Chapter 536: Confrontation

Chapter 536: Confrontation

Although Duke Davis was unaware of Rayne's battle record in the Federation, he had obtained some detailed information about the Ferdinand Forest battle through secret intelligence. Even though Menya had issued a gag order at the time, it couldn't completely prevent the news from leaking.

Duke Davis's words immediately relieved Jennifer, the beautiful woman in the front row.

It seemed that not everyone thought Rayne would lose.

Although Rayne had already told her not to worry, Jennifer, being an ordinary person, still felt anxious.

Claire, standing nearby, also felt much more at ease, her furrowed brows relaxing.

She had heard many stories about the Imperial Guardians since childhood and held a natural reverence and admiration for their power. Overall, she was still more worried than confident about this match.

In contrast, the barbarian girl Lagrelle had much more confidence in Rayne. She had witnessed his rapid improvement in strength and his feat of slaying the colossal progenitor dragon, Koraxus, in the Bitterwind Tundra half a year ago.

Another half-year had passed, and Rayne's strength had undoubtedly reached new heights.

To Lagrelle, this "Storm Cloud" didn't stand a chance against Rayne.

"Duke Davis, that's not certain. Yesterday, the Ancestor submitted a report to the Imperial Royal Family. His dragon partner, Hazas, has now entered the Ancient Dragon stage", said an elderly nobleman who had just walked down the aisle. It was Duke Drum, who had arrived late, speaking with a proud demeanor as he surveyed the room.

"What! An Ancient Dragon?" Duke Davis's face changed.

"How is that possible? The green dragon Hazas wasn't..." Duke Davis stopped mid-sentence, seemingly realizing something.

Hearing this news, the surrounding high nobles, noble ladies, and young misses all gasped. As the foundation of the Dragon Empire, the growth stages and distinctions of dragons were almost second nature to them.

An Ancient Dragon, regardless of individual differences, generally had power between Mid-Epic and Peak Epic.

Combined with Dragon Knight Pantoskoc's own strength, this was indeed formidable.

Duke Drum's words naturally made the three women in the front row exchange worried glances.

"Look, Rayne is here."

A noble miss called out, immediately drawing everyone's attention.

A handsome young man in a wizard's robe slowly walked into the center of the arena. Despite his youth, his face was composed, and a faint smile played at the corners of his mouth. His eyes, dark and bright like gemstones, shone like the brightest stars in a deep night sky.

Many of the high nobles who were seeing Rayne for the first time began to whisper among themselves.

Though his name and reputation were well-known, many nobles and noble ladies and misses were meeting him in person for the first time.

"So this is Rayne? The Empire's rising star?"

"He's so young!"

"So young, and yet he's facing off against Highness 'Storm Cloud'?"

In the arena.

This was Rayne's first time at the Royal Arena.

He looked around, noting that the arena resembled an ancient Roman coliseum from his previous life, but it had been enchanted with high-level Defense Witchcraft. The white marble walls and pillars were adorned with intricate, glowing patterns.

At his level, he could sense the various energies flowing through these patterns.

His gaze first focused on the most prominent section of the circular stands, where a luxurious viewing platform with the best vantage point was located. The gilded railings and exquisite sculptures indicated that this was the exclusive platform of the Imperial Royal Family.

Rayne saw the regal figure seated there and paused for a moment, smiling.

Menya was sitting in the center of the luxurious platform. Seeing Rayne's gaze, she smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.

To Menya's right sat Prince Everton, and to her left was a young, beautiful woman whom Rayne had never seen before—Princess Leonara.

"Grand-Aunt Menya, you don't seem worried at all about Rayne losing?" Leonara asked, holding Menya's hand affectionately.

She had naturally heard about her grand-aunt's relationship with Rayne and knew that he had saved her during his visit to the Federation. However, seeing her grand-aunt's smiling face, it seemed she wasn't worried at all about Rayne losing this match.

"Yes, I have confidence in Rayne", Menya said, patting Leonara's fair hand.

Prince Everton, although smiling, did not share her confidence.

As Rayne continued forward, he soon saw several powerful figures with concealed auras near the Royal Family's platform, including the familiar 'Earth Pulse' Reginald.

Clearly, these dozen or so individuals were Imperial Guardians, or at least of the same caliber.

"Hmm? Is this Rayne? His strength is considerable", said an elderly man in a water-blue wizard's robe, his expression turning serious.

He had just taken a slight peek at Rayne's strength, only to find himself blocked out.

