Noah stood over Kael.
His hands were shaking.
Not from fear.
From anger.
Something inside him snapped.
The air around him began to ripple, as if the arena had suddenly found itself in the heart of a volcano. The flame that had previously only enveloped his hands suddenly exploded.
The fire engulfed his entire body.
It didn't burn him.
It didn't destroy him.
It was a part of him.
Azazel took a step back.
For the first time.
Something appeared in his eyes that hadn't been there before.
Uncertainty.
— What is this...?
The stone beneath Noah's feet melted and turned black. His eyes lit up with a bright, almost white fire.
Kael, lying in a pool of his own blood, looked at him with difficulty.
He smiled weakly.
— You can do it...
And he closed his eyes.
Azazel narrowed his eyes.
— That won't stop me...
He raised his scythe.
— Now you'll see... why they call me the Fallen Angel.
He began to swing his scythe faster and faster. The blade spun like a black vortex, and a thick, dark aura began to rise around him.
The air darkened.
The commentator jumped up from his seat.
— It's that form! The form we've only seen five times in the history of the tournament! He's done it again
Azazel's black energy exploded like wings of shadow.
In the imperial box, the ruler rose slowly.
His gaze turned toward the rooftops.
Three hooded figures stood motionless in the shadows.
— They're already here... — muttered the Emperor. — They will eliminate the Dragon's Pursuit... Valdor... I'd rather you were dead... If it weren't for the demons' help, we wouldn't have won the war against you...
The emperor did not know that they were no longer allies and wanted to destroy the capital.
***
In another part of the arena, the fight continued relentlessly.
Mayuri and Arwen against Destro and Nebuko.
Nebuko floated in the air, untouched by fatigue. Dozens of magic swords appeared around her.
— Try to block them all. — she said coldly.
The swords fired.
Mayuri raised her hands.
Barrier after barrier.
New shields appeared in a fraction of a second — and shattered with each blow.
Crash. Boom. Shards of energy.
Mayuri gritted her teeth and fired a black wave of energy at Nebuko.
The explosion tore through the air.
Meanwhile, Arwen was barely keeping up with Destro.
Her opponent's two-handed sword cut through the air with tremendous force. Each blow made her daggers tremble in her hands.
Block.
Sparks.
Another blow.
The impact pushed her several meters back.
Destro smiled mockingly.
— Had enough?
Arwen was breathing heavily.
She looked around the arena.
Valdor was fighting Arok.
Noah stood opposite Azazel in flames.
Mayuri was being overwhelmed by Nebuko.
They were all in a hopeless position.
— This wasn't supposed to happen... — she whispered to herself.
— What are you whispering about? — asked Destro, raising his sword.
In the stands, Kiyoshi shook his head.
— It's pointless now... Dragon's Pursuit has lost.
***
Valdor jumped back after another clash with Arok.
He was breathing heavily.
He looked around.
Each of his companions was fighting for survival.
Arok looked him in the eyes.
— Focus, Valdor. Otherwise, you'll die.
"You think I don't know that?"
Their blades clashed again.
At that moment, Valdor felt something strange.
His heart beat faster.
Even faster.
And then energy began to flow through his body.
Hot.
Primordial.
Unknown.
"What is this feeling...?" he thought.
On the rooftops, three hooded figures watched him closely.
One of them raised their head.
Silver hair slipped out from under the hood.
Sylphia.
— His energy... is growing stronger...
Arthur looked down at the arena.
— What now?
Sylphia narrowed her eyes.
— His power will awaken... but he won't be able to control it. According to our information, Valdor has already absorbed one of the four fragments of the Dragon Core. When Dragonaria fell, the core shattered and its pieces scattered across the world... If he obtains the remaining three... no one will stand a chance against him.
Arthur remained silent.
— Even Nathan... the demon king. — she added coldly.
— Do we attack now?
Sylphia looked at Valdor for a moment, whose aura was beginning to tremble.
— Not yet.
In the arena, Valdor's energy pulsed stronger and stronger.
And Noah's fire and Azazel's darkness collided in the center of the battlefield.
The storm was just about to begin.