Chapter 709: The Power of the Fire Dragon

"Be gone!"

The words radiated an overwhelming dominance.

This wasn't truly Liszt's typical style, but rather a combination of his own nature and Leo's after their souls had merged. Malice was intrinsic to dragons, primarily expressed through wickedness, tyranny, and arrogance. Fortunately, Liszt's mature worldview had only been slightly influenced by Leo's characteristics.

"ROOOAR!"

Leo roared with equal intensity.

He challenged both the bronze dragon and the Lightgreen Gem Dragon, as well as the Sapphire Dragon—though still a fledgling, he dared to provoke all three at once.

Beneath his crimson and obsidian scales, embers pulsed like fiery breath, flickering between light and shadow, intensifying Leo’s terrifying aura. Though his wingspan measured only twenty meters—the shortest among the four—he exuded a savage dominance far greater than the others.

Whether metal or gem dragons, they shimmered with unearthly beauty.

Leo’s appeal lay not in grace, but in the raw, dynamic fury embodied in every scale, line, and jagged edge.

...

Faced with the sudden arrival of the Fire Dragon Knight, Andrew Sapphire let out an unsteady sigh of relief. From the knight’s words, he understood this was an ally.

Alonso Cyclamen and Karl Violet, however, wore expressions twisted in fury.

The transformation of the Duke of Sapphire from Lord of the Dragon Domain into a Dragon Knight had not surprised them—it was anticipated. But this unexpected Fire Dragon Knight could single-handedly alter the course of the war. And from the moment he shouted "Be gone!", there was no room for negotiation.

"Marquis Alonso, keep Andrew busy! The Sapphire Dragon must die!"

Karl Violet abandoned his attack on the Sapphire Dragon, directing the Lightgreen Gem Dragon toward Liszt for confrontation. "An adult Fire Dragon is indeed the strongest among malevolent dragons, undoubtedly intimidating. But you're riding just a juvenile—this isn’t interference—it's suicide!"

"Do you consider my warning meaningless?" Liszt’s eyes swirled with cosmic whirlpools—deep and calm, as if seeing through all illusions.

Through his dragon vision, the conditions of the three dragons and their riders were completely exposed. Every trace of magical energy and mana flow was laid bare before him.

The Sapphire Dragon was gravely injured, barely clinging to life. The bronze dragon was nearly as bad.

Only the Lightgreen Gem Dragon, having lain in ambush, retained ample magical power, while its rider, Karl Violet, emanated crackling violet mana—a thunder-attribute Dragon Knight atop a fully grown Lightgreen Gem Dragon, undeniably formidable.

His silver five-meter lance pointed at Liszt as he coldly declared, "Fire Dragon Knight, identify yourself. If you seek death, I will grant it."

"ROOOAR!"

Leo growled, despising such threats.

Liszt felt the same disdain, though he had no interest in verbal confrontations. Dragon Knights spoke through strength—and this was merely the beginning. "I am Liszt Tulip! You still have time to withdraw. Otherwise, the sea will consume your bones!"

Liszt Tulip!

The astonished duke seated atop his mount jolted with disbelief, staring at the imposing Fire Dragon Knight—his cloak whipping like flames, radiating pure fire-born wrath. Liszt Tulip, the second son of his subordinate Lee William Tulip, that extraordinary eighteen-year-old inheritor of the Ghostblade legacy.

Now he understood—so *that* was him... Not merely a Ghostblade inheritor, but a Fire Dragon Knight! With ties to Lee William, this hidden Dragon Knight was clearly on his side.

Whatever awaited in the future,

at this moment, he knew—as long as Liszt did not fall quickly, Sapphire might yet survive.

On the other side of the battlefield, Alonso was equally stunned.

His eyes widened, searing the half-masked face beneath the mithril helmet into memory. "So it's you—the one who raided my Ironhide Mines and captured my men. I thought you were simply an inheritor of ancient martial arts, fully intending to recruit you after this battle. And now you reveal yourself—a Fire Dragon Knight!"

