The last five minutes.
That was all Alucard had left.
The Qilin stood in the burning ruins of the forest, divine white fire dancing across his body while thunder rolled through the dark sky above. The monsters surrounding him roared together and charged.
Alucard lowered his stance.
Then—
BOOM.
Lightning struck directly onto his body.
The ground exploded beneath his feet.
The wolf at the far right only saw a flash before its skull shattered inward from a blazing impact. Divine fire spread across its body instantly, stopping its regeneration.
Alucard disappeared again.
A lion beast lunged from the left.
CRACK.
The Qilin appeared above it and slammed it into the earth with one stomp, flames engulfing the creature as it screamed.
Another monster rushed him from behind.
Alucard twisted midair, his tail of fire whipping across its neck and severing the head clean off.
The battlefield became streaks of white lightning.
Every movement carried heat and destruction.
A serpent monster tried to coil around his legs—
Alucard roared.
The sound wave alone blew the creature apart.
The remaining beasts hesitated.
The Qilin's glowing eyes stared at them.
Then he charged again.
One hit.
One kill.
Every creature he touched burned with divine fire powerful enough to erase their regeneration entirely.
Meanwhile, in the distance, the split remains of the dracaena slowly began pulling themselves back together.
Flesh drew inward.
Bones connected.
The monster was reforming.
Alucard landed heavily on the ground, breathing harder now.
The fire around his body flickered.
His transformation was nearing its limit.
He looked toward the reforming dracaena.
"…Not dead yet huh?"
The dracaena let out a monstrous roar as its body nearly completed reconstruction.
Alucard inhaled deeply.
Divine fire gathered into his mouth.
The clouds above spun violently.
Lightning crashed nonstop around him.
The remaining energy in his body surged outward.
The Qilin's body glowed brighter and brighter until the forest itself turned white.
Then—
"BEAST GOD'S JUDGMENT!"
A massive beam of divine fire erupted from his mouth.
The beam swallowed the dracaena entirely.
Everything in its path vanished.
Trees.
Mountains.
Earth.
The attack carved a massive burned trench through the land stretching nearly a mile before finally detonating in the distant sea.
BOOOOOOM!!!
A massive underwater explosion erupted beyond the coastline.
Steam rose into the sky.
Silence followed.
The dracaena was gone.
Erased completely.
The divine fire slowly faded.
Alucard's transformation ended.
The Qilin disappeared as he reverted back into his normal body.
His knees nearly gave out beneath him.
Sweat poured down his face while his breathing became uneven.
Transforming into mythical creatures took a toll on both mental strength and physical strength.
Alucard wiped blood from the corner of his lips and looked at the destruction ahead.
"…Tch."
Then he slowly sat down on a broken rock, exhausted.
Elsewhere in the City of Dawn—
An open area.
Dust drifted through the air while two figures faced each other.
Dova Nexus.
And the man before him.
The moment their eyes met—
They vanished.
BOOM!
The man punched toward Dova's face with overwhelming force.
Dova leaned left calmly.
His movement was smooth and precise.
At the same moment, he planted his left foot behind the man's right foot and punched directly into his rib.
The impact twisted the man's body sideways.
Dova spun behind him instantly.
Then kicked the back of the man's right leg with his left foot.
The man lost balance and dropped to one knee.
Dova's next kick slammed directly into his face.
BOOM!
The man flew several meters away, bouncing across the ground twice before stopping.
Dust rose around him.
But then—
The man stood back up.
Completely unharmed.
Dova narrowed his eyes.
"Tch… what a tough bastard."
The man laughed loudly.
Then slowly removed his shirt.
On his back—
The number 10.
The man smiled while cracking his neck and knuckles.
Dova's expression sharpened.
"If he grips me even once… I may not be able to escape his palms."
He inhaled slowly.
A white glow appeared around his palms.
The air pressure shifted.
Number 10 grinned.
Then dashed forward.
The ground exploded beneath his feet.
His punch carried enough force to crumble mountains.
Dova's eyes sharpened.
He raised both hands.
Using a circular motion similar to tai chi, he redirected the incoming force instead of meeting it head-on.
His palms caught the punch.
BOOM!
Shockwaves erupted outward.
Dova immediately stepped on Number 10's leg with his right foot to lock his movement.
Then—
BAM!
A punch to the face.
BAM!
Another punch.
And finally—
CRACK!
Dova slammed his right elbow directly into Number 10's head, driving his face violently into the dirt.