Chapter 55: The princess bathes in fire, and the dragon's might begins to emerge!
The training ground's air was thick with the impending duel.
Kurogane Ikki and the others held their breath at the edge, their gazes fixed on Arthur and Stella, who stood facing each other in the arena.
After Arthur revealed that Stella's power was not natural interference, but a more profound conceptual interference, a practical battle aimed at awakening the dormant dragon was imminent.
At this moment, Stella's face was still a mix of disbelief and a hint of bewilderment.
"I've had my ability for so long, yet... I've never truly touched its core?"
She looked at Arthur, her eyes filled with a touch of urgency and confusion.
"What should I do? Can simply fighting you awaken my true power?"
Arthur's lips curved into a faint smile, his tone a reassuring, almost coaxing one.
"Don't be nervous, truly, just one fight with me will be enough."
His words were not false, but a judgment Arthur had made after careful consideration.
From the first time he met Stella, when she claimed to be a natural interference type, he had sensed something amiss.
Her astonishing fiery magic was merely the innate breath of a Dragon, a shallow manifestation beneath the surface.
As a pioneer in uncovering origins, Arthur could clearly sense the dormant Dragon's power within Stella.
With the surging magic within him as a catalyst, he would surely be able to help her ignite that sleeping spark!
After receiving Arthur's confident reply, Stella took a deep breath.
She cast aside the chaotic thoughts in her mind, her eyes suddenly sharpened, and she immersed herself wholeheartedly in the duel before her.
She and Arthur had never officially clashed. Although she had admitted to being unprepared during the department store incident, in a true test of strength, the outcome was still unknown!
"Come and serve me, Hiryū Zai Ken!"
In an instant, a fiery storm rose like a crimson Dragon, and a violent heatwave swept across the entire training ground!
Stella reached into the scorching core, gripping a magnificent and intricate European broadsword, interwoven with gold and red. Its blade pointed directly at Arthur, radiating fierce battle intent!
Arthur felt the scorching battle intent and Stella's resolute determination wash over him, and he couldn't help but let out a low chuckle.
"Manifest here and conquer, Radiant Dragon Holy Sword!"
He raised his hand with interest, the air hummed, and the Sacred Sword answered his call.
"Then, come at me."
Before his words had even finished, Stella had already moved!
The flames of Hiryū Zai Ken surged, and the hard ground of the training field beneath her feet shattered!
Her figure shot out like a cannonball, enveloped in irresistible magic, and a heavy slash tore through the air!
Arthur neither dodged nor evaded. The airflow around him converged wildly, and the wind pressure on the Sacred Sword solidified as he bravely met the burning blade!
Clang! Clang! Clang---!
Gale-force winds and raging flames collided fiercely, and the clang of metal splitting stone and piercing clouds echoed endlessly!
Inside the training ground, at times, an uncontrolled flame would splash like a meteor, and at other times, a condensed wind blade would howl out, leaving grotesque marks on the ground.
Stella stared at Arthur's still composed expression, her heart tightening as she realized the huge gap in their close-combat skills.
She stomped her foot abruptly, the ground trembled, and the flames around her, like a veil, surged again!
Dragon Tremor Kick! Hiryū Great Jaw!
The flames on the sword seemed to come alive, transforming into a lifelike fiery Dragon that suddenly opened its massive mouth, filled with flaming fangs, and lunged at Arthur with an all-consuming aura!
Water Form - Raging Scales!
Arthur's sword tip twisted, and a water mirror instantly spread!
The moment the fiery Dragon's massive mouth bit down, it plunged into a bottomless deep sea, stirring up a sky full of steam!
Stella only felt a powerful restraint on her sword, which caused her sword-drawing motion to stall. Greatly alarmed, she quickly activated her magic for protection.
Countless torrents of water shot out from the steam, but they were all blocked by a layer of joyfully dancing, solid-like fiery veil, without a single scratch.
This was Stella's proud Noble Art - Hiryū Feather Robe!
Under the protection of this high-temperature holy armor, ordinary attacks could be ignored, allowing her to focus wholeheartedly on offense and killing!
Noble Art - Tyrant Dragon's Roar!
Stella's offensive resumed, and the giant Dragon, mimicked by flames, soared high!
As its wings flapped, countless scorching fire rains poured down, and at the same time, it opened its mouth and spewed out a highly condensed red and white Dragon's Breath, directly at Arthur!
Wind Form - Roar!
Arthur's figure remained still, but the surrounding atmosphere vibrated violently under his will.
A restless, raging tornado storm suddenly formed, swirling with countless wind blades, like an ancient beast ready to devour, and collided head-on with the red and white Dragon's Breath!
Boom---!!!
Wind and fire merged to the extreme, instantly transforming into a destructive fiery tornado that spread wildly in all directions!
Wherever it passed, the training ground's surface was completely carbonized, the air twisted, and the heatwave was oppressive!
The onlookers at the edge raised their hands to shield themselves from the splashing fire meteors, retreating in horror.
"Are these two monsters... truly going all out!?
"No, Stella and Arthur show no signs of their magic power diminishing. The real intense battle is just beginning!"
