Battle

The young lady halted, a complicated glint flashing in her eyes before it became resolute. Meeting with this person so quickly wasn't something she had expected. And the fact that he directly switched to the offensive when he saw them felt as though he had been awaiting them.

No, that was incorrect. He had definitely not expected her own arrival, and had only anticipated the presence of the Draconians. Nevertheless, the fact he had chosen to attack despite being aware of her attendance among the Draconians, meant he was absolutely confident.

She didn't hesitate anymore, and waved her hands. The response was immediate.

"Wait a minute, you want us, and I mean all of us, to fight against a puny Human? Hahahaha! What do you take us for? Although you might have defeated us, do you think every Human is like you?"

"And do you think every Human is like the cowardly Humans of this Spheric Tower?"

The young lady's response was fast and immediate. The Draconian who had talked immediately held his tongue and looked down towards the young lady. His yellow eyes boring into her black pair.

"Spheric Tower? What does that mean? And what has that got to do with Humans?" He asked, curiosity laced under his voice as he flexed his yellow-scaled arm. He seems to have forgotten the question of the young lady, or perhaps, ignored it.

The young lady sighed before looking up towards him, the height difference particularly glaring.

"You can't understand that, and you might never. So, do as I say and fight the Human as though you are confronting your greatest enemy."

The Draconian snorted and murmured as he walked past her. "Greatest enemy? Is he even worthy of being compared to our greatest enemy?"

The young lady didn't respond. She initially thought the Draconians would have learnt to not judge every Humans the same way after she defeated them, but it seems their years of toying with the Humans here had blinded them immensely.

This was good though, because in few seconds, they would know the difference she was talking about. But, she just slightly hoped it wasn't too late.

*

When Damian arrived few meters from the first Draconian, his eyes squinted. He could feel it, he could sense it… the strength contained within their bodies.

These ones were nothing like the one he had killed. Comparing these Draconians to the one he killed was akin to comparing a toddler to a healthy adult. They were not in the same league.

That said, that didn't mean he was scared. Instead, a wild grin spread across his lips. For awhile until now, he had always felt every of his battle had been too easy.

The Ravenous Rat aside, every other opponent he had come across after that Spheric Beast had fallen under his blade far too easily. Although, that was good and proved how strong he was, that wasn't what he wanted.

No, he wanted a fight that would make his heart beat faster, a fight that would spike his adrenaline to an all-time high, a fight that wouldn't end with just few strokes.

CLANG!

Damian's blade collided with the first Draconian's fist, and for a moment, he felt as though he had hit metal. A moment later though, he understood. The scales of the Draconians weren't just for show. They were as hard as metals themselves.

That though, didn't deter him. He only changed his stance, dodging a punch to his head, before he attacked yet again.

"Puny hoe-man. You think the scrap metal you call blade would harm us? Unfortunately, you are sorely mis–!"

The yellow-scaled Draconian Damian was fighting had barely finished his words when a sharp pain shot through his chest. He instantly looked down, only to behold the 'scrap metal' lodged deep into his own chest to the very root.

"What?" He could only mutter weakly before his leg gave out, and falling into eternal darkness.

Damian inhaled deeply as he watched the Draconian collapse into his own pool of blood. However, he wasn't satisfied. He knew the reason he had been able to swiftly end him was because the Draconian had been too arrogant and thus, felt the need to unleash his full strength absolutely unnecessary.

There was his Lineage Gift, his combat skills, his years upon years of experience as a soldier of the Draconian Army. If he had used his full strength, then the fight wouldn't have ended so easily.

This was good though, because it would spur the remaining into full action.

As though to prove his thoughts, three Draconians launched at him at once, their faces contorted with anger and laden with solemnity. Damian brandished his weapon, a silver sheen reflecting off it as he took a step and…

CLANG!

The fight became a scene of colorful beauty. At one side, a silver light flashed, the subtle aura surrounding it especially sharp and bright. At the second side, the colors of red, blue and green abounded, each radiating an aura so palpable it threatened to sear one's mind.

Despite the advantage the three colors had in number, the single silver color didn't seem to be disadvantaged. If anything, it countered every attack of the three colors with practiced ease.

Suddenly, a whirlpool of wind arose from the green color, a roar suffusing it as it launched towards the silver color with unmatched ferocity.

Damian closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his grip on his weapon never slacking as he took a battle stance.

At once, his demeanor changed, and for a moment, it felt as though he had become one with his blade, as though his blade was just an extension of his being, as though every of his attack henceforth was because he willed it.

A slash pierced forward. The result was instant. The whirlwind dispersed as though it never existed. However, the result didn't end there. A pool of blood spurted, followed by a heavy thud.

The green-scaled Draconian had fallen into his own pool of blood.

The pupils of the remaining Draconians constricted. What was this? Was this a power a Human was supposed to have? Immediately, their minds went back to the words of the Human lady.

"...fight the Human as though you are confronting your greatest enemy!"

Almost instantly, the remaining Draconians joined the battle. At that moment, they ignored their pride as a Draconian, they ignored the unfairness of the current situation, after all they were greater in number.

By now, they had already identified the Human as the very same Human their Duchess asked to be bagged alive to the Duchy. However, they ignored that as well.

Currently, the battle had suddenly went from a probe to a battle of life and death, from a preconceived easy battle to an extremely dangerous battle, a battle where one mistake meant their death.

A roar escaped the mouth of a red-scaled Draconian, and almost immediately, it was followed by several more roars.

This marked the beginning of a battle never before seen by the inhabitants of the Spheric Tower.