Daniel looked around. Only two others remained. Naturally, they were Vermyros and Rhaenyra.
He had expected the first to make it this far, but the second surprised him a little. It seemed that girl was far stronger than she looked.
The ground beneath them was still trembling from the pulse of the First Heart when the red sky of the realm suddenly cracked open.
Black and golden light poured out from the fractures and swallowed the remains of the Phase Two battlefield. The massive bones, broken pillars, and the sea of dark flames were all dragged into a vortex and collapsed.
When everything settled, the three remaining figures were standing on a floating platform.
The platform hovered above the ruins of an ancient war. On the horizon, the shadows of enormous dragons could be seen like fading memories. Broken swords floated in the air, and the ground beneath their feet shone like cracked glass filled with molten light.
At the center of the sky, a divided flame was floating.
Three flames, each a different color. With a single glance, it was clear they had awareness and something like a soul. That alone was extremely strange.
Then... a voice echoed in their ears.
The Dragon Goddess spoke.
"The Heart has been divided. The First Flame has been entrusted to potential heirs. But only one will can stabilize it."
The sparks descended toward them and each one settled on someone’s chest. When Daniel’s spark touched him, a calm but deep warmth settled inside him. Not burning. Not wild. It was as if the flame recognized him.
The goddess continued:
"In this phase, killing has no meaning. There is no true death. Only will can break. The one who breaks the will of the others will be worthy of the complete flame."
"Like the previous phase, you may receive your current reward now or postpone it."
A heavy silence fell between them.
Rhaenyra was the first to lower her head. Her gaze moved between Daniel and Vermyros. She had clearly seen the power of both of them, in Phase One, in Phase Two, and now in this ruined field.
"I... will receive my current reward," she said quietly. Her spark shone.
Her choice was confirmed, and she received her reward again. She glanced at it, and her eyes lit up. This reward was even better than the previous one.
Then her gaze returned to Daniel. This phase was a battle between all of them, and she knew that as the weakest, she had no chance.
And she did not want to form an alliance against someone she owed.
"May I withdraw from the trial?" she asked out loud after thinking for a long time.
"Are you certain?" the Dragon Goddess asked again.
"Yes." Rhaenyra nodded without hesitation. She had already won two phases and received two very good rewards.
There was no need to be greedy.
Her body dissolved into light. Before disappearing, she gave Daniel one last short look.
Her spark was released, and to their surprise it did not move toward either of them. Instead, it took on a dragon-like shape and glared at both of them with hostility.
Now there were three beings again. It seemed they were forced to fight that flame-turned-dragon as well.
"Begin," the goddess declared.
The flame dragon made its first mistake.
It rushed toward Daniel, perhaps thinking to target the one who looked the weakest. Instinct still saw him that way.
Daniel did not show any special reaction. It was as if he did not even consider this flame worthy of a response.
The Heaven’s Honor appeared in his hand, a blade carrying both heavenly light and deep shadow at the same time.
The dragon activated its first skill.
[Crimson Dominion Field]
A field of red oppressive pressure that slowed movement and crushed will.
The pressure settled on Daniel’s body. He did not take a single step back.
"Law of Death..." he said calmly.
A thin invisible aura spread around him.
[Silent Requiem Domain]
Any hostile force that entered its range lost part of its "concept of life."
The red field cracked.
The dragon roared. It realized it had chosen the wrong opponent, but there was no room to retreat. It could only move forward.
[Dragon Fang Rupture]
Spears of draconic bone shot out, tearing through space.
Daniel raised his sword.
[Eternal Severance]
A slash that cut not the body, but "continuity." The blade moved. There was no explosion, no massive collision. The spears went dark mid-air.
As if they had never existed.
The dragon’s eyes trembled. It understood that it had no chance of victory and could be erased at any moment.
Daniel stepped forward.
[Grave Authority Pulse]
A wave of the Law of Death that targeted will, not flesh. The dragon dropped to its knees.
Its eyes went empty. Its body dissolved into light. The flame suddenly moved toward Vermyros and merged into the other spark on his chest.
"Hah?" Even Vermyros looked shocked and did not understand what had happened.
Wasn’t that bastard the one who defeated it? Why did it come to him?
Daniel frowned slightly, but since the goddess gave no explanation, he did not ask. He could guess that the flame probably preferred a real dragon.
"So I have to take the remaining two flames by force, huh?" he laughed.
Now only two remained.
Vermyros let out a heavy breath. His eyes were full of anger. The humiliation from the restaurant was still alive in his mind. He had always believed that if he had not been ambushed, he would have won.
Even though he now understood that thought was wrong, that it was a stupid excuse, his pride would not let him accept defeat. And this time, there was no excuse.
With a roar, he fully transformed into his dragon form. His massive body covered the broken sky. Dark scales, curved horns, wings that stirred storms.
[Abyssal Flame Breath]
A column of dark fire that melted the ground.
Daniel did not even dodge. He held the sword horizontally and cut it apart easily.
Vermyros knew that in a normal state he had no chance, so he had to release all his power at once.
[Eternal Horizon Cut]
A wide slash that split the fire in two and sent it to both sides of the field.
[Tyrant Scale Manifestation]
Scales that created absolute defense.
Daniel did not move, as if waiting to see what this idiot would do.
[Skybreaker Descent]
The ground shattered. Daniel felt as if an entire world had fallen on him, trying to crush him into the earth.
But Daniel stood within the dust. One hand rose. With the other, using the Law of Death, he gave death to the skill that had just been used. He literally killed a skill.
[Eternal Stillness Step]
A step that removed him from the flow of time for a brief moment.
Vermyros crashed down, but hit nothing. He immediately retreated and attacked again without wasting time.
[Draconic Wrath Surge]
His physical power increased madly. The madness in his eyes grew stronger.
[Dominion Roar]
A roar that shook will itself. But every time he attacked, Daniel answered.
His blade struck the dragon’s massive body again and again, not to kill, but to break.
Vermyros’s left wing went numb from a strike of [Eternal Severance].
His neck was forced to the ground by a wave of [Grave Authority Pulse].
This was not even a fight. From the beginning, Vermyros had been completely suppressed. He had no chance to compete. All his efforts were useless.
The gap between them was far too large to be covered by a few skills or trump cards.
In the end, the sword rested at his throat.
"Surrender," Daniel said calmly.
The dragon struggled.
"In this phase, killing has no benefit. You only need to break the will. Step back on your own," Daniel continued.
Vermyros’s eyes were filled with hatred. But deep inside... there was doubt.
A long moment passed.
Then the sparks on his chest began to shine.
Two sparks. They separated from his body and moved closer to each other in the air.
They rotated, merged, and formed a larger flame.
The flame... spoke. A deep, tempting voice that only Vermyros could hear.
"You want to defeat him. You want to erase your humiliation. Give your honor. Give your soul. And receive power beyond him."
Vermyros’s eyes turned red with rage. This might be his only chance to take back his pride.
Even if it meant his own destruction.