He could have killed Raizakia.
Had Raizakia clung stubbornly to his draconic form, the battle would have culminated in Eugene's triumph. However, driven by the primal instinct of self-preservation, Raizakia relinquished his pride and dignity, assuming a human guise as he advanced toward Eugene.
Eugene had exhausted every available resource in his clash against Raizakia. Ignition had been unleashed, harnessing the full extent of his capabilities. Prominence, the Moonlight Sword, the Holy Sword, the Empty Sword, Eclipse, and various other weapons and techniques had all been brought to bear.
The fiery aura enveloping Eugene continued to burn fiercely, its fervor mirrored by the unwavering resolve within his very being. It would continue to burn as long as Eugene’s body could hold out.
But that wasn’t enough. Raizakia had abandoned his form as a dragon. He had polymorphed into a human form, and the scales that once covered his colossal form were now concentrated on his smaller figure.
If Eugene wanted to crush his enemy, he needed greater power.
The vessels in his hand were accentuated above the skin, and his trembling fingers pushed deeper into his chest.
Thump.
A resounding thump echoed within his consciousness. Eugene held his breath, gritting his teeth in determination. He could feel a sense of resistance. Could he really go forward with this? His instincts resisted his conscious decision. He knew that there was a possibility that this was an inevitable choice. The specter of death loomed over him, and he knew his decision could very well lead to his death.
‘But if I keep going like this, I’ll die anyways.’
He kept his thoughts calm and composed. He knew that even if he kept battling in his current state, he would likely die at Raizakia’s hands. If that were the case, he would bet and burn his life until the limit. Even if he had to step one foot across the boundary of life and death, as long as he survived, and as long as he could kill Raizakia….
Craaack.
Without hesitation, his powerful fingers dug into the skin.
Thump!
Another resounding thump reverberated, his heart accelerating its rhythm. The organ beat with such fervor as if it threatened to burst, causing his body to rise and fall with each breath.
His mind went blank, but it was inevitable. He was trying his hand at something he had never attempted in his past life, one rife with all manners of audacity. Simultaneously activating Prominence and Ignition already placed an enormous burden on his body, but he had even activated Agaroth’s Ring to hasten the healing of his wounds. That alone had brought Eugene ever so close to death.
Yet, as if such burdens were insufficient, Eugene dared to stoke the flames further, goading his heart and Cores to surge, adding additional fuel to the inferno already ablaze.
Raizakia, who had been striding purposefully toward Eugene, unknowingly froze in his tracks.
‘What is it?’
A frown marred the visage of the arrogant being as he discerned the reason for his abrupt halt — an unsettling emotion, an alien sensation. A feeling coursed through his being, an emotion he vehemently denied, no matter how many times it assailed him.
It was fear.
"You!" Raizakia bellowed, his hand flailing in protest.
Whiiiiip!
Once again, a colossal tail cleaved through the darkness. Eugene had barely managed to rise to his feet when the surrounding darkness momentarily stalled, the tail halting mid-swing.
Fwooooosh!
A surge of flame engulfed the void, reducing Raizakia's tail to ashen remnants in its fiery path.
“Kuagh!” Raizakia screamed while pulling back his tail. He could see Eugene staggering to his feet in the blazing flames. He could distinctly make out Eugene’s appearance even in the clear black flame. His gray hair soared and fluttered like a fire. His golden eyes gleamed brilliantly in the center of the fire. He looked as if he would collapse at any moment. Eugene looked to be in a precarious position, and his steps were staggering. Each step he took threatened to betray him.
Yet, Raizakia dared not act rashly. With centuries of existence etched upon him, the Demon Dragon was compelled to admit what he had long resisted — the human standing before him was no trifling insect.
Eugene ceased his faltering, his steps no longer unsteady. He stood firm, no longer swaying as if poised to crumble. The incredible and volatile power surging within him, threatening to unleash chaos, had finally steadied. The flames that once soared, yearning to consume the heavens, abruptly receded. The immense potency they contained coalesced within Eugene.
Lifting his left hand, Eugene beckoned the Holy Sword, and it soared into his grasp. In that instant, the Holy Sword and the rosary radiated a resplendent glow. His heart, nay, his entire being, throbbed with an agonizing ache. Eugene struggled to prevent his body from fragmenting under the divine power coursing through him along with the power of Agaroth's Ring.
He could not fight long. Eugene knew that he had already placed one foot into the realm of death. Failure to maintain control over his power would swiftly deliver him to the waiting embrace of death. Yet, his lips curled up into a crooked smile.
In an instant, Eugene vanished from sight, and without a moment's hesitation, Raizakia raised both his arms.
Kwaaaaaaaaa!
The arms, now resembling the massive, scaled limbs of a dragon, swept through the darkness. However, the result was the shedding of his protective scales. They were torn asunder, and black blood sprayed in all directions. Despite Raizakia launching the attack with initiative, Eugene broke through, cleaving and crushing everything that stood in his path.
"Hamel...!" Raizakia bellowed, his voice filled with fury as he pressed forward.
