Ju’Nero’s footsteps came to a halt as he stood mere feets away from Alister, towering over him like a mountain of muscle and fur. His sharp red eyes burned with hunger, savoring the sight of what he believed to be a cornered opponent.
A system window flashed beside him, but he completely ignored it.
[Warning: Berserk is affecting your emotions negatively!]
Along with it came a silent notification:
[-??- has increased to 70%.]
[Your unique trait: Fatless is affecting your future slightly.]
Alister straightened, ignoring the screaming pain in his body, and locked an intense gaze with Ju’Nero. His voice was calm but intense.
“Have you ever considered…”
“…that it wasn’t arrogance, but absolute confidence?”
Ju’Nero raised a furred brow, his smirk growing wider, his teeth gleaming like knives. “Confidence?” he repeated, a low chuckle rumbling in his throat.
“All I see now is a scared dragon overlord trying to run away because he’s realized he’s in over his head.”
Alister’s golden eyes narrowed, his expression remaining calm. He spoke slowly, yet with a touch of intensity.
“Careful now. Don’t be too quick to assume. After all…” His gaze hardened, causing a small but noticeable shift in the atmosphere.
“You’ve only seen what I’ve chosen to show you.”
For a moment, both of their auras clashed, causing the space around them to vibrate, the two forces of nature locked in a silent battle of wills.
Inside, Alister’s mind raced.
‘If this is truly the case… if there’s no way out and we’re trapped here, then so be it.’
He clenched his fists, his claws digging into his palms.
‘If I must fight him, I’ll fight with everything I have… I’ll truly let loose, let my instincts overrun me.’ ‘If I go down, I’m taking him with me.’
He paused, an image of his sister’s face flashing through his mind, followed by the faces of his teammates. His resolve crystallized into something unbreakable.
‘No…’
A deeper, inner voice sharpened.
‘I will be the one who wins this battle. How can I die at the hands of some random thief who showed up to steal my treasure?’
His normal voice responded.
‘Unacceptable!’
Alister’s chest rose as he drew in a deep breath. He took a step forward, the ground beneath him cracking under the force of his will.
Alister’s voice dropped, low and dangerous. “You wanted to see the strength of a dragon overlord? Then allow me to educate you.”
Ju’Nero tilted his head, his expression shifting to one of mild intrigue. “Bold words for someone in your position. Show me, then, dragon. Show me this confidence… this strength you speak of.”
Alister smirked faintly, his golden eyes igniting like flames. His energy flared, and the oppressive atmosphere around him changed. His aura thickened, crackling.
Ju’Nero’s grin faded slightly, a look of curiosity… and perhaps a touch of amusement… appeared in his eyes.
The earth trembled as Alister unleashed a roar that shook the desert, a primal sound that echoed across the battlefield. The clouds above darkened, swirling ominously as if the world itself acknowledged his resolve.
In the distance, Mar’Garet and Draven looked up, the surge of Alister’s power reinvigorating their battered spirits, but they were recovering their strangth so they couldn’t step in.
Alister’s form began to shift slowly, his scales shimmering with a deeper, more radiant hue. His wounds, still steaming from his blood healing, now closed entirely, leaving not even a scar behind. Energy coiled around him, responding to his will as he prepared to unleash everything he had.
“Come, Ju’Nero,” Alister said. “Let’s see if you’re as strong as you think you are.”
Ju’Nero’s smirk returned, but this time there was a touch of something new in his eyes…. Excitement.
“Very well,” Ju’Nero rumbled, cracking his knuckles. “Let’s end this little dance, dragon.”
“But before I kill you, I’ll need you to hand over that item.”
“In your dreams,” Alister replied sharply.
The two stood ready, the battlefield brimming with their combined auras. The final clash was about to begin, and neither intended to back down.
Then, they moved.
BOOM
Ju’Nero shot forward, a blur of fur and claws. His speed was unmatched, his movements faster than the eye could track. He aimed for Alister’s neck with a savage swipe.
Alister disappeared in an instant, teleporting with a sharp crack of shattered space. He reappeared behind Ju’Nero, claws slashing downward.
Ju’Nero spun with animalistic reflexes, deflecting the blow with his forearm. The force of the strike sent a shockwave rippling outward, shattering a nearby rock spire into dust.
Ju’Nero retaliated with a vicious kick aimed at Alister’s midsection, but Alister countered it with his tail, the sharp edge slicing through the air and clashing against the wolfman’s leg.
The collision sent both combatants skidding back, their feet carving deep trenches into the rocky ground.
“You’re quick,” Alister remarked, his golden eyes narrowing. His voice was calm but brimming with intensity as his aura slowly began to turn red.
Ju’Nero grinned, baring his fangs. “And you’re durable. Let’s see how long that lasts.”
Ju’Nero darted forward again, this time zig-zagging to confuse his opponent. Alister reacted by summoning a whirlwind of razor-sharp sand, the particles swirling around him. Ju’Nero snarled, leaping high into the air to avoid the storm. Alister’s eyes glinted as he raised a claw, summoning crackling arcs of flame that surged toward Ju’Nero like a fiery tidal wave. The wolfman twisted in midair, narrowly dodging the inferno, his claws glowing as he slashed downward. The force of his attack sent a shockwave that split the ground, carving a deep ravine toward Alister.
Teleporting again, Alister appeared above Ju’Nero, his claws crackling with his mana. “Void Rend!” he roared, slashing downward.
The strike ripped through space itself, the tearing void energy creating a gash in the air that distorted reality. Ju’Nero rolled midair, narrowly avoiding the attack as the void rend slammed into the desert floor. The explosion obliterated a wide swath of the terrain, sending shards of rock flying in all directions.
Ju’Nero used the momentum of his dodge to leap onto a massive rock formation, his claws digging into the surface. Alister spread his wings, launching himself into the air with a
powerful beat.