Chapter 240: Chapter 240 : End of the duel and acknowledgement (1)

Just as Alex stared at the monstrous being before him, a cold shiver crept up his spine.

’What in the seven hells is that thing…?’ he thought, his grip tightening on his sword.

Before he could move, a familiar voice echoed in his head, calm and mechanical.

[ Host, it looks like it’s Alden’s Spirit Bond. ]

Alex blinked, momentarily taken aback.

’A spirit bond, huh? So that’s what it is. Gotta say—it looks so fucking cool.’

He smirked under his mask. ’I want something like this one too.’

Veytharion, the half draconic half snake monstrosity, loomed over the arena, its massive body blotting out the artificial sky of the coliseum. For a few tense seconds, it simply stared at Alex, its twelve molten eyes locking onto him with predatory focus.

Then, without warning, it opened its colossal jaws.

Black chaotic flames began to form inside, swirling like a miniature sun about to implode.

Alex’s eyes narrowed.

’So it’s the same flames Alden was using earlier… Guess they share each other’s abilities too, huh? Good for them.’

The air warped as Veythron unleashed a cataclysmic breath of chaos-flames. The torrent of black inferno shot forward, melting everything in its path.

Alex vanished in a blur, leaping high into the air as the flames tore through the coliseum beneath him.

But before he could even land, a titanic shadow moved.

Veythron’s massive tail came whipping around at impossible speed, cutting through the air like a meteor.

Alex barely saw it before it struck him square in the chest.

The impact was devastating—he was sent flying, crashing through multiple walls and pillars, shattering them like paper.

When he finally stopped midair, his clothes were torn, his armor cracked, and his body hummed with pain.

“Damn it,” Alex muttered, wincing. “I normally don’t feel much pain… but that one hurt like hell.”

He barely had time to recover before Alden appeared in front of him, sword raised high and eyes burning with fury.

The blade came straight for Alex’s neck.

“You think that’s enough to defeat me? Then you’re mista—”

Before he could finish, a blur of light slammed into Alden’s side. A massive kick crashed into his ribs with the force of a meteor, sending him flying into the ground. The earth shattered, forming a massive crater where he landed.

Alex turned toward the source—and froze.

Ethan stood there.

But he was no longer human.

A divine aura radiated from his body like a rising sun. His once golden hair now shimmered with streaks of white flame.

A pair of massive phoenix-like wings burst from his back, each feather glowing like molten gold. His eyes burned like twin stars, and his skin carried faint scales—half divine, half draconic.

A flowing aura of light surrounded him, every movement resonating with heavenly might. His right arm glowed like polished steel, veins of fire pulsing beneath the surface, while his left bore the insignia of the First King—the Luminarch crest.

Alex’s gaze sharpened.

’That power… Luminarch Form. So, the hero finally decided to stop holding back.’

Ethan hovered above the ground, the wings behind him spreading wide. His voice thundered across the ruined coliseum.

“I’ve had enough of playing nice with you! You want a fight, Alden? I’ll give you one!”

He raised his hand towards the sky.

“Come to me, Ignis. I need you.”

The space behind him split apart, glowing with divine gold.

From the tear, a colossal phoenix emerged—its wings spanning across the sky, each feather burning with celestial fire. Its eyes were molten gold, its cry as if shaking the heavens. Every flap of its wings radiated waves of purifying energy that scorched the battlefield clean.

’So this is Ignis,’ Alex thought, watching with awe. ’Magnificent.’

Veytharion growled, its twelve eyes narrowing. Ignis’s gaze met its own—and the world trembled.

The two ancient beings roared simultaneously, shaking the air.

Ignis’s beak opened, golden flames building within.

Veythron’s maw glowed with chaotic inferno, heat distorting reality around it.

A heartbeat later, both unleashed their power.

Twin torrents of destruction collided midair.

Gold and black met in an explosion that split the clouds, sending shockwaves through the entire arena.

