Chapter 417: Five Against One

Chapter 417: Five Against One

In the Imperial City of Tamriel, within the Command Center on the second floor of the Astral Platform.

The projection on the elliptical stone plinth suddenly blurred, and soon, the images of the Dragon Valley Sanctuary became unviewable.

Grand Astral Wizard Dalian's voice turned solemn, "The residual energy around the sanctuary still exists, causing occasional interference. Therefore, the scenes displayed by the divination technique are unstable."

"But don't worry, it should recover soon."

"Indeed, Lord Dalian, your efforts are appreciated," Marshal Alfred nodded in agreement.

At the same time, inside the sanctuary.

The battle between Barnes and Rain continued.

Barnes lifted his sturdy leg and kicked towards Rain, but Rain blocked it with his own leg, causing a "slap" sound as he instantly deflected the attack.

Their exchange was incredibly fast, with each clash of energy and force splashing like a battle between colossal beasts!

The more they fought, the more surprised Barnes became. It was common knowledge that after a Dragonman transformation, the strength and unarmed combat capabilities of the body significantly influenced the power of the Dragonman form, especially if the individual could achieve a second or even third stage transformation.

The larger the form, the more devastating their casual attacks became, rivaling the power of third-level wizardry.

This could be observed in the case of colossal beasts; the larger the size, the greater the combat strength.

Of course, the innate wizardry and breath attacks also played a significant role in their overall power.

However, these techniques either required substantial physical energy, limiting their usage to just a few times per battle, or they needed time to charge up, making it difficult to execute them during close-quarters combat.

Barnes had just used a technique developed by the Dragon Scale Brotherhood, specifically tailored for the offspring of the Red Dragon bloodline. This technique involved exerting explosive force with every movement, resulting in unique shock effects.

However, when he unleashed this force upon Rain, it was like a pebble sinking into the ocean, with no visible reaction.

Suddenly, Rain, in his dark grey Dragonman warrior form, stomped his foot on the ground, causing the earth to shatter beneath him. The powerful recoil propelled Rain's robust Dragonman body towards Barnes.

At the same time, the hardened tempered gold on one side of Rain's dragon claws transformed into sharp blades.

"Shadow Step!"

"Swift Slash!"

In an instant, Rain's body flickered to Barnes' side, and his dragon claws attacked so swiftly that it was impossible to see clearly. Only the lingering afterimages of dozens of arcs of light remained in the air.

"Ssss!"

The sound of slicing through flesh echoed repeatedly!

Even with the protection of the Flame Armor and the sturdy dragon scales, Barnes was momentarily stunned by Rain's technique combo, leaving his scales shattered and one side of his body drenched in blood.

Barnes' left shoulder, chest, and even his forehead bore dozens of deep wounds that exposed the bone.

This was not because Barnes was weak, but because Rain's sudden burst of power was completely unexpected.

Typically, the larger the size, the greater the power of their movements, but the speed of their limbs would relatively slow down, making it almost impossible to execute the techniques of the human form.

This was the reason why the Dragon Scale Brotherhood had developed techniques specifically for Dragonman combat, focusing on the application of force.

Force manipulation was a fundamental aspect of combat, introduced from the early stages of becoming a warrior, and later refined through the mastery of the Force and the subsequent development of Force Brilliance.

Now, by revisiting the application of force, they were essentially returning to the basics of combat.

What Barnes didn't anticipate was Rain's ability to execute close-quarters combat techniques of the technique level while in the Dragonman form.

The difficulty and physical exertion required for such a feat was unimaginable.

"Bang!!!"

After being heavily injured by Rain's technique, Barnes took a whip kick to the head, causing him to be buried in the ground.

Rain, on the other hand, recovered his physical energy to its peak by allocating points to the mental attribute, having endured two consecutive battles.

The subsequent battle was without suspense, as within half a minute, Barnes' red Dragonman form was overwhelmed and left only to defend.

At that moment, a group of small Scythe Claw Dragons, each standing two to three meters tall, poked their heads out from the nearby forest.

They had discovered the severely injured Areda Sisters lying on the ground, and their mouths watered with anticipation. However, they also feared Rain and Barnes, the two Dragonmen, and hesitated to approach.

The Scythe Claw Dragons were a ferocious species in the sanctuary, not particularly large among the ferocious beasts, but with sharp teeth and claws, they possessed formidable attacking power and had a pack mentality, resembling a pack of hyenas.

They also shared the habit of stealing prey from other ferocious beasts.

"Oo!"

At that moment, seeing the two Dragonmen, Rain and Barnes, fighting in the distance, the Scythe Claw Dragons excitedly howled and charged towards them.

Aida and Alida, severely injured both physically and mentally, were not afraid but instead delighted at the sight of the Scythe Claw Dragon pack.

The two sisters exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with joy. When the leader of the pack, with its stinking mouth about to bite them, they suddenly whipped their serpentine hair!