Pride was no longer a concern; dignity had been forsaken the moment he assumed this form. Raizakia made alterations to his usual Draconic magic, aware that magical assaults posed little threat to his adversary. Thus, he sought to exploit the advantages he possessed as a dragon: impenetrable scales, a formidable physique, and an almost limitless reserve of Dark Power.
The Draconic words he uttered transformed into numerous augmentation spells, unlocking the full potential of Raizakia's body.
Crack! Craack! Craaaaack!
Each scale that protected his body became imbued with defensive magic. Raizakia’s thoughts accelerated, and his perception increased. Countless spells broadened Raizakia's horizons, granting him a newfound clarity to perceive Eugene's movements.
Only then did he finally see through Eugene’s previously unfathomable movements.
And there, right before him, stood the human. Raizakia was taken aback, his body propelled into motion as he kicked off the ground. The darkness cleaved along the path of the Holy Sword, instantly followed by the engulfing flame of the Empty Sword, inundating Raizakia.
"Kuaagh!" he screamed, waving his hand to counter the flame. His arm underwent another partial transformation. The scales seemingly melted away in the fire, yet he succeeded in severing the flame. However, Raizakia was immediately faced with an onslaught from the Moonlight Sword.
He did not retreat. Instead, Raizakia transformed his left arm, attempting to grasp the Moonlight Sword. Alas, his efforts were in vain. The strike carried outrageous power, and the Moonlight Sword cut through unhindered, severing Raizakia's left arm in its entirety.
Yet, there was no blood. The Moonlight Sword had merely cleaved through an empty bundle of scales. Raizakia opened his mouth wide, unleashing a Breath attack that shot forth in a thin beam. Eugene narrowly evaded the breath, his hand outstretched. Instead of wielding the Holy Sword or the Moonlight Sword, he struck Raizakia's chin with the hand holding the sword sheath.
Crack!
The mouth, filled with Breath, snapped shut, and Raizakia's head went flying. Though his body was flung backward alongside his detached head, Raizakia did not perish. Instead, a new head emerged atop his neck. Rather than uttering words, Raizakia leaped toward Eugene.
Raizakia knew that he couldn’t allow any distance between him and Eugene. He was afraid of what monstrosity Eugene was capable of with his current power, given the black spot he had summoned before. Close combat? It was abnormal for a dragon. However, it did not mean that he wasn’t confident. He had reinforced his body through Draconic magic. He possessed the scales of a dragon and superior regenerative powers. But what about the human?
True, the force that filled his body was incredible. However, his power was by no means permanent. The human was burning his own life in exchange for this tremendous power. As long as Raizakia could hold out for a few hours, the blazing flame would dwindle and die on its own, along with the life of the human.
So should he flee until then, biding his time? No. Raizakia had no intention of entertaining the notion. He would kill the human. He would kill the human before his flame was snuffed out. He would devour the human alive.
Flame and Dark Power collided. The two forces clung to each other and tangled, neither ceding to the other.
Eugene danced with the Holy Sword and the Moonlight Sword, and Raizakia swung with both hands while protecting his body with scales. The result was a shower of scales and blood. However, Raizakia’s injuries healed and were mended immediately.
He lashed out with his leg, but this time, it did not transform into a colossal tail. Instead, the transformation was more cunning and manipulative. Thin, snake-like appendages adorned with dragon scales and emanating malevolent Dark Power coiled around Eugene's body.
Yet, just as the viper-like whips attempted to ensnare Eugene, a black flame erupted around him, reducing the serpentine projections to ashes.
Fwaaah!
The snakes vomited black blood as they burnt to a crisp by the mana flame. Raizakia’s blood — the Poison Fog — invaded Eugene’s body. The Holy Sword trembled in response, and the protection of the divine power resisted the poisonous fog.
Fwooosh!
A white sphere of flames rose from behind Eugene’s Wing of Prominence. It was Eclipse. Raizakia’s eyes filled with shock when he saw the sun. The attack Eugene had conjured before required some time, but he was now much faster than before.
Eclipse turned black in an instant, then hurled towards Raizakia. The Black Dragon conjured a protective barrier before jumping back.
Craaack!
Unfortunately, the barrier did not last long. After penetrating through the boundary, Eclipse devoured Raizakia’s left arm.
“Kuaaghh!”
The flame ate away at his arm, and Raizakia severed his left arm with a pained scream. However, despite having cut off his arm, Eclipse continued to burn through Raizakia’s left arm before exploding.
Raizakia was barely able to make his escape, but a sharp pair of eyes appeared right behind him. It was Eugene. He wielded the Holy Sword at Raizakia’s waist, which was left vulnerable while stabbing at his chest with the Moonlight Sword.
Raizakia was more wary against the blow aimed at his chest rather than the Holy Sword. In an instant, the scales protecting his body became concentrated on his chest. The Holy Sword managed to sever Raizakia’s body in two, and the Moonlight Sword fully penetrated through the dense layer of scales. The upper half of Raizakia’s body rolled on the ground as a stump.
However, the Black Dragon was whole once more in the blink of an eye. Raizakia shot one Breath after another, stabilizing himself by pressing against the ground with his hands.
