~BWUUUUUSSSHHH!~
Twin blades of spinning wind materialized in his hands, slicing through the air with deadly precision. He hurled them at the nearest cluster of enemies, and they tore through the Dragonoids like a hurricane, leaving nothing but shredded remains in their wake.
The path to the leader became clearer, but the closer he got, the more determined the Dragonoids became. A particularly massive one, easily twice the size of the others, landed in his path, blocking his advance with an earth-shaking roar.
"ROOOAAAARRRRR!!!"
Rey didn't hesitate.
He activated [Doppel: Titan Strike], his blade glowing with immense energy as he charged.
The Dragonoid swung a claw the size of a small boulder, but Rey ducked under it, slashing upward with all his strength. The blow cleaved through the creature's armor-like scales, and it collapsed with a deafening thud.
He leaped over its body, using its massive frame as a springboard to launch himself higher into the air. The Dragonoid leader turned its glowing red eyes toward him, finally acknowledging his approach.
"You see me now, huh?" Rey muttered, his gaze locked on the monstrous figure.
The leader raised a claw, signaling the rest of the swarm.
Dragonoids surged toward him from all sides, forming a writhing wall of wings, claws, and fangs.
Rey's grip on his weapon tightened as he activated [Doppel: Radiant Ascension].
A golden aura erupted from his body, propelling him upward like a comet.
The Dragonoids swarming him were blasted away by the sheer force of the energy, their bodies disintegrating in the wake of his ascent.
But the leader wasn't idle.
It opened its massive jaws, gathering energy for an attack. The skies darkened further as a vortex of crimson light coalesced in its mouth—a Dragon Breath powerful enough to obliterate everything in its path.
Rey's heart pounded as he reached the apex of his ascent, the leader now directly in front of him.
He could feel the overwhelming heat of the charged attack, a force so intense it threatened to consume him entirely.
"Damn it," Rey muttered, steeling himself. "Guess I'm about to find out how tough I really am."
The Dragon Breath was fully charged, and the Dragonoid leader let out a thunderous roar as it unleashed the devastating beam. Rey braced himself, his aura flaring to its maximum intensity as he prepared to meet the attack head-on.
And then, everything exploded into light.
~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!~
The Dragon Breath surged toward Rey like an unstoppable tidal wave of destruction. The air itself felt like it was tearing apart under the pressure of the attack.
For a brief moment, even Rey doubted he could survive.
But there was no time for hesitation. He activated [Light Shield] first, creating a shimmering barrier of golden light that intercepted the attack.
The sheer force of the beam shattered the shield instantly, but it had served its purpose—buying him a fraction of a second.
"Not enough!" Rey growled, chaining [Special Barrier] and [Black Storm] together. A dark torrent of energy erupted around him, swirling with destructive power that collided with the Dragon Breath.
The energy vortex destabilized the beam, dispersing some of its strength, but the attack was still too much. Rey gritted his teeth, channeling [Rapid Regeneration] to heal his burning arms as he used [Temporal Flow] to slow down time for his target while giving himself a speed advantage.
The beam finally dissipated, leaving Rey panting but alive. His body was scorched, his uniform in tatters, but his resolve was unshaken.
"Your turn," Rey said, his voice low and dangerous.
The Dragonoid leader roared in fury, its massive wings creating gusts of wind as it descended to engage Rey directly. The ground trembled under its weight as it landed, claws tearing through the earth. Rey didn't hesitate—he charged forward, activating [Elemental Control: Wind] to propel himself faster, his sword glowing with energy.
The two clashed with earth-shattering force.
The Dragonoid leader swiped with its claws, but Rey dodged with precision enhanced by [High Sense] and countered with a devastating upward slash imbued with [Light Ray: Red]. The blade connected, carving a deep wound into the creature's side.
The Dragonoid roared in pain but retaliated instantly, swinging its tail with the force of a wrecking ball. Rey activated [Space-Shift], swapping positions with a boulder nearby, narrowly avoiding the attack.
He reappeared behind the creature, unleashing [Spike Attack], sending razor-sharp spikes of energy into its back.
"Come on!"
The battlefield watched in stunned silence as Rey fought the massive Dragonoid alone.
Soldiers froze mid-battle, unable to comprehend how a single human could stand against such a monstrosity.
"Focus!" Lady A's voice cut through the chaos. She stood at the front lines, her purple aura blazing like a beacon. "Rey is holding their leader. If he defeats it, we survive. If he doesn't, we all die! Protect him at all costs!"
Her words galvanized the troops into action. Soldiers rallied, fighting the lesser Dragonoids with renewed determination. Lady A herself jumped into the fray, her powerful attacks carving through enemies like paper.
Meanwhile, Rey continued his relentless assault. The Dragonoid leader unleashed a torrent of fire, but Rey countered with [Elemental Control: Water], creating a massive wave that extinguished the flames. He followed up with [Electrical Surge], sending bolts of electricity crackling along the creature's body.
The Dragonoid roared and took to the skies, trying to gain the upper hand.
Rey activated [Dragonoid Form], sprouting scaled wings and claws, his strength and speed increasing exponentially. He launched himself after the leader, colliding with it mid-air in a clash that lit up the blood-red skies.
Blow after blow was exchanged, each one shaking the battlefield.
Rey unleashed [Sonic Roar], disorienting the Dragonoid with a deafening blast of sound, and then followed with [Light Ray: Black], a concentrated beam of energy that seared through its scales.
The Dragonoid retaliated with a powerful swipe, sending Rey hurtling toward the ground.
He slammed into the earth, creating a crater, but quickly got back on his feet, his wounds closing rapidly thanks to [Rapid Regeneration].
"Is that all you've got?" Rey taunted, his voice echoing across the battlefield.
The Dragonoid leader snarled, its eyes glowing with primal fury. It dove toward Rey, gathering energy for another attack. Rey met it head-on, activating [Physical Enhancement] to boost his strength and [Stone Transformation] to harden his body.
Their clash sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield, forcing everyone to brace themselves.
Above, the soldiers fought desperately to keep the lesser Dragonoids at bay.
Lady A's aura burned brighter than ever as she cut down enemies left and right, shouting orders to maintain the defensive line.
Rey, meanwhile, fought with everything he had, chaining Skills seamlessly to keep up with the Dragonoid leader's overwhelming power. The sky darkened further as the creature prepared its ultimate attack—a second Dragon Breath, even more potent than the first.
Rey's eyes narrowed. He spread his wings, launching himself toward the leader with a determined roar.
"I won't let you win!"
As the Dragon Breath began to charge, Rey braced himself, drawing on every ounce of strength and Skill he possessed.
He stretched out both his hands as energy also began to gather around them.
"Eat this…"
The battlefield held its breath as the showdown reached its climax.