A few minutes earlier—

  Dreados stood before King Gozay and his family, his voice low, the edges of his tone laced with mockery.

  “None of it matters anymore,” he murmured, tracing a finger along the scar upon his cheek. “Even this mark is a fabrication. I had a healer erase the original long ago. I knew you would come, Gozay… so I had a friend reshape my face. The spell will fade in minutes. And now—” he paused, voice turning to ice, “you will remain exactly where you—.”

  He never finished.

  A searing beam of light erupted from Eliana’s hand, cutting him off mid-sentence. The blast struck him square in the chest and hurled him backward, carving a twelve-kilometer trench through the city—through walls, through houses, through the earth itself.

  Eliana lowered her hand, “I don’t care who he is or what he’s been through,” she said, voice trembling with fury. “He slaughtered our people. He’s going to pay for that.”

  The torn remains of her royal gown shimmered, morphing into combat attire—white trousers and a blue-trimmed jacket that glowed faintly with mana.

  “Don’t try to stop me.”

  She launched into the sky, leaving a rippling shockwave behind.

  “Eliana—no!” Gozay shouted, taking off after her. “You can’t fight a Bravo user!”

  But she was already gone.

  Dreados rose from the wreckage, steam rising off his back. His grin returned, jagged and cruel. “A little light trick… fine. Let’s see what the princess has.”

  Vines erupted from the ground, glowing with emerald power. They coiled around his legs and arms, pulling tight. Then, from deep beneath the earth, a colossal vine the width of a tower burst upward, swinging Dreados like a sling.

  The world howled.

  He was hurled across the battlefield at god-shattering speed—nearly Mach 1000—his passage tearing deep canyons into the ground.

  Dreados twisted mid-air, snapping the vines with a violent surge of Bravo. He reversed course and shot toward Eliana like a crimson comet.

  He punched.

  “NOOO!” Gozay’s cry split the sky.

  Eliana crossed her arms just in time—his blow collided with her guard.

  BOOOOM.

  She was flung away, her body tumbling for a hundred kilometers before skidding to a halt across the fortified streets of Heful. Gozay appeared beside her an instant later, heart pounding—then froze when he realized she was unharmed.

  “Eliana,” he breathed, “how?”

  He felt her mana then—dense, controlled, burning with something unfamiliar.

  She rose to her feet, brushing the dust from her arm. “I’m not the same girl who left home, Father.”

  Dreados launched toward them again, his feet exploding with shockwaves as he invoked Thunder Stride.

  Gozay reached for her arm. “No. I won’t allow it.”

  But she only smiled faintly. “Then watch me.”

  Dreados’s thoughts flickered as he closed the distance. I thought Gozay was the only one to fear… how did his daughter become this strong? Three years shouldn’t allow for such growth. Impossible.

  He appeared before them.

  Gozay and Eliana spoke in unison, voices echoing across the plains:

  “MUSCLE AUGMENTATION!”

  Their fists collided with Dreados’s face at the exact same instant.

  The world exploded.

  A crater five kilometers wide burst open, shockwaves flattening everything in sight. Dreados’s body was flung through the air, spinning violently before smashing into Heful’s barrier. The dome rippled from the impact.

  He dropped back to the ground, coughing blood, and wiped it from his mouth with the back of his hand. “Tch…”

  Far away, Valerius had just fortified the city—reinforcing every wall, every inch of ground, locking Heful in place.

  Gozay’s eyes locked onto his daughter's. “You matched my blow,” he said, disbelief melting into pride.

  Eliana straightened, a faint smile curving her lips. “I’m not weak anymore, Father. Might even be stronger than you now.”

  Gozay chuckled, eyes narrowing. “Oh? Are you challenging your old man now?”

  Eliana stepped forward, her aura flaring like sunlight through glass. “You’re getting old, Father. Watch and learn.”

  She turned toward the horizon where Dreados stood, trembling with fury. “Apart from the Delindors,” she said quietly, “no one in this kingdom can stand against me. Well...except Pungence.”

  Then—

  She vanished.

  The sky cracked as she tore through it, streaking toward her enemy like a falling star.