Bear in mind, anyone capable of such a feat must be a seasoned Dawn Wizard with psi energy on par with his own.

He had initially thought that for someone as young as Rayne, reaching the Dawn stage was already a sign of extraordinary talent. However, it seemed that Rayne's strength far exceeded his expectations.

"Your Majesty Reginald, you know this young Rayne best. Could you introduce him to us?"

"Hehe, Your Majesty Whitaker, I don't think it's necessary for me to elaborate. Soon, everyone will witness the strength of Lord Rayne."

Reginald was naturally not at all worried about Rayne's chances of winning.

"Oh? It seems Your Majesty Reginald has a lot of confidence in this young Lord Rayne", an elderly man in a blue wizard robe interjected. "How about we place a small bet?"

"Sure, if Your Majesty Perkins is interested, I will gladly join in."

The other party was a key figure in the conservative faction, and he usually did not get along well with Reginald. Therefore, Reginald did not hesitate to agree.

However, Perkins's expression faltered at Reginald's quick agreement, as if he was somewhat hesitant.

As Rayne continued to walk forward, his gaze met with the three women, and he nodded slightly before taking his position on the right side of the central arena and looking up at the sky.

At that moment, the powerful figures on Reginald's side of the platform also turned their eyes skyward.

Although there was nothing visible, an intangible pressure rapidly descended. Soon, a large cloud of dust rose in the center of the arena, and a concealing wizardry spell suddenly dissipated, revealing a massive green figure to everyone.

To avoid alarming the common people, Empire Dragon Knights usually flew with their forms concealed when in the city.

The person who appeared was none other than the imperial guardian Pantoskoc, known as 'Storm Cloud,' and his green dragon companion, Hazas.

At the sight of the man and dragon, many nobles exclaimed in surprise:

"How can this green dragon be so large?"

"Yes, I remember seeing Pantoskoc's green dragon once before, and it wasn't nearly this big then."

Not only among the high-ranking nobles, but even among the powerful figures with Reginald, many were quite surprised.

"This is impossible. Pantoskoc's green dragon, Hazas, is over a hundred years younger than my yellow dragon. How could it have advanced to the ancient dragon stage first?"

"Could it be some treasure? But I haven't heard of Pantoskoc exploring any ancient ruins recently."

"Tsk tsk, it seems this young Rayne has chosen a very unfortunate time to challenge. Just when Pantoskoc's dragon has ascended?"

This made Perkins, who had bet with Reginald, chuckle. "Ha ha, Your Majesty Reginald, your chances of winning seem slim. Are you sure we should continue the bet?"

"Hehe, why not? Let's wait and see", Reginald replied, regaining his composure after his initial surprise.

"Does Your Majesty Reginald still believe that young Lord Rayne has a chance to win?" Perkins teased.

Perkins's words immediately drew the attention of everyone present to Reginald.

Just as Reginald was about to speak, the two in the arena spoke up.

Rayne smiled faintly and said, "So this is your trump card? An ancient dragon-level green dragon?"

Rayne's calmness made Pantoskoc's gaze sharpen, and he paused before speaking in a paternal tone:

"Young man, it's not too late to concede."

"Perhaps when you truly become an Empire Dragon Knight and have a dragon companion, it would be a more suitable time to challenge me."

If these words had been said in private, they might have had some sincerity, but in the current public setting, they lacked any genuine intent.

In fact, once the two had stepped into the arena, neither Rayne nor Pantoskoc could easily back down.

"A single ancient dragon-level green dragon is not enough to make me concede. In fact, I brought a dragon of my own", Rayne said with a mysterious smile.

"You?" Pantoskoc's face showed a mix of surprise and doubt.

After all, from all the information available, this young man did not have a dragon companion. He had even participated in the Empire Dragon Knight reserve selection. How could he suddenly have a dragon?

Rayne waved toward the entrance, and a massive wooden crate on a pulley system was dragged in by eight strong oxen.

This scene immediately captured everyone's attention.

"What in the world is this?"

"It doesn't look like a living creature."

"Clack!"

As the latches released, the wooden boards fell down, revealing a monstrous mechanical beast with a metallic sheen under the sunlight!

"What is this thing?" Many nobles widened their eyes in shock.

After all, from its enormous size and sharp metal claws, it was clear that this beast would be incredibly deadly once it moved.

On Reginald's side of the spectator stands, many of the powerful figures immediately recognized the origins of Rayne's 'mechanical dread dragon.'

