The air became definitively heavy. It was no longer gradual pressure—it was concentrated presence. The Dragon King was not merely gathering energy; he was reaching his own limit.
I did not retreat.
The distance between us stopped being a relevant factor. From that point onward, any movement would be decisive.
He unleashed it.
The fire did not come out as before. It was not a sequence, nor a common explosion. It was a continuous, dense wave, advancing as if it occupied the entire space ahead.
I charged straight into it.
The blade was enveloped in mana at the same instant. The slash came directly, opening a minimal path through the flow of energy. It was not a complete defense, but it was enough to pass through.
The heat struck my body.
But it did not stop my movement.
I passed through the wave.
And appeared before him.
The slash descended with full force.
The impact tore through the area of scales that had already been compromised. The rupture expanded visibly. It was no longer merely superficial.
He reacted.
His claw came down from above.
I blocked.
The impact was direct.
The ground gave way beneath my feet, stone cracking around me. My body absorbed the force, but I did not retreat.
I pushed back.
Released the block and spun my body.
Another slash.
Another impact.
The crack expanded.
He retreated.
More than before.
Now his movements were no longer completely stable.
But he was still far from being unable to fight.
His tail came immediately afterward.
A short dodge.
The blade rose in response.
Another mark.
Now his body carried multiple damaged points.
Small.
But accumulated.
The audience made no sound.
The silence was absolute.
The battle had surpassed every expectation.
"He's breaking through the defense," Lyannis said in a low voice.
"But it's still not enough," Vespera replied.
Scarlett kept her gaze fixed. "He needs something more."
Elara took a deep breath. "He knows."
Liriel clenched her fists. "Then do it."
Rai'kanna spoke firmly. "He will."
At the center of the arena, the pace reached its limit.
The Dragon King advanced with everything he had.
No restraint.
No analysis.
His speed increased again.
His size no longer limited anything.
His presence filled the entire space.
I blocked the first impact.
But the second came before I could stabilize.
Dodge.
Counterattack.
The blade found one of the already-opened areas.
The slash went deeper.
He reacted with full force.
His jaws lunged forward.
A minimal dodge.
The heat passed beside me, scorching the air.
I continued moving.
Without pause.
Another slash.
Another mark.
His body began to show real wear.
Not just superficial damage.
But accumulated impact.
He stopped for a moment.
Heavy breathing.
Eyes fixed.
Then he spoke.
"You've gone beyond expectations."
"Yes."
"But it's not over yet."
"I know."
He spread his wings completely.
The energy around him changed once more.
Deeper.
More intense.
Different from everything before.
"One final move," I thought.
The response came instantly.
The mana in my body concentrated.
Without dispersion.
Without waste.
Everything directed.
My body responded.
The sensation was different.
More stable.
Clearer.
It was not raw power.
It was total control.
I advanced.
My speed reached its maximum.
Space practically disappeared.
The slash came.
Direct.
With everything.
He responded.
His claw descended.
The impact happened.
But this time...
I was not pushed back.
The blade cut through.
The damaged area could no longer endure.
The rupture became complete.
He reacted immediately.
His tail came.
I partially blocked it.
My body slid backward.
But I did not stop.
I continued.
Another advance.
The blade rose.
Another slash.
Deeper.
Now his body could no longer maintain the same stability.
But he was still standing.
Still reacting.
Still fighting.
"Just a little more," I thought.
But there was no room for error.
He tried to advance again.
But the movement was smaller.
Heavier.
Slower.
The opportunity appeared.
Not as a complete opening.
But as a fraction.
Enough.
I stopped for a moment.
Mana concentrated into the blade.
More than before.
Everything.
Holding nothing back.
Divided by nothing.
Focused into a single point.
One attack.
Controlled breathing.
Firm stance.
Eyes locked.
And then...
I advanced.
Maximum speed.
The slash descended.
Directly at the critical point.
The impact was different.
There was not enough resistance.
The blade pierced through.
The rupture spread.
His body lost stability.
His movement ceased.
But it was still not over.
He could still react.
He could still continue.
"Now," I thought.
My free hand moved.
Mana responded.
Chains appeared.
Not physical.
But formed from pure energy.
They surged forward rapidly.
Attached themselves to his body.
One.
Two.
Several.
Wrapping around him.
Restricting.
Limiting.
He tried to move.
But the response was no longer immediate.
The chains adjusted.
Progressive tightening.
No direct damage.
But complete control.
The blade remained steady.
And then...
I released the discharge.
Energy flowed through the chains.
Direct.
Intense.
Without dispersion.
His body reacted.
Movement ceased completely.
His resistance collapsed.
His eyes lost focus for a moment.
And then...
He fell.
The impact echoed throughout the arena.
The ground trembled slightly.
Absolute silence.
No reaction.
No voices.
Only the final sound of his body striking the ground.
I remained standing.
Breathing controlled.
The blade still in my hand.
The chains slowly fading away.
I looked at him.
No movement.
No response.
But alive.
Only incapacitated.
Enough.
The battle was over.
Time seemed to return.
Sound gradually came back.
First faint.
Then growing louder.
Until it became clear.
The audience was reacting.
Not with confusion.
But with recognition.
"He won," Liriel said, almost voiceless.
"Confirmed," Lyannis replied.
Vespera nodded. "Complete conclusion."
Scarlett slowly exhaled. "No mistakes."
Elara placed a hand on her chest. "He did it."
Rai'kanna crossed her arms, staring ahead. "As expected."
At the center of the arena, I remained silent for a moment.
My body was beginning to feel the weight.
Not pain.
But exhaustion.
Control maintained.
No collapse.
No deviation.
I looked once more at the Dragon King.
The battle was over.
Clearly.
Directly.
Without doubt.
And in that moment...
It became evident.
I had won.