Leylo watched Moonlight on the Storm Griffin King's back. A trace of cunning flashed in those pale-gold cat eyes. Her small paws swiftly traced a few arcane runes in the air, and a nearly imperceptible silver glow flickered for a fleeting second.
Everyone's attention was captured by the struggle of the two giant beasts; no one saw Moonlight's little trick hidden behind the Griffin King's back.
In the next moment, right beside the original Storm Griffin King, a second, identical Storm Griffin King appeared without warning!
Same powerful physique, same surrounding dark-cyan storm, and the same overwhelming pressure of a Tier 4 magical beast. The two Griffin Kings stood side-by-side, staring down the bewildered Thunder Dragon from both sides.
"What?!"
The smile on Elliot's face froze instantly, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. Not to mention him—even Leylo was dumbfounded.
An illusion? No—wait, that pressure, those mana fluctuations—they are identical to the real thing!
It wasn't just him; everyone was stunned. Was this mirror magic? Or some sort of summoning art?
The two Storm Griffin Kings didn't give anyone time to think. They let out a synchronized, piercing cry and attacked simultaneously!
The number of wind blades in the sky doubled instantly. Two massive tornadoes formed from different directions, roaring toward the Thunder Dragon like giant, savage serpents. Countless fine wind blades mingled within, whistling as they sliced through the air and the dragon's hardened scales.
"ROAR!"
The Thunder Dragon was caught completely off guard by its opponent "splitting in two." Its prideful lightning magic seemed inadequate against two equally terrifying storms. The previous suppressive advantage vanished. The dragon was frantic; every time it crushed one wind blade, another of equal power struck from the side. The two Griffin Kings moved with perfect telepathic synchronization, their angles of attack utterly ruthless.
CRACK!
A thick wind blade slammed into the Thunder Dragon's left wing, tearing a wound deep enough to show bone. Dragon blood fell like broken beads.
The dragon let out a pained, furious roar, its electricity becoming more violent in an attempt to force the opponents back with an indiscriminate discharge. But the two Griffin Kings were agile; under the cover of the gale, they dodged every lethal strike while adding new scars to the dragon's hide.
The crowd in the square stood rooted like wooden chickens.
"How... how is this possible?" a Thunder Dragon Knight muttered, looking like he'd seen a ghost.
Prince Elliot's face was no longer just livid; it was as black as a soot-covered pot. His lips were pressed into a thin line, and his fists were clenched so hard his knuckles were white. His chest heaved with a rage that had reached its limit. His dragon—a noble-blooded creature—was being suppressed and beaten by a griffin. It was a supreme humiliation!
BOOM!
With another heavy sound, the Thunder Dragon's massive frame finally buckled under the pincer attack. Like a kite with a broken string, it fell crookedly from the sky and slammed into the open space at the far end of the square, kicking up a wall of dust.
Though it struggled to crawl back up, its bloodied wounds and withered aura signaled its total defeat. The two Storm Griffin Kings didn't press their advantage. They circled in the air, let out a triumphant cry, and looked magnificent. Moonlight happily flicked her tail and even let out a yawn.
"Absurd! Utterly absurd!" Elliot finally snapped. He stepped forward, his mana surging as if he were ready to join the fray himself.
Seeing this, Leylo knew things had gone too far. This was no longer "playing around." If Elliot attacked, even the Duke might find it hard to settle the matter. Moreover, Leylo didn't want his castle torn down any further.
"Enough! Tempest, return!" Leylo shouted, his voice infused with mana so it carried over the screeching of the beasts.
In the sky, the two Griffin Kings looked toward Leylo simultaneously. Then, to the astonishment of the crowd, one of them began to turn blurry and transparent, finally dissolving into points of cyan light that vanished into the air as if it had never existed. Only the original Tempest remained.
Tempest let out a slightly reluctant low cry, looked back at the "big cat" on its back, and then obeyed the order—descending toward the ground.
Moonlight, meanwhile, calmly licked her paw. Her gold eyes flicked toward the battered dragon and the fuming Elliot on the ground. Was that... a look of disdain?
Leylo felt a headache coming on. Moonlight was truly a little agent of chaos!
The Fallout
Silence fell over the square, broken only by the Thunder Dragon's heavy, ragged breathing. The once-invincible beast now looked like a defeated rooster. Tempest landed beside Leylo, and Moonlight leaped down gracefully, shaking her silver fur as if the thrilling battle had nothing to do with her.
"This—this is impossible!" Elliot stared at his dragon, his facial muscles twitching with fury. "Leylo! What cowardly trickery did you use?!"
His voice was sharp and raspy, filled with indignation. "A feathered beast? How does it dare stand against my Storm?!" He was practically shouting in Leylo's face.
Leylo frowned and took a half-step back. "Prince Elliot, please mind your words. Two magical beasts were just playing; winning and losing are common occurrences. The outcome doesn't matter." He glanced at Moonlight, who was scratching her ear with a back leg, looking entirely unbothered.
"Outcome?!" Elliot laughed in rage. "A feathered beast talks of 'merit' before my noble Storm? Leylo, don't think a little cleverness means—"
"Your Highness," Leylo interrupted. "Your dragon lost. That is a fact. If you cannot accept it, there is nothing I can do. But this is my territory; please maintain the decorum expected of you."
Elliot's laughter died. His face turned from red to white to blue in a spectacular display of emotion. As the Crown Prince, when had he ever faced such defiance? The air around them seemed to freeze. The Thunder Dragon Knights didn't dare breathe. They could already imagine the sensation this would cause back in Thunder Dragon City.
"Fine. Very well!" Elliot hissed through gritted teeth. "Leylo, you truly are my 'dear' brother! We're leaving!"
Elliot turned and walked toward his grounded dragon. Raymond let out a low, pained whimper and struggled to stand, stumbling as his wounds reopened. When his knights tried to help, Elliot pushed them away. "Get back! I haven't reached the point where I need pity!"
He mounted the dragon. Raymond beat its wings with great effort, kicking up dust, and finally wobbled into the air. The other knights gathered their terrified Iron-Feathered Eagles and followed their Prince, fleeing the square where they had lost all face.
Once they were gone, the tension finally eased. Leylo sighed, looked at the "innocent" Moonlight, scooped her up by the armpit, and gave her a few firm swats on the rear. Smack, smack, smack!
Tempest shivered and shrank its head, its previous triumphant pride vanishing instantly.
"Awoo!" Moonlight let out a victimized meow and burrowed back into Leylo's arms to act spoiled.
Looking at the broken stone slabs and the mess left behind, Leylo felt no joy in victory. Elliot was the type to seek revenge for the slightest grievance.
"Clean up the square," Leylo ordered. "Tend to the wounded and pay out generous compensations."
He glanced at the "culprit" in his arms. Moonlight was already back to normal, her tail flicking lazily. He tapped her forehead. "Moonlight, tell me... how did you make that clone? Did you learn a new magic?"
Moonlight closed her eyes and started playing dead.