For a brief moment, they were equal—two Titans locked in a struggle for supremacy. But then, slowly, the black chaotic flames began to push through, consuming the golden inferno inch by inch.

The blast pierced Ignis’s chest, burning through feathers and flesh alike. The majestic bird screeched in pain.

But before despair could set in, golden fire erupted from its wound, knitting the damage instantly. Ignis rose again, defiant.

Even Veythron’s twelve eyes widened in surprise at that.

Ethan clicked his tongue.

’Just like the Spirit Queen said… Ignis is still a baby. She won’t hold up against Veytharion for long. I have to end this fast.’

His gaze flicked toward Alex.

’But the biggest problem is him. What the hell is he? His strength… it’s unnatural.’

He clenched his fists, focusing his energy.

“Wind Affinity—Aerial Shift… 100x.”

The world blurred.

Ethan’s body vanished from sight, his speed surpassing comprehension. He moved so fast that even space seemed unable to keep up.

Meanwhile, Alex stood there, still watching the titanic clash between the two spirit beasts, utterly unbothered.

’It’s like watching King Kong versus Godzilla,’ he mused, tilting his head slightly.

Then, with a sigh, he added aloud, “How rude… interrupting someone while they’re watching something this entertaining.”

A flash of light appeared beside him—Ethan, reappearing mid-swing, his blade aimed straight at Alex’s neck.

Alex didn’t even flinch. His sword came up casually, halting Ethan’s strike midair.

Ethan’s eyes widened in disbelief.

’Impossible. He saw through it… at this speed?’

Alex tilted his head, his tone calm and mocking.

“When you fight with transcendent rank every day,” he said, pushing Ethan’s blade back effortlessly, “attacks like this… become nothing.”

Alex turned his gaze toward the sky, where Veytharion was clutching Ignis in its molten claws, its monstrous strength threatening to crush every bone in the phoenix’s divine frame. The sound of cracking echoed like breaking mountains, and the once-majestic Ignis shrieked in pain.

’How the hell did that oversized snake manage to land a strike on me…?’ Alex thought, his eyes narrowing in irritation.

Before he could ponder further, his system’s voice echoed inside his head, calm and mechanical.

[ Host, that spirit is not normal. It’s ancient and immensely powerful. You didn’t notice it, but that creature manipulated the flow of time around you.

That’s how it managed to strike. Your friend Alden, too awakened time affinity when he became an avatar. ]

Alex blinked, his expression turning in awe.

’Time manipulation, huh? That explains it. Perks of an avatar huh.’

With a sudden, fluid movement, he turned his sword sideways and slashed.

Blood exploded into the air. Ethan froze for a fraction of a second before both his legs were cut cleanly off.

Alex exhaled softly, muttering in his mind,

’Oh, now I get it. That lucky bastard really got himself something ridiculous. A powerfull ancient spirit beast ? Tch… I’m jealous.

I’m gonna beat up that fucker Alden even harder now.’

Far below, in the crater, Alden shivered. A chill ran down his spine as he muttered, “What the hell was that? Why did I suddenly feel like I angered a demon…”

Looking down at his own body, he grimaced. “Damn it, my wounds are healing slower now… I’m hitting my limit. I can’t keep this up for long. I’ll have to end this soon.”

He looked upward, just in time to see Ethan and Alex colliding in midair. But it wasn’t really a clash—it was a slaughter.

Alex’s movements were too fast, too refined. Each of his strikes landed cleanly, cutting Ethan apart only for the hero’s regeneration to pull him back together seconds later.

Alden sighed, shaking his head. “That sadistic bastard… he’s tormenting him on purpose.”

Then noticing something else he clicked his tongue in frustration. “What the hell kind of stamina do those two have? Don’t they ever get tired?”

Meanwhile, high above the arena, Ethan charged once more, his wings igniting with fire.

He swung his sword with blinding speed, using every technique he knew combat Arts, Strength Amplification, Draconic Reinforcement, even all his affinities.

But it was useless.

