Chapter 186

“Finаllу shоwing уour true strеngth, I sее.”

Drаmоs remained соmposеd even аs hе wаtсhеd thе massive Вreath flуing tоward him.

“Nоw this оld mаn must shоw his full рowеr as wеll.”

A deер smilе fоrmed at thе cоrner of his mouth.

Наd he ever eхрerienced a bаttlе that pushed him this hard sincе rеtiring?

No, evеn when hе hеld thе рosition of Roуal Guard Сарtain, he likеlу nеver fought in suсh an intensе battle.

‘This attасk… I truly won’t bе аble tо block it unlеss I give it my all.’

Drаmos gаthеred every last bit оf his remаining Маna аnd took his stаnсе.

Bending his wаist slightly, Drаmоs shеаthеd his Aurа Вlаde intо its sсabbard and gripped the sword’s hilt.

He closed his eyes gently, then opened them, drawing the Aura Blade from its scabbard while simultaneously swinging the sword.

“Heavenly Extreme Flash!”

Dramos’s secret technique, Heavenly Extreme Flash, capable of slicing even the heavens.

There was nothing he had failed to cut using this technique.

Swoosh—

The massive Breath flying toward him was instantly split in two.

The bisected Breath lost its power and vanished on the spot.

‘What… Could that possibly be…?’

The moment Khan recognized Dramos’s swordsmanship, he couldn’t help but widen his eyes in shock.

He had seen Dramos dozens of times through the monitor while playing <Geo Arc>.

Thus, he also knew the strongest skill Dramos could use, which was precisely Heavenly Extreme Flash.

‘Heavenly Extreme Flash has a follow-up strike. I must avoid it somehow! No, it’s already too late. I have to block it…!’

Khan’s trump card, Dragon’s Breath, had vanished meaninglessly, but this was no time to dwell on that.

Heavenly Extreme Flash, the most powerful technique in Dramos’s swordsmanship, was not merely a simple draw-and-cut technique.

Though it appeared as a draw-and-cut, the following second strike was far more powerful.

‘How much Mana do I have left…?!’

Khan quickly opened his Status Window to check his remaining Mana first.

◈ LV.90

◈ Khan (Lee Huseong)

◈ Mana: 12000/42000

◈ Talent: Magic

◈ Experience Points: 1.2%

◈ Skills: (10★)Sage’s Heart, (8★)Growth Acceleration, (1★)Arrow, (1★)Barrier, (2★)Fire Boom, (2★)Fireball, (2★)Mirror Defense, (2★)Mana Enhancement, (1★)Wind Cutter, (3★)Dragon’s Breath, (4★)Mana Circulation, (4★)Power Amplification, (4★)Space-Time Leap, (5★)Dark Flame, (1★)Wind Drill, (4★)Flame Curtain, (5★)Absolute Sight, (5★)Chrono Reset

Remaining Mana was exactly twelve thousand.

He didn’t have that much Mana left.

But it wasn’t as if there was no way.

‘If I use Chrono Reset on Mirror Defense… I can block Heavenly Extreme Flash.’

Chrono Reset could consume up to a million Mana depending on the skill’s Cooldown, but Mirror Defense’s Cooldown was only 24 hours, so it shouldn’t require that much Mana.

[To reset the Cooldown of skill ‘Mirror Defense’, ‘10000’ Mana is required.]

When Khan attempted to use Chrono Reset, a message appeared before his eyes.

Fortunately, it was possible with the Mana he had.

Khan used the skill without hesitation.

[Skill ‘Chrono Reset’ has been used.]

[The Cooldown of skill ‘Mirror Defense’ will be reset.]

The moment Khan confirmed the message, he immediately used Mirror Defense.

[Skill ‘Mirror Defense’ has been used.]

Then, an invisible, transparent curtain of Mirror Defense formed before Khan’s eyes.

Dramos, about to unleash the second strike of Heavenly Extreme Flash, seemed completely unaware that Khan had used the Mirror Defense skill.

“If you cannot avoid this attack, you may die. However, if I hold back here, defeating you in this match would be impossible.”

It was a sincere statement, as there had been no one he failed to defeat using Heavenly Extreme Flash until now.

Since the Underground Arena Tournament did not hold anyone accountable for killing an opponent in the first place, Dramos truly intended to pour everything he had.

‘If I don’t obtain the Ancient Magic Tome, the world will soon be destroyed…!’

The reason Dramos stepped down from his position as Royal Guard Captain was because the world’s destruction was imminent.

To prevent the world’s destruction, he needed to become stronger, even if just a little, which was why he absolutely needed the Ancient Magic Tome, the prize for winning this tournament.

‘With the Ancient Magic Tome, I can enter the tower myself.’

Dramos could not escape the passage of time; though his skill was outstanding, his stamina was short.

Thus, lacking the strength to prevent the world’s destruction, he had been living in the countryside, farming.

‘If I obtain the Ancient Magic Tome, the story changes.’