"I've never heard of such a huge difference in magic power between a Rank A Knight and a Rank B Knight!"
"Forget you youngsters, even this Rank A Knight, I, would never be able to squander magic power like this!"
...
The fiery tornado gradually subsided, and as the smoke and dust cleared, everyone immediately focused their gaze on the center of the arena.
Arthur's figure transformed into blurry streaks of sky-blue lightning, launching a fierce, storm-like assault around Stella!
The Princess, who was freely unleashing flames, now found herself completely unable to keep up with her opponent's ghostly explosive power, only able to barely hold on with her Hiryū Feather Robe.
After gritting her teeth and enduring another round of lightning baptism, Stella's eyes were resolute. She raised Hiryū Zai Ken and let out a clear shout that echoed throughout the arena.
"Burning Heaven, Scorching Earth, Dragon King's Flame!"
The next instant, with Stella at the center, countless thick pillars of flame shot skyward, then slammed down like divine punishment, intertwining and merging!
The entire training ground quickly twisted and melted under this extreme heat!
The aggressive pillars of flame not only instantly forced back the rapidly attacking Arthur but also accumulated a power that seemed to destroy the world as they continuously merged!
Clearly, Stella was preparing to unleash an all-out attack!
Arthur casually waved away the scorching heatwave that rushed towards him, sensed the unreserved, furiously burning magic power within Stella, and nodded in satisfaction.
After a brief charge, Stella suddenly swung her sword!
A spiraling column of flames, capable of incinerating all things, sped across the ground, accompanied by deafening explosions, instantly engulfing Arthur's figure completely!
Terrifying high-temperature heatwaves raged across the arena. The training ground was already a dark red, and rolling hot air continuously steamed, making everyone's vision increasingly distorted and blurry!
Stella leaned on Hiryū Zai Ken with both hands, panting heavily, sweat pouring down her face.
She stared intently at the pillar of flame that continuously erupted like a volcanic eruption not far away, her eyes filled with apprehension and a faint glimmer of hope.
Did I... win?
Just as Stella's mind relaxed for a moment, a sharp whoosh suddenly echoed throughout the arena!
Arthur, completely unharmed, emerged like a ghost from the edge of the flames, appearing before her!
His right palm was highly condensed with magic power, carrying an irresistible, immense force, and he struck Stella's chest!
Bang!
Stella was immediately struck as if by lightning, her body trembled, and the broadsword in her hand flew out.
Arthur did not stop. Having landed a hit, he immediately retreated, moving so fast that he left trails of afterimages.
By this point in the intense battle, Stella's magic power was more than half depleted, yet her mental will, under extreme pressure, had adjusted to an unprecedented peak state.
At this moment, the pure magic power in Arthur's palm, also of the Dragon race, exploded within her like a prairie fire!
Roar---!!!
A deafening roar, as if from primordial antiquity, suddenly echoed through the sky!
Even though the onlookers had never heard it before, a thought spontaneously arose in their minds—
This is a Dragon's Roar!
Stella, who had fallen to the ground, trembled violently, desperately trying to control the wildly surging, terrifying magic power within her that threatened to tear her apart!
Behind her, a massive and majestic crimson Dragon's phantom was slowly emerging, baring its fangs and claws, its Dragon's might permeating the air!
Arthur observed the increasingly pained expression on her face and reminded her loudly.
"Feel it, understand it, control it!"
"From now on, it's all up to you, Stella!"
Stella gritted her teeth, her pretty face contorted in pain, but she couldn't speak in response.
She could only nod with difficulty, then closed her eyes, sinking all her mind into her body to engage in a more perilous struggle with the newly awakened Dragon's power.
...
Everyone met Arthur, who slowly walked out from the heat haze and dust, but their gazes involuntarily turned to Stella, who was enveloped in surging magic power in the center of the arena.
"So... Vermillion, is she considered to have successfully awakened now?"
"It looks like, at least, there's no danger to her life?"
"Really... nothing unexpected will happen, right?"
Arthur looked relaxed and nodded casually.
"Don't worry, I just used my own magic power as a catalyst to stimulate her to awaken prematurely."
"That power originally belonged to her; how could it possibly backfire on its master?"
Infected by his calm demeanor, everyone's anxious hearts finally settled a little.
Then, their faces filled with curiosity and anticipation, they continued to wait at the edge of the training ground.
Stella, who had not yet awakened the concept of the Dragon, was already a top-tier Rank A Knight.
Once she truly mastered this terrifying power from the depths of her soul, how strong would she become?
In the crowd, the well-informed Saikyō Nene's gaze subtly swept over Arthur, her eyes sparkling with unprecedented brilliance.
While the students were all focused on Stella's awe-inspiring awakening, she had developed a stronger interest in Arthur.
Not only could he manipulate multiple elements at will, but he could even delve into the realm of gravity, and his magic's nature was identical to that of the legendary Dragon race...
Just what is this kid's background?
Saikyō Nene, who had always been playful and had never considered taking on disciples, now found a thought quietly budding in her heart.
Perhaps, occasionally trying something she had never done before would also be quite interesting.
Her Overlord Heavenly Star also seemed to need a suitable successor.