"Are you Liszt?"

Carlos had clearly heard the name before. "Eighteen? Still wet behind the ears. A kid riding a baby Fire Dragon? You've got promise. A little hotheaded, sure, but I can't help but admire your talent... Liszt, here's an offer: pledge yourself to the Kingdom of the Eagle, and you'll get to wage war across the continent!"

"Gonna carve out a duchy for me?" Liszt scoffed. He was a Dragon Knight with multiple bonds—duchies were just stepping stones. When the chance came, he'd build a kingdom of his own.

That cocky, huh?

Seeing this, Carlos abandoned any further persuasion. "Looks like you've got a death wish. Eighteen and already on a dragon—impressive talent. Too bad you've got no clue what a real Dragon Knight battle is."

"Cut the chatter, Marquis Carlos," Alonso reminded from the side.

No answer—just a nod.

Maybe knowing villains die from monologuing, Carlos didn’t waste time talking. His mana flared as his Pale Emerald Dragon roared and lunged at Liszt. The silver lance crackled with lightning-charged Dragon Aura, thrusting forward with brutal force.

Boom!

Lightning bolts streaked toward Leo.

Liszt’s eyes went cold. He yanked Leo into a dodge while beating his wings to counterattack. The Frostbite Dragon Slayer Sword, charged with his blazing Fire Dragon Aura, unleashed a powerful move—Blazing Sun Thrust—in fierce retaliation. This was his first Dragon Knight battle, and instead of fear, he felt only raw excitement.

Like Leo, his body seemed to ignite.

The lightning grazed past. Blazing Sun Thrust missed too—the two Dragon Knights testing each other in the opening clash. Without hesitation, they dove into another round of attacks. Even without mastering Dragon Aura techniques, Liszt showed no fear, pushing Leo into wild, relentless strikes against the Pale Emerald Dragon Knight.

Squelch!

The silver lance suddenly darted like lightning, piercing through Leo’s flank and leaving a fiery wound.

No blood—just fire gushing out.

"Agh!"

Leo writhed in pain.

Liszt felt the burning agony too. He spun around, channeling his Fire Dragon Aura into the blue greatsword. The Frostbite Dragon Slayer Sword slashed down with a charged attack—Crimson Sunflare Surge. It was his strongest technique so far.

Boom!

A wave of fire exploded—but only grazed the bronze dragon’s hide. The forty-meter-long dragon, wingspan and all, moved with shocking agility. Its coordination with Carlos was seamless. After a few probing exchanges, they figured out Liszt and Leo’s patterns and began overwhelming them with crushing pressure.

Crash!

The massive bronze dragon twisted midair, slamming its armored back into Leo’s belly and sending him spinning through the sky.

Liszt’s vision blurred for a moment.

Juvenile dragons couldn’t match adults—not even Leo, a powerful Elemental Dragon. Age and physical strength weren’t there yet. He hadn’t reached his peak, like a wolf pup trying to take on a full-grown terrier.

A grown wolf could snap a terrier in half with one bite, but a clumsy puppy? Not a chance—just enough to make the terrier act tough!

"Told you—you're here to die!" Carlos sneered as he pressed his advantage.

And he didn’t let up, using every bit of his Dragon Aura skills and the Pale Emerald Dragon’s brute strength to dominate Liszt and Leo.

Liszt remained silent, fiercely resisting the oppressive force of the Pale Emerald Dragon Knight.

Amidst the overwhelming assault, he studied the dragon knight’s fighting style, his gaze unwavering and calm—as if he had foreseen this very situation from the beginning. He fought while slowly retreating, luring the Pale Emerald Dragon Knight steadily toward the sea. Despite the violent impulses inherited from Leo,

there was no denying that Liszt’s greatest strength lay in the clarity of his mind.

No one could have known that beneath the ocean’s surface, another figure stood ready to match the dragon knights in power—the Archmage Akeloides · Truth, poised to strike.