"Ssss!"

Hundreds of thin serpentine hairs transformed into actual small snakes, opening their mouths to bite the attacking Scythe Claw Dragons.

These snake heads began to suck vigorously, and one by one, the blood and essence of the Scythe Claw Dragons were drawn into the slender snake bodies of the Areda Sisters, like a straw.

In just a few seconds, a robust Scythe Claw Dragon became emaciated, while the Areda Sisters sighed in relief, their eyes rolling back slightly.

They wore expressions of pure satisfaction!

The bowl-sized penetrating wound on their abdomens rapidly healed!

It turned out that the two sisters were using the ferocious Scythe Claw Dragon pack as a 'blood feast', quickly consuming their essence and restoring themselves.

After just over ten seconds, the two women's wounds healed completely, and their abdomens were once again restored to their fair complexion, leaving no trace of injury.

Not far away, Barnes, transformed into a red Dragonman, was struck and sent flying, knocking over seven or eight trees that were as thick as two people hugging them.

Barnes, having been struck, was a bit bewildered. He never expected that even after initiating the first stage of his transformation, he couldn't hold out for even a minute against Rain.

This left him a bit perplexed.

Generally, after transforming into a Dragonman, one relies on the close-quarters combat skills of the Dragonman, such as punches, claws, and kicks.

Barnes had learned exceptional battle techniques at the Dragon Scale Brotherhood, but what was going on with Rain in front of him?

Aside from Rain's formidable strength and high defense, the claws and fists he used seemed to possess the power of a Technique-level mastery, and not just a superficial one at that.

"Damn it, this is crazy!"

"Is it time to use that final move?"

"But if I don't use it, how can I deal with this? Reagan and Bronson will take at least two more minutes to get here!"

Upon seeing Barnes being struck again, Aida immediately made a decision and said, "Sister, we need to fuse immediately. This newcomer doesn't seem to be Rain's match either, but he has greatly exhausted his strength. This is our chance to counterattack!"

"Mhm!" Alida nodded firmly in agreement.

They didn't care to know or want to know why that person was targeting Rain; they only wanted to seize the opportunity to get their revenge.

The two slender bodies quickly came together, serpent scales appeared, and then, like candles, they fused into one, constantly lengthening and adjusting.

In no time, the Arida sisters transformed into a three-meter-five-tall four-armed woman with a pretty face on both the front and back.

This was the secret fusion technique of the Arida sisters.

After the fusion, each of the four arms held a curved blade, and these four blades were from Alida's original two battle blades.

The long blades could be disassembled at the handle, forming the current four-bladed appearance.

At that moment, Rain, who was not far away, was about to deliver a heavy blow to Barnes, but suddenly, he seemed to sense something. He turned to look in the direction of the Arida sisters and immediately noticed the strange humanoid after their fusion.

Barnes, who was struggling to get up from the ground, also looked in the direction of Rain's gaze and was taken aback.

He hadn't expected that, although he had always planned to take out Rain first, then the two women.

But the difference in sequence meant that he would have to fight for his life if he hadn't taken them out first.

"Hmm? It's a good thing I didn't kill those two first, or I'd have to fight for my life this time!"

"Fortunately, the two Viper Sect women were able to recover and rejoin the fight."

The four-armed woman, the result of the Arida sisters' fusion, held four curved blades and suddenly started spinning like a top.

In an instant, a silver whirlwind formed, and in the next second, hundreds of silver arcs, like wind blades, flew out from the whirlwind towards Rain.

Barnes, who was nearby, took a moment to catch his breath and then charged towards Rain.

Obviously, Barnes was planning to attack Rain from both sides.

At the same time, several kilometers away to the north and south, two strong men in the forest noticed the commotion of the fight.

They were Reagan and Bronson.

Although they weren't traveling at full speed, after observing from a distance and checking the locator crystal, they almost simultaneously concluded that one of the combatants must be their boss, Barnes.

So, without hesitation, they rushed towards the battlefield.

In less than a minute, Reagan and Bronson, one from the north and the other from the south, arrived at the battlefield.

The two were shocked to see three non-human monsters fiercely fighting, two of them Dragonmen, whom they immediately recognized as their boss, Barnes, and Rain.

But who was the three-meter-five-tall, four-armed woman with a pretty face?

Why was she helping their boss attack Rain?

No, she wasn't attacking; she was helping to defend against Rain.

Rain, in his dark gray Dragonman form, delivered a heavy punch to Barnes' abdomen and then swiftly turned to kick the four-armed woman who was attacking from behind.

After rolling on the ground several times, both Barnes and the four-armed woman quickly got up and charged at Rain again.

Reagan and Bronson exchanged glances, quickly threw their backpacks aside, and without hesitation, joined the fight.

"Roar!"

"Roar!!"

With two consecutive roars, Reagan and Bronson transformed, both possessing Red Dragon Bloodlines. Therefore, their forms were almost identical to Barnes'.