His reason for participating in this Underground Arena Tournament was precisely the Ancient Magic Tome.

Obtaining the Ancient Magic Tome, becoming stronger, and preventing the world’s destruction.

As he raised the tip of the Aura Blade he held high toward the sky, pure white Mana gathered onto the sword.

The length of the Aura Blade grew longer and longer, and the aftermath of its Mana was causing even the spectators in the stands to struggle for breath.

“Huff, huff… I, I can’t… breathe…!”

“I’m suffocating!”

“S, save me!!”

Some who fainted were checked on by Binsen and Bellua, the tournament’s safety managers, who appeared.

Then, a blue Mana Wall formed between the arena and the spectator stands.

Only then did those who couldn’t breathe come to their senses.

“Whew… Th, thank you…!”

“You saved me…!”

“Thank you!”

“By the way, this Finals is really amazing…?”

“Who on earth is going to win? I can’t even tell what’s what anymore!”

Those who regained their senses looked toward the arena, but Dramos’s Aura Blade was emitting light so intensely that the entire arena was glowing, making it impossible to see properly.

“Sir Binsen, it seems our intervention would be useless this time.”

“Indeed. So you stay put as well, Bellua. If we meddle unnecessarily, we might end up dead too.”

“Yes…!”

Even Binsen and Bellua, Upper Mages of the Yellow Magic Tower, could hardly intervene in this match.

The sheer killing intent emanating from the arena alone was enough to make one’s breath catch in their throat.

“It seems one of the two will likely die in this match.”

“Huh? Who…?”

“We’ll know once the match ends. But probably… Khan will die.”

Binsen had anticipated Dramos’s victory even before the Finals began.

If Dramos won in this situation, Khan’s death was a predetermined future.

Bellua also felt an inexplicably ominous premonition.

Meanwhile, at the same time, there were two people in the participants’ Waiting Area watching the match with anxious expressions.

“B, Byutek oppa… Isn’t this really going to end badly? It seems Master is being pushed back a bit…. Say something to your Master!!”

“L, let’s wait and see first, Sharin. Hyungnim hasn’t lost yet…!”

“No, what if someone really dies…!! The scale is too huge!”

“……Sharin, there’s nothing we can do by stepping in. We’re not at a Level to interfere.”

“That may be true but……”

Though Byutek and Sharin had also grown much stronger, if they interfered in the current battle between Khan and Dramos, they would only be a hindrance.

Khan, facing the second strike of Heavenly Extreme Flash, was staring at Dramos.

‘It’s far more incredible than what I saw in the game. The pure white light is almost blinding.’

Heavenly Extreme Flash was the ultimate swordsmanship, capable of slicing even the heavens.

In the game, it was clearly described as such, and now he understood why such a description was attached.

‘If I didn’t have Mirror Defense, I would never have been able to block it.’

Khan was already convinced he had blocked the attack, even though he hadn’t blocked it yet.

Seeing this, Dramos shouted as if giving a final warning.

“You seem composed. It’s truly regrettable to kill a talented young man like you… but this is the best course now, so please understand.”

“I won’t die.”

“I truly hope so. Then try blocking it!!”

Dramos unleashed the second strike of Heavenly Extreme Flash toward Khan.

A twenty-meter-long pure white Aura Blade flew toward Khan.

Yet, Khan stood still, doing nothing.

A moment later, when the Aura Blade touched the transparent curtain before Khan’s eyes, a tremendous roar spread out.

The aftermath cracked the ground, and strong winds swept in all directions.

Dramos, having unleashed Heavenly Extreme Flash, intended to slice through Khan’s transparent curtain.

‘A mere curtain like this should be…!’

But no matter how much force he applied, not even a scratch appeared on the transparent curtain.

His Aura Blade was gradually losing power.

‘No, my power… is being sucked in…! Into this curtain…!’

By the time he felt the Mana composing his Aura Blade being entirely sucked into the curtain, it was already too late.

His Heavenly Extreme Flash and Aura Blade were completely absorbed by Mirror Defense.

Not a single ounce of Mana or energy remained in Dramos’s body.

Collapsing right before Khan, Dramos looked up at him and spoke.

“You… truly are an incredible Mage. More remarkable than any Mage I’ve ever met…. But it’s a bit regrettable.”

“What’s regrettable?”

Khan asked Dramos, genuinely curious.

“It seems your Mana is nearly depleted as well…. If only I were a bit younger, I could have defeated you.”

At that moment, Khan burst into a smile as if finding it absurd.

[‘Heavenly Extreme Flash’ has been absorbed.]

[An immense amount of Mana has been absorbed.]

[Release the absorbed attack?]

Khan checked the message that appeared before his eyes and nodded inwardly.

Then.

Whoooosh…!!

Eeeeeeng…!!!

An enormous amount of Mana began to explosively emanate from Khan’s body.

“Wha, what…!”

Dramos, who had lost his strength and collapsed, involuntarily widened his eyes in shock.