Alex deflected every blow with casual ease, each parry followed by a counterstrike that sent Ethan flying backward. Sparks flew each time their blades met, but Alex’s movements carried a terrifying grace—like a predator toying with its prey.

Ethan gritted his teeth, his aura flaring as he twisted midair, slashing upward with a draconic roar. Alex stepped into the attack, his sword cutting across Ethan’s chest, leaving deep gashes that burned with abyssal energy.

The wounds closed almost immediately, golden fire stitching flesh and bone back together, but Ethan’s breath was ragged.

Alex laughed lightly, tilting his head. “What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you’ve already lost hope of defeating me?”

Blood dripped from Ethan’s mouth as he glared up.

Alex smirked wider. “Should I call your sister?”

That did it.

Ethan’s entire face turned crimson. His teeth clenched so tightly it was audible.

“You fucker I’ll show you!” he roared, his voice cracking with fury. “I’ll tear you apart no matter what! How dare you mock her!”

Golden light erupted from his body like a divine explosion, forcing Alex to shield his eyes for a moment.

The air around Ethan shimmered as his aura expanded exponentially.

Ethan raised his sword to the heavens and shouted,

“Manifest Dominion of Light!”

The world shifted.

A brilliant white dimension enveloped everything, swallowing the coliseum whole.

The ground beneath turned to radiant marble, glowing with sacred runes. Floating islands of crystal drifted in the air, bathed in holy radiance. Above, an artificial sun blazed, its light so intense it banished every shadow.

The air smelled of sanctity—clean, pure, and heavy with divine power.

Alex scanned the surroundings calmly, his mind analyzing every fluctuation of energy.

’So he can create a separate dimension… just like Lilith. Impressive, though much weaker than a true Grandmaster’s realm. Still, for someone at his level, it’s strong enough to kill an average Grandmaster within it.’

He chuckled softly. ’Not bad for a lizard.’

Meanwhile, in the sky, the giant pheonix Ignis suddenly reignited with a renewed aura.

Golden flames burst from his wounds as his majestic body glowed brighter than before. His piercing cry echoed through the shining realm, his eyes burning with newfound determination.

Veytharion roared mockingly, its twelve molten eyes narrowing in disdain.

Ignis spread his colossal wings, each feather leaving trails of gold in the air.

Then, the phoenix soared upward, spiraling around himself until his flames coiled into a massive storm of light and heat.

Ethan flew upward, landing on Ignis’s head. His eyes glowed fiercely as he pointed his sword toward the heavens.

“Unleash it!” he commanded.

The sky itself responded.

Flames descended from above—meteors made of pure, condensed divine fire. The entire dimension trembled as destruction incarnate began to fall.

Alex’s expression flickered into amusement.

’Oh, this again?’

He raised his sword, summoning a barrier of black energy that curved around him like a dome, swirling with space distortion.

From atop Ignis, Ethan smirked faintly, muttering,

“Let’s see how you handle this, monster.”

The flaming meteors plummeted like the wrath of gods.

Alden, still barely standing in his crater, looked up—and froze. The entire sky was burning.

He tried to move, but his body screamed in protest. “Shit… my wounds…”

Desperate, he gathered his mana, forming barrier after barrier of mana. But they shattered instantly, crushed beneath the weight of the falling inferno.

The flames raced closer, moments from obliterating him.

Then time itself slowed.

Veytharion appeared in front of him, wings unfurling wide. Its molten scales gleamed like living metal as it spread its body to shield its master.

The meteors struck.

Several bursts of divine flame crashed into Veythron’s back, detonating with earth-shaking force.

The ancient draconic-snake roared in agony, its cry shaking the entire realm.

Alden stared in shock, his jaw tightening as he watched the mighty creature endure the attack for his sake.

Tears almost welled in his eyes as he whispered, “You… you idiot… why would you protect me like that…”

Veytharion turned its head slightly, one of its blazing eyes meeting Alden’s.

For a moment—just a moment—there was no rage, no chaos. Only loyalty.

But something shifted inside Alden.

——

A/N:

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