Hearing the familiar roar of his brothers, Barnes' eyes lit up, and he was overjoyed.

"They're finally here!"

When the Grand Astral Wizard Dalian finally succeeded in projecting the situation within the Mystic Realm onto the stone plinth using divination, the real-time image on the elliptical stone plinth left everyone present stunned.

"This is..."

"What's going on!"

"The three Red Dragonmen should be the transformed forms of Barnes, Reagan, and Bronson, plus the four-armed woman, who, from her appearance, seems to be a fusion technique of Aida and Alida."

"This is a full-on siege by four Legendary Peak experts on Lord Rain!" Tatiya exclaimed in shock, quickly analyzing the situation.

"What?!" General Augustus was startled upon hearing Tatiya's words. He had intended to ensure the safety of the Rift Closer, Baldwin, by sending him to support Lord Rain.

Lord Rain feared for his own safety.

"Who else is nearby and can swiftly support Lord Rain?" Marshal Alfred asked in a stern voice.

"The fastest one nearby, besides Baldwin, is our Swordsmaster Headquarters' Tempered Gold rank Swordsmaster, Gardner," Tatiya replied, her hands moving swiftly across the console.

"However, even if Lord Gardner goes all out, it will take at least ten minutes to reach Lord Rain," Alfred stated.

Upon hearing Alfred's words, Tatiya immediately contacted Gardner.

"Contact Lord Gardner and ask him to rush over immediately!" Alfred decided.

"Additionally, contact Lord Rain and tell him to hold on for ten minutes."

"Yes, sir!" Tatiya acknowledged.

Within the Mystic Realm.

Five experts surrounded Lord Rain, launching a fierce assault.

Reagan and Bronson attacked from Lord Rain's left and right, using explosive force and claw strikes. Barnes charged forward with a collision technique, resembling a giant bull, creating a red line as he rushed towards Lord Rain.

Areda and Alida jumped onto Lord Rain's head, spinning rapidly with four curved blades, their blackened blades resembling drills.

Despite being surrounded, Lord Rain remained calm.

Lord Rain swiftly executed a Shadow Step, countering Reagan and Bronson's attacks. He then punched upwards, striking their chins with lightning speed.

"Bang!!!"

As Reagan and Bronson staggered, Rain grabbed their heads and slammed them into Barnes, who was charging forward.

Barnes, enraged and desperate, slowed down, catching Reagan and Bronson's bodies.

But in the next moment, Rain's grayish-dragon-scaled fist struck Barnes' unprotected abdomen, creating a basin-sized dent and a large lump on his back.

"Bang!"

Barnes was sent flying over ten meters, and the three of them crashed to the ground, rolling like a gourd.

Meanwhile, Areeda and Alida, whose Shadow Step was ineffective against Rain, attacked again from the right.

The two sisters skillfully wielded their four curved blades, clashing with Rain's hardened-gold claws in a fast-paced battle.

However, Rain swiftly executed a kick, sending Areeda and Alida flying with a loud "Bang!" The sisters felt abdominal pain as if they had been launched like cannonballs.

All five experts were knocked to the ground, looking disheveled.

Lord Rain, regaining his stamina to peak levels, scanned the five of them with his eyes and said, "Is that all?"

Wiping the blood from his mouth, Barnes struggled to his feet and replied with a calm expression, "Lord Rain, I'm growing more and more interested in the unknown Dragon Bloodline within you."

"It's a pity, although your bloodline is unique and powerful, it's not..."

"Oh? What is it?" Lord Rain inquired with a smile.

"The concentration of your bloodline is the key! It's the most crucial factor!" Barnes exclaimed, his body swelling as he unleashed his second-stage transformation.

Barnes knew that this transformation couldn't last more than half a minute, but at this moment, I must use this transformation as my final ace," Barnes explained.

Reagan and Bronson, standing beside Barnes, trembled with excitement, their faces turning red.

"The boss is finally using his second-stage transformation!"

"Let's use the bloodline burst potion too!" Reagan suggested.

"Yeah!" Bronson agreed, nodding vigorously.

Lord Rain was proving to be a formidable opponent.

First, the boss was going all out, and they couldn't afford to hold back.

Second, if they didn't go all out, they might die here.

As Reagan and Bronson gulped and each took a potion that flashed with red and crystal particles, their bodies underwent noticeable changes.

Their height increased from the original five meters in the first-stage transformation to over six meters, though still significantly shorter than Barnes' second-stage transformation.

It was as if they were in between the first and second stages, a unique existence.

In truth, this potion was secretly crafted by the Dragon Scale Brotherhood, with astonishing effects and side effects.

After using it, one couldn't undergo any level of Dragonman transformation for a day, and their bodies would feel weak and soft for several days.

So, after using this bloodline burst potion, they were essentially giving up on the Dragon Knight's re-test mission.

But at this moment, they couldn't afford to care about that.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end