  Eliana reached Dreados in a blur of white light, her fist blazing as it cut through the air.

  She swung—fast, precise—but Dreados tilted his head just slightly, her punch missing by inches.

  Before she could recover, his fist slammed into her stomach.

  BAM.

  The sound cracked like thunder. Eliana’s body folded from the impact—blood spraying from her lips as she was hurled backward, smashing through a row of fortified pillars.

  Dreados launched after her instantly, appearing above her mid-flight. He caught her leg and swung her down like a hammer.

  BOOOOM.

  The fortified street cratered twenty meters deep, dust exploding in every direction.

  Without pause, Dreados leapt off the air itself, flipping once before slamming down toward her.

  BOOOOM.

  Another explosion. The ground sank another twenty meters, the air bending from the pressure.

  But when the dust cleared—she was gone.

  Eliana shot out of the smoke, reappearing behind him, her arms flaring with light. But Dreados blurred—his speed uncanny—and reappeared right before her, his fist already cocked.

  He struck.

  CRACK.

  Her body tore through several fortified walls, each one bursting apart into shards of stone.

  Before she could steady herself, Dreados was behind her again. He kicked her upward, sending her hurtling into the sky.

  He grinned. “Yes. You’ve gotten stronger.”

  Eliana’s back smashed against the inner roof of Heful’s barrier, cracks spidering across the dome.

  Dreados leapt after her, a blur of red. He reached her in an instant and drove a punch upward into her gut.

  “Stronger than should be possible in such a short time…” he growled, as her blood splattered across his face.

  His next cracked the barrier even more. The shockwave reverberating for dozens of kilometers.

  “…but still not enough to contend with me.”

  Eliana’s body trembled, but her hand shot out, gripping his wrist. Her eyes flared bright gold.

  “Will you bet your life on that?” she whispered.

  “What—?” Dreados began.

  A shadow fell over them.

  BAM.

  A colossal fist crashed into Dreados, sending him spinning through the air, blood spraying in wide arcs. He smashed into the side of the barrier, his bones groaning under the impact.

  Before he could move, another giant foot came down—

  BOOOOOOM.

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  The barrier glowed crimson from the pressure. Dreados coughed blood, gasping as the weight crushed him into the dome.

  Then the foot lifted. He looked up—

  —and froze.

  Towering above him was a massive green humanoid figure, one hundred feet tall. Its body was formed of interwoven roots and shimmering leaves, its eyes blazing white like stars.

  The Guardian.

  Eliana’s creation.

  Dreados leapt away just in time—

  —but another giant foot swung from the side, catching him full-on and sending him crashing through the earth.

  The impact tore a trench two hundred meters long, the ground fracturing like glass beneath the force.

  High above, Gozay hovered in the air, arms folded, a faint smile touching his lips.

  “How did you achieve such power, Eli…” he murmured.

  Below him, a second Guardian emerged— A luminous sword hung over its shoulder, gleaming brighter than the sun.

  The two Guardians stood side by side, the ground trembling beneath their steps.

  Dreados staggered to his feet, chest heaving—then froze as the Guardian’s sword swung upward.

  The slash came faster than he could react—

  BOOOOM.

  The blade of light ripped across his chest, cutting through his flesh. Blood erupted in a crimson spray.

  Dreados screamed as he was hurled backward, smashing against the far side of the barrier. The dome flared red once more.

  As he fell, he saw them—

  Two towering Guardians standing side by side.

  And between them, floating at their height, was Eliana—her body glowing like a divine flame.

  Her hair flowed with golden light, her eyes pure white, her aura towering.

  Dreados’s body fell limply through the air. His chest was carved open from shoulder to belly, blood streaming down in glistening ribbons.

  Am I… losing? he thought faintly. No… this can’t be. This was not ment to unfold this way…

  A shadow fell over him again.

  One of the Guardians leaped into the sky and lifted its foot—

  —and stomped.

  BOOOOOOOOOOM.

  The sky itself shook.

  Dreados’s body cut through the air drove into the earth, the crater expanding a hundred meters wide. Dust billowed upward like a rising storm.

  He coughed blood, dazed. How can something of such magnitude… move with such speed?

