The arena was a sea of fire, molten and searing.
Draktharion's breath had scorched everything in its path, the heat so intense that even the sky seemed to shudder under its weight.
The people of the dragon race roared, their voices shaking the air. The fire had engulfed Atticus— powerful or not, there was no way a human could escape such a devastating attack. He had to be dead!
But soon enough, those cheers stopped.
From within the fiery storm, two glowing crimson eyes pierced through the blaze, brighter than the fire itself.
They cut through the flames like a predator's gaze, locking onto Draktharion with terrifying calm.
The sound of two footsteps echoed, slow and deliberate. Calm and measured.
Atticus walked through the fire as if it were nothing more than a gentle breeze, his form completely untouched by the inferno raging around him.
The fire that had turned the arena into a hellscape swirled at a five-meter radius around him, tamed and bending to his will, as though he were the true king of flames.
The impossible sight froze every dragon in their tracks.
At that moment, the notion that dragons were the lords of fire was shattered in the minds of everyone watching.
The true lord of fire could only be this 16 year old boy.
Draktharion's gaze trembled. 'What the hell was this human?'
"It's time to end this," Atticus muttered, his voice calm, ice cold.
He decided to stop holding back. From the very beginning of the battle, it was clear, although not to others, that he had been holding back considerably. The simple fact that he hadn't attacked first was a testament to this.
Draktharion was an apex, a reincarnator. Someone of unknown origins. Atticus knew how many tricks he himself had up his sleeve, but he had no idea what Draktharion might have— potentially something dangerous. Because of this, he had chosen to be cautious.
However, from what he had seen, it was painfully obvious that this was Draktharion's last-ditch effort.
And so, it was time to stop holding back.
The air around him shifted. The once gentle flames blazed fiercely, responding to Atticus's will. The fire molecules in the air—every single one of them—came under his command, pulsing with new intensity.
Atticus took a step forward.
The sea of flames that Draktharion had unleashed suddenly dispersed, vanishing as if they had never existed.
To Atticus, Draktharion's transformation into a giant target was the worst mistake he could've made.
Another step forward. Atticus calmly sheathed his katana, his eyes sharp.
The fire molecules coalesced all around the arena, gathering and molding together with speed. In an instant, towering fiery constructs began to form behind him, each one a massive humanoid figure, glowing with the fierce aura of titans.
They stood like an army, blazing giants, each one radiating a terrifying presence.
The brows of every Ravenstein watching shot up in absolute shock, and even Avalon couldn't help but stand from his seat.
Ever since Atticus had formed his fire domain and fused with it, Avalon had known. He had known that his connection with the elements was deep, much deeper than he could have ever achieved with just the fire element. But even this… this was too much.
Avalon suddenly realized what was happening and sat back down, holding Anastasia's hand tightly.
She squeezed his hand in return, her worry evident on her face. Despite the fact that Atticus was winning, she would only calm down once he was out and in one piece.
Draktharion's entire gigantic body froze, disbelief coloring his face.
He could feel the fire molecules in the air, but every attempt to control them was futile. None of them responded to his command!
His life weapon suddenly vibrated with intensity, snapping him out of his shock.
'The third art,' he decided, preparing to use his final technique.
But before he could even move, Atticus took a third step.
The ground cracked beneath his feet as he disappeared in a blur, piercing through the sky like a torpedo.
The earth itself swirled around Atticus's arm, forming into a massive, solid fist. With cataclysmic force, he slammed it upward into Draktharion's chin.
Boom!
The punch shattered Draktharion's teeth, sending shockwaves rippling through the air, forming concentric circles around his face.
The impact lifted his massive body off the ground, but before he could go far, Atticus appeared above him, his arm drawn back for another punch. This time, the earth fist had grown larger, swirling with air and crackling with lightning.
With a burst of explosive power, Atticus slammed his fist down on top of Draktharion's head.
Boom!
The punch sent Draktharion crashing into the ground with a thunderous impact. The force shattered the ground beneath him, forming a massive crater as lava bubbled up from the depths.
The entire arena shook, the shockwave ripping through the battlefield, tearing the ground apart.
Draktharion's mind reeled, pain flooding his senses. But before he could even gather his thoughts, the fiery titans moved.
One by one, the blazing titans behind Atticus descended upon Draktharion, raining down blow after blow.
Their punches slammed into his massive form, each one cracking his scales and inflicting devastating injuries.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
The fiery constructs continued their assault, fists blazing with an almost divine heat. They tore into Draktharion's body, cracking his bones and scorching his flesh.
Then, without warning, the titans began to explode.
One by one, the fiery constructs detonated in a blaze of light, their final blows erupting into showers of fire and destruction.
The explosions sent waves of heat rippling across the arena, reducing everything to cinders. Each blast carved deeper into Draktharion's body, leaving him helpless as his dragon form began to crumble.
When the dust finally settled, Draktharion lay in the center of a massive crater. His once mighty dragon form was gone, replaced by a broken, humanoid figure.
His scales had been shattered, his body battered and broken.
He had lost.