BOOM!!!!
The two forces collided, the cyan-pink light and the crimson-black darkness tearing the air apart. The ground fractured; the river water rose vertically into the air.
Van Thien and the Red-Eyed Black Dragon stood face-to-face, less than a single pace apart.
"…Impressive." The Red-Eyed Black Dragon's voice dropped, the playfulness completely gone from his eyes. "To think 8% could reach this level."
Van Thien didn't answer, only tightening his fists.
"Then—"
BOOM!!
The Dragon stomped his foot, lunging forward like a stray arrow.
FLASH!!
Van Thien spun to dodge, but a sweeping strike caught him dead in the flank.
"…Cough!!"
His body was sent flying, skidding heavily across the ground. Before he could even steady his stance—
FLASH!!!
The Dragon was already above him. He unleashed a downward fist like a sledgehammer. The ground exploded, and thick dust billowed into the air.
"Dammit!"
From amidst the smoke, Van Thien launched himself backward, flipping to a landing. He breathed heavily, blood trickling down, yet he remained standing.
He whispered softly:
"Still not enough."
The radiance around his body had not faded. In the distance, the Red-Eyed Black Dragon stood tall, his eyes flashing.
"…You can still stand…?" He smiled coldly. "…Good."
"…Then…"
FLASH!
He materialized dead ahead of him, instantly throwing a punch.
THUD!
But Van Thien's arm intercepted it, his entire forearm vibrating violently from blocking the impact.
The Red-Eyed Black Dragon laughed out loud, pouring a fraction more force into the strike. Van Thien's body was blasted backward by the sheer pressure, skidding across the earth, but he immediately vaulted back to his feet.
Locking his gaze onto his opponent, he immediately charged, unleashing a barrage of punches.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
A relentless storm of fists rained down on the Dragon, yet every single one was blocked. Both sides exchanged rapid, lethal blows.
Behind them, Bao Uyen watched with intense anxiety, the necklace around her neck radiating a pink light that grew increasingly powerful.
Beneath them, the river continued to flow violently. At this exact moment, just under the surface of the water, sharp, pointed tips briefly flickered into view. They didn't move. They didn't vibrate. They just waited, as if they had been resting there since ancient times.
Above, Van Thien and the Red-Eyed Black Dragon continued to exchange brutal strikes.
Van Thien ducked low, launching a fierce upward kick straight at the Dragon's face, but the entity effortlessly caught it with a single hand. Just as he was about to toy with his prey a bit more—
Beep.
The communication device on the Dragon's ear chimed. Hearing the sound, he smirked, locking his gaze onto Van Thien.
"…Enough." His eyes turned ice-cold. "…The game ends here."
"What?!"
Before Van Thien could comprehend the words, a devastating front kick slammed into his abdomen, blasting him far away and pinning him heavily against the ground.
Seeing this, Bao Uyen rushed frantically to his side.
Amidst the rising smoke, Van Thien lay battered. He forced himself to stand, but his knees immediately buckled. Bao Uyen reached him, supporting his weight.
"Brother Thien!"
Van Thien cast a brief glance at her.
"I'm fine."
Then, his gaze snapped back toward the Red-Eyed Black Dragon.
The entity hovered in mid-air, staring down at the churning river below.
"It seems the time has come."
Van Thien screamed out:
"What are you planning to do?!"
The Dragon merely spared him a sideways glance, speaking softly:
"You will know soon enough."
The moment the words left his lips, the riverbed violently convulsed. Massive whirlpools formed rapidly across the stretch of the river. From the center of those swirling vortexes, pillars topped with blinking crimson lights slowly breached and rose above the water.
Van Thien and Bao Uyen stared up at the towering pillars in shock.
The Red-Eyed Black Dragon descended, landing upon the deck of his battleship.
"Open."
Simultaneously, the pillars erupted with blinding light, drawing the river water upward until it leveled with their peaks. Then, right down the center, the water slowly parted in two. From within the rift, pitch-black battleships began to march out one by one. Across the entire expanse, other pillars lifted and parted the waters similarly. A massive armada of warships moved out, vessel after vessel.
After a long moment, thousands of black battleships completely surrounded the Bach Dang River.
The Red-Eyed Black Dragon looked up, his eyes burning a terrifying crimson.
"The war… has only just begun."
He spread his arms wide. Behind his back, the black armada cast a dark shroud over the entire river.
The wind died down, leaving nothing behind but a battlefield slowly awakening.