"This is a mechanical creation modeled after ancient dinosaurs."

"It seems to be ancient goblin technology?"

"That's right. I once saw a similar description during my exploration of an ancient goblin ruin."

Seeing Rayne's mechanical T-Rex, Pantoskoc's expression relaxed. "So this is the source of your confidence. Haha, Lord Rayne, you'll soon see the difference between a machine and a true dragon."

"Hazas, let's greet this young Lord Rayne." Pantoskoc patted the green dragon Hazas on the back, and the two immediately took to the air.

Although Pantoskoc wasn't particularly skilled in mechanical creations, from the appearance alone, he deduced that Rayne's mechanical T-Rex couldn't fly and seemed to be poor at ranged attacks. Thus, he immediately determined his strategy: to fight from the air, ensuring his invincibility.

"Roar!!!"

In mid-air, Hazas let out a roar and immediately unleashed his acid breath! A large mass of dark green acid liquid spewed from his massive jaws, cascading down like a green waterfall.

But that wasn't all. Pantoskoc murmured a spell and waved his blue crystal staff, summoning a powerful hurricane that swept toward Rayne.

The acid liquid, bolstered by the hurricane, increased in speed and power several times over.

A simple dragon's breath combined with wind wizardry achieved nearly the power of a dawn spell. Pantoskoc's move earned him praise from many onlookers.

"The biggest problem with mechanical constructs is their metallic bodies. Under the corrosion of acid, they will quickly lose their combat effectiveness."

"Lord Pantoskoc's combat experience is truly rich. In comparison, while this young Lord Rayne has had good luck in obtaining such a mechanical construct from an ancient goblin ruin, he lacks crucial knowledge about his opponent."

"Yes, it's a shame that such an epic-level ancient mechanical construct will be destroyed. Lord Reginald, perhaps you should step in and suggest that this young Lord Rayne concede now."

The same thought crossed Pantoskoc's mind, and a smile involuntarily curved his lips.

But in the next instant, he suddenly felt a surge of unease. Through the green acid rain, he saw two red dots suddenly brighten.

His instinctive perception of danger made him immediately guide Hazas to move slightly.

The next moment!

"Whoosh!"

Two red energy beams, which had been slower to start, instantly pierced through the acid rain and struck Hazas' lower abdomen and left wing!

At the same time, the acid rain pelted down onto the towering mechanical T-Rex.

Both attacks hit their targets almost simultaneously!

"What!"

"Trading wounds?"

The crowd's hearts raced. They hadn't expected both sides to be injured in their first exchange.

This wasn't a test.

It was more like a fierce duel!

"You!!" Pantoskoc's face darkened as he glared at Rayne.

"Because you are certain of defeat, you want Hazas to be injured to satisfy your unwillingness to lose? Indeed, as I said, Rayne, your character is entirely unsuitable for becoming an imperial guardian."

The sound of corrosion hissed from the mechanical T-Rex, and a thick, foul smoke billowed out. The once shiny metal surface was now pitted and damaged, with some connecting wires even broken.

To the crowd, this blow, while injuring Pantoskoc's green dragon, had caused greater damage to the mechanical dread dragon.

"Oh? Certain of defeat?"

"Who gave you such blind confidence?" Rayne couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing.

This 'Storm Cloud' Lord was feeling a bit too good about himself.

As Rayne spoke, he flashed to the side of the mechanical T-Rex. With a press of his hand, a strong Dark Silver metallic glow began to ripple from his palm, covering the massive body of the mechanical T-Rex.

This was Rayne's core skill, 'Rapid Repair (Active),' which he gained after becoming a goblin engineering expert.

Each time the Dark Silver ripples covered the pitted metal surface of the mechanical T-Rex, the dents were repaired, as if a wrinkled shirt was being gradually smoothed by an iron.

In just a few seconds, the mechanical T-Rex was restored to its original state, leaving the crowd speechless.

"Is this... some form of Metallic Magic?"

"No wonder Lord Rayne chose to use this ancient goblin mechanical construct in combat. The effect of this wizardry is simply too well-suited for metal machinery."

The imperial guardians naturally assumed that Rayne's core skill was some rare form of Metallic Magic. After all, metal wizards were already rare, and Rayne's 'Rapid Repair' used metallic energy particles, making this misunderstanding quite natural.

"You..." Pantoskoc's eyes widened, and he pointed at Rayne, at a loss for words.

