between Perdikion’s flames and the sea.
“Arrogant.”
The intense flickering of fire.
The red eyes, absorbing the soaring heat, sparkled.
Is this a bit dangerous?
Just as Rune reached out to stop him, sensing danger.
Whooosh!
Perdikion grabbed the flaming flame in mid-air with his hand.
“Try stopping extinction.”
Perdikion’s shadow vanished in an instant.
Kwaaaaang!
A natural disaster that stole one’s breath collided.
Chiiiik! Chiiik!
The swinging flames began devouring the shield with sharp cracks.
To repair the eroding water shield, Amelia bit her lip tightly.
“Huuu, ugh!”
A thin mermaid’s groan.
The fire dragon boy with murderous intent observed her appearance coldly.
His lips curled upward, and his eyes burned with killing intent.
Under the flickering flames, it looked like a demon set ablaze.
Rune frowned and thought.
It’s too late to stop them now.
Rune prepared to use the power of darkness to restrain them in case of emergency.
On the other hand, he couldn’t help but be surprised by Perdikion’s Word of Power.
From the first time I saw him, I felt he had talent far beyond ordinary.
Even before a hundred years ago, Rune had already known of Perdikion’s talent.
At the same time, he felt a sense of pity.
A Word of Power was the essence of one’s life.
What kind of heart could burn everything and destroy it?
The life that possessed the ExtinctionWord of Power must have been nothing but cruel destruction.
In the future, it will become fire that extinguishes the impure.
After thinking that, Rune shifted his gaze to Amelia.
Even though the cold shield was being bitten and torn, she endured it.
Without realizing it, Rune cheered inwardly.
Fight back, Amelia.
Did he hear it?
Amelia shuddered and shouted.
“Ha… ah!”
Kururururuk!
The shield thickened even more.
Interestingly, despite having already faced the threat of extinction, she burned her will even brighter in the face of clear killing intent.
Even in the sea filled with cold water, sweat beaded on the mermaid’s white forehead.
Chiriririk!
Kwurr! Kwakwakak!
Flames and water scattered together.
The fiercely clashing extinguishing flames and protecting water seemed as if they would forever remain in place.
But.
Boom!
“Kyaa!”
With a sound like a bomb exploding, the mermaid’s body was flung away.
“Oppa! Amelia!”
Rune quickly checked the two’s condition.
Perdikion had endured in his place, and a shadow stood straight behind the steam.
In contrast, the mermaid was launched into the air like she had been hit by a massive hammer.
Whiiiish
Crack!
She was thrown to the ground with a rough sound and rolled across the sand several more times.
Thud!
Amelia lay face down with her tail dragging limply and her body trembling.
Rune judged that she had suffered more damage and approached her first.
“Are you okay?”
When Rune asked worriedly, Amelia brushed her hair and forced her upper body up.
“Hah… haa, heh. I-I’m… fine…!”
Her body, breathing heavily, was burning hot.
Red burn marks appeared on her skin.
While sighing inwardly, Rune hurriedly used healing magic.
That guy Perdikion. Let’s tone it down a bit.
He had expected Amelia’s condition would leave Perdikion’s eyes fully occupied.
But he didn’t think it would be this intense in full power.
Looking from afar, working with someone who has ability and a compatible heart is at least twice as effective as doing it alone. He shouldn’t be that clueless.
More than that.
It was also a huge advantage that the Water Dragon clan’s lord successor and the Dark Dragon clan’s lord successor were joining his task.
Rune swallowed a sigh inwardly.
“You should be fine now.”
“U, uh… ha. T-thank you…”
After confirming Amelia’s treatment was complete, Rune looked toward Perdikion.
He wasn’t overly worried since he was such a strong individual, but there was sure to be damage.
Even in the cold deep sea, heat and steam filled the air.
The cloudy steam washed away, revealing Perdikion.
He had one dragon arm protecting his upper body.
“Oppa, are you okay?”
Some red scales from the steam explosion were slightly damaged.
Perdikion slowly lowered his arm and brushed off his hands.
“This is nothing.”
Sighing inwardly, Rune extended his hand.
“Still, show me.”
Perdikion glanced at Rune and reluctantly extended his arm, grumbling.
“You’re making a fuss.”
Contrary to what he said, the damage was more serious than expected.
Only a few scales were dangling.
Rune opened his mouth in disbelief.
“Oppa, what kind of fuss is this? Your skin is about to peel off.”
“Shut up. It’s just a scratched wound.”
“?”
That’s what you call a scratched wound, you idiot.
He couldn’t say it and only muttered inwardly.
He looked at Perdikion with a hazy gaze and shook his head.
“From now on, don’t get hurt like this, oppa.”
Why do you kids act so recklessly with your bodies?
Rune shook his head and used healing magic.
Revive.
While secretly healing the flesh with the Resurrection Authority, he muttered.
Perdikion, who had healed cleanly, looked at the still prone Amelia.
“Lying down just for that? You’re still far from enough.”
“!”
Amelia, sensing failure, looked up at Perdikion with trembling eyes.
Just as Rune was about to say something, Perdikion spoke first.
“Still, you were pretty good.”
“It’s worth recommending, Rune.”
Perdikion had passed judgment on Amelia.
“T-then…!”
Perdikion’s arm lowered slightly at the mermaid’s words.
“Before joining the task, there are points you need to remember.”
“!”
Color returned to Amelia’s face.