  The Guardian leapt back, spinning midair with impossible grace before landing beside its twin.

  Eliana hovered between them, glowing like the heart of the sun.

  The two giants advanced, their steps booming like divine drums.

  And far above them, Gozay watched, pride glimmering behind his calm eyes.

  He folded his arms, smiling faintly.

  “That’s my girl.”

  Dreados staggered to his feet, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. His chest heaved, breath ragged—but then his crimson aura erupted, wild and furious.

  The very air warped.

  His skin darkened, veins glowing red beneath it. His arms shimmered like molten metal, turning scarlet from fingertip to shoulder.

  He grinned, blood running down his chin.

  “You’ve forced me to use it… the Crimson Surge.”

  He reached behind him, drawing both blades. Twin crimson swords—jagged, pulsating, humming with pure Bravo energy.

  Then he launched.

  BOOOOOOM.

  The world blurred.

  He streaked through the air like a comet of blood-red light, slashing upward toward Eliana.

  She raised her hand—“Guardians, converge!”

  Both titans turned instantly. Their movements synchronized, like extensions of her will. One Guardian’s arm morphed into a wall of glowing leaves, the other’s into a shield of living light.

  Dreados struck the first blow.

  SHING!

  His blade carved a trail of destruction through the leaf barrier, slicing through hundreds of vines—then the Guardian’s massive hand closed around his sword.

  A pulse of crimson energy erupted from his body, shattering the Guardian’s forearm into shards of bark and energy. The explosion sent fragments raining down like meteors.

  But before he could press forward, a beam of light shot from the second Guardian’s palm—

  BAM!

  Dreados was flung backward, twisting midair. He landed on the arm of the first Guardian, used it as a platform, and shot forward again. His sword clashed with the luminous blade of the other Guardian.

  Sparks erupted like miniature suns.

  Eliana hovered between them, her arms glowing, controlling the rhythm of the titans’ strikes. Each movement of her hand redirected the giants’ assault—one punching, one slashing, one defending.

  She moved like a conductor of destruction.

  Dreados dodged the first punch, ducked under a colossal swing, then flipped onto the Guardian’s wrist and ran up its arm. He slashed as he moved, carving burning scars across its green surface.

  The Guardian roared, vines sprouting from its wound, trying to entangle him.

  He cut them apart, spinning, and hurled both swords.

  They shot toward Eliana—

  —but she crossed her arms, and both weapons stopped midair, caught by invisible pressure.

  “Your tricks won’t save you,” Dreados snarled.

  The air pulsed. The Guardians’ eyes flared white.

  Dreados lunged again, desperate now. His aura thickened, his speed reaching mach 2500. He weaved through the giants’ strikes—ducking, spinning, countering with wild precision.

  He slashed one Guardian’s knee, then spun, driving his elbow into the other’s chest.

  BOOM!

  A shockwave rippled outward.

  He blurred between them like a crimson storm, carving and cutting—his roars echoing through the barrier.

  But they were relentless.

  A titanic fist struck him in the ribs.

  CRACK.

  He coughed blood but didn’t fall—he spun with the momentum, driving both blades into the Guardian’s arm.

  It roared, backhanding him across the sky.

  He hit the barrier roof hard—bones cracking.

  Before he could fall—

  Eliana raised her hand.

  “Now!”

  The two Guardians looked up, faces glowing like miniature suns. Their entire faces pulsed once—twice—then unleashed.

  Twin beams of divine light burst forth, merging into one colossal column.

  The beam engulfed Dreados, burning through the clouds, through Heful’s barrier—

  —and beyond.

  He screamed as the light consumed him, his silhouette writhing at the heart of the blast.

  The beam tore through the dome.

  Dreados was shot into space by the beam of light, his body burning as he vanished beyond the clouds, leaving only a blazing trail across the sky.

  Eliana lowered her hand slowly. Her light dimmed.

  The Guardians knelt on one knee, the light in their faces faded.

  High above, Gozay hovered in silence. His expression softened with awe and pride.

  “Eliana…” he whispered. “You’ve surpassed us all.”

  To Be Continued...