Compared to Rayne's injuries, Hazas's wounds were impossible to heal quickly. In this light, his earlier words amounted to a cruel self-irony.

This made Pantoskoc feel a mix of anger and embarrassment.

His face flushed red, he suppressed his fury and said in a deep voice, "It seems I underestimated you. However, the outcome of this battle is yet to be determined!"

"Hazas, Sleeping Poison Cloud!"

Hazas, writhing in pain, looked at Rayne with eyes full of hatred and immediately spat out a large cloud of dark green mist.

Compared to the previous Acid Breath, this cloud of poison was far more powerful, a lethal move known as Sleeping Poison Cloud.

This haze, which induced sleep, was difficult even for Defense Witchcraft to withstand. Light barriers rose from the stands, barely managing to keep the toxic mist at bay.

"So this is the Sleeping Poison Cloud?"

Rayne had naturally heard of Pantoskoc's signature move.

It was said that anyone tainted by this poison cloud would instantly fall into a deep sleep, as if pulled into a dream. Only the mightiest psi energy could provide immunity.

In a battle between powerful opponents, even a fraction of a second of sleep could decide the outcome.

Thus, if one were to fall victim to this, the battle was as good as over!

As the poison cloud spread, it quickly covered half the arena, enveloping Rayne in its toxic embrace.

"He's not dodging?" The crowd exclaimed in shock.

"It's not that he's not dodging, it's that he can't."

"First-tier Wizardry: Gale Strike!"

"Second-tier Wizardry: Swift Wind Slash!"

"Third-tier Wizardry: Tornado Storm!"

"Fourth-tier Wizardry: Hurricane Vortex!"

"Dawn Spell: Fury of the Storm!"

With Pantoskoc's loud incantation, a highly compressed and condensed tornado, flashing with icy light, appeared before him.

Though the tornado was only a few meters in diameter, it was filled with razor-sharp wind blades. The combination of the tornado's vortex and the sharp wind blades was undoubtedly lethal, capable of tearing an enemy to shreds upon impact!

"Go!" Pantoskoc roared!

The wind-based Dawn Spell 'Fury of the Storm' shot toward Rayne, who was already shrouded in the poison mist!

On the platform for the strong, a voice hissed, "Pantoskoc is clearly enraged. Your Majesty Reginald, should we really not intervene? Your friend might—"

"This match has already turned into a duel!"

"Hold on, I don't think we should interfere. What if Rayne has a counter? We'd only be hindering the normal course of the battle", Perkins, who had bet against Reginald, said with a grin.

It was clear that he was enjoying the spectacle.

"Hmm? Did you hear that? What's that sound?" a Guardian frowned.

The crowd strained their ears and heard a buzzing noise coming from within the poison cloud.

In the next instant, the battle took a sudden turn!

A Dark Silver Metal Disk stirred the poison cloud and shot out, clashing with Pantoskoc's condensed tornado in a flash!

"Boom!!!"

The Dawn Spell 'Fury of the Storm,' struck by an external force, exploded with a deafening roar!

A white wave of air, filled with countless icy-sharp wind blades, swept through the area like a tsunami.

The Defense Witchcraft that had been cast on the royal arena's surface and walls shattered, unable to withstand the sudden energy explosion.

The mushroom cloud, though weakened by the ward array, still shot hundreds of meters into the sky.

Half of the Imperial Capital's residents heard the explosion and turned to look in the direction of the palace.

"Could it be another Demon Avatar attacking the Imperial Capital?"

"It doesn't seem so. This time it was just one loud bang. The previous explosion lasted for a long time."

"What's going on?"

The confused populace began to speculate.

"Roar!!!"

Before the dust had fully settled, a dragon's mournful cry and the sound of something heavy hitting the ground echoed from within the cloud.

"That sounds like Hazas."

The top nobles in the arena exchanged worried glances, their eyes fixed on the dust cloud, eager to see the outcome of the battle.

As the dust gradually cleared, Rayne was seen standing in place, unmoving. Pantoskoc, on the other hand, was on one knee, his right hand pressed against the left side of his abdomen, a clear wound almost severing his waist. His dragon companion, Hazas, was in even worse shape!

His right wing had been nearly severed at the root, leaving only a small strip of flesh connecting it to his body. His dragon head was crushed into the ground by Rayne's mechanical dragon.

Despite struggling, Hazas was powerless to resist.

At the sight, the vast royal arena fell into a stunned silence!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end