Booooom!
The bombardment was upon Eugene before he could complete the second Eclipse, and he was left with no choice but to hurl the incomplete sphere. The resulting explosion of mana and his flame soared into a tall barrier that blocked the barrage of Raizakia’s Breaths. Wasting no time, Eugene jumped into the flame.
The Holy Sword cut the flame, or rather, the flame clung to the blade. Eugene was weaving the flame around the Empty Sword that covered the Holy Sword. Raizakia’s eyes quivered with shock when he witnessed the sight.
The dragon had been isolated in this space for two centuries, and he couldn’t deny the fact that he had weakened during that time. Although he had taken a portion of the Black Wizard’s Dark Power, he was still lesser than his prime.
But even if that were the case… how could this make any sense? He had even abandoned his draconic form to engage the human, but he was failing to overwhelm him.
On the contrary….
“Kuaaaah!”
Raizakia did not want to admit it, and he did not want to think about it. He howled while reaching for the Holy Sword. The large arm of a dragon blocked the Holy Sword’s path, but it was crushed, not cut, under Eugene’s overwhelming force. However, Raizakia did not retreat even when his arm exploded.
The tail he had conjured behind him dug underneath the ground, aimed at Eugene. Naturally, Eugene did not miss Raizakia’s attack. The Wing of Prominence fluttered open and raised more flames. A large wall of flames blocked the tail, and Eugene used the momentum of the explosion to accelerate further toward Raizakia.
Eugene could see very well in front of him, but he could also see faint darkness encroaching at the edge of his field of view. An ominous, foreboding feeling continued to circulate through his body, and it was more intense than ever before.
It was a foreboding of death. Either he would die, or Raizakia would die. There was no other possible outcome. Eugene danced precariously between life and dance and poured out everything he had to offer. Things continued to block his way, but his body reacted before he could even register the obstacles in front of him. It was because there was no other way.
He cut, smashed, and destroyed before coming to a realization that what blocked his path was a lump of scales — the best defense that Raizakia could conjure. However, going on the defensive was only useful when you succeeded in blocking and preventing an attack. In that respect, Raizakia’s defense was meaningless. Eugene was destroying everything that Raizakia was conjuring.
He could run away and stall for time.
It was a thought that Raizakia briefly entertained only a few minutes ago before dismissing it instantly. But even now, he wasn’t willing to bear such humiliation, so he advanced. He would kill the human with his own hands, then chew and devour him. At least, that’s what he was hoping for.
But before he knew it, Raizakia was retreating. He couldn’t help but wonder how Eugene could continue in his state. It wasn’t that Eugene had avoided all injuries in the skirmish. Although Raizakia had died an overwhelming number of times already, Eugene was injured as well.
Look at him.
He was a complete mess.
His torn sides were dyed red, and even his organs were sticking out of his body. As he swung his arms without hesitation, it was clearly visible that his muscles and skin were already torn. Broken bones jutted out of his body like thorns. His legs, which continued to propel him forward, were broken beyond movement.
Even so, Eugene did not stop. If Raizakia attacked, he destroyed the attack. If Raizakia conjured a barrier, he broke through it. He continued forward in pace with Raizakia’s retreat.
No matter how many breaths Raizakia fired, the result was the same. Even after injuring Eugene to that degree, Raizakia just couldn’t kill him.
The Black Dragon saw the man’s hair, which fluttered like a flame. He could see his eyes, which twinkled like a madman’s. Raizakia felt fear at this sight. It wasn’t just fear, either. This was a terror that went beyond simple fear.
Raizakia stumbled back while barely managing to stammer. “You…. Are you really… human?”
For Raizakia, humans were insignificant beings. They weren’t worthy of remembering or acknowledging, nothing more than mere insects. Humans were small, weak, and numerous, like trifling insects. Like insects? No, humans were insects.
However, that one human being, Hamel, was not like a human at all. Raizakia could not possibly regard that existence as being small, weak, and insignificant.
Every breath Eugene exhaled reeked of death and blood. Even at this moment, the monster was slowly dying…. But when? When was he going to die? The many injuries that riddled the human’s body weren’t being healed. The human had no regenerative powers.
Crack., crack.
Cracks echoed as Eugene felt his organs spilling out from his side. Annoyed, he pushed them back into the wound while gripping his sword. He tore and mashed the wound, cauterizing it with burning pain to staunch the bleeding.
The bones in his legs cracked with each step, so he relied on his arms, slightly lifting himself off the ground.
His arm bones were misaligned, but he forcibly readjusted them, refusing to yield.
The whole thing frightened Raizakia. The Black Dragon was still faltering and backing away.
“Come on,” Eugene uttered in a cracked voice. “Don’t run away.”
Run…? It was a humiliating thing, but Raizakia could not roar in response.
Boom! Boom Boom!
As Eugene approached him, the sound coming from his body grew louder and louder. It was impossible to believe that such a loud, powerful beat was resounding from a broken body. It was the sound of Eugene’s heart beating.
For Raizakia, the beats felt like the footsteps of death approaching him.