Awakening The Only SSS-Rank Class! Now Even Dragons Obey Me

"Sorry to say this, but even if you wanted to kill me, you couldn't," Daniel glanced at Malrik and shrugged.

Even if he died, he could just use one of his extra lives and come back.

Besides, he doubted Malrik even had the power to actually kill him.

"What do you mean? You think I'm stupid?"

Daniel ignored his words. Suddenly, a wave of death energy leaked from his body, and the chains binding him decayed into ash.

"What…? How? That's impossible!" Malrik couldn't believe what he was seeing and instinctively took a few steps back.

What was that aura? Why did it make him tremble like that? It was a feeling he hadn't experienced in centuries…

That's right—the feeling of death.

But how was it possible? How could death itself be leaking from the body of the young man in front of him?

As far as he knew, only followers of Death were supposed to have such an ability.

The ability to use death energy... Could it be that Daniel was also a follower of Death?

If that were true, it could definitely cause some trouble.

Daniel stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and cracked his neck.

"You wanted to kill me? You better be worth the time I'm about to waste," he said with disdain and squinted at the aura surrounding Malrik.

'He's probably a mid- or maybe even high-rank B… Kind of weak for someone who's lived for centuries,' Daniel frowned and decided to stay on guard.

"You talk too much," Malrik growled and attacked without hesitation.

Daniel quickly drew The Heavens Honor and blocked the strike, though he was forced to retreat. They immediately began exchanging heavy blows.

"His physical strength is monstrous," Daniel grumbled internally. Each strike from Malrik pushed him back several steps.

Even though Daniel prided himself on his physical power, against Malrik, it felt like it wasn't even worth mentioning.

[Slash of Eternal Ruin]

Suddenly, Malrik's sword was covered in light. He swung. The strike looked simple but released a force that felt like it could shatter eternity itself.

Daniel frowned hard and activated his defensive skills. Still, it wasn't enough—the attack smashed through them all and completely broke his guard.

He tried to dodge, but some invisible force locked him in place, not letting him move.

The strike hit, burning half his body. Yet no blood spilled, because even the blood had been scorched.

"So where's all that bravado and superiority now? Was that it?" Malrik mocked.

But his eyes widened in shock soon after. The half of Daniel's body that had been burned started regenerating—miraculously.

And what shocked him more was the speed of it. It couldn't even be described in words. In the blink of an eye, the burnt half was fully restored.

"It didn't go anywhere. It's all still right here," Daniel said with a smile.

[Slash of Destruction]

A golden light surrounded Daniel's sword. This time, he slashed, and a blast of explosive power charged toward Malrik.

Malrik simply frowned and activated a defensive barrier, managing to block the attack.

But right as he did, Daniel's sword came down on him from above. He barely reacted in time and blocked again.

They began exchanging hundreds of sword strikes once more. With every clash, the very air around them seemed to tremble.

"How's it feel? Losing to someone centuries younger than you?" Daniel asked.

"Don't talk nonsense. There's no way I'd lose to you," Malrik growled and launched a full-power strike.

Daniel was sent flying but counterattacked instantly using [Shadow Weapons], and suddenly a dagger rose from Malrik's shadow and struck at him.

"Damn it, where'd that come from?!" Malrik dodged, but the dagger clashed with his sword and knocked it several meters away.

"How's it feel to be unarmed?" Daniel said calmly as he landed on the ground.

Malrik didn't respond. He just pulled out a spear from his dimensional ring and aimed it at Daniel.

"I've lived for centuries. You think I only learned to fight with one weapon?"

"I guess you're smarter than I thought," Daniel nodded, and the fight resumed.

This time Malrik's attacks were even more powerful and destructive—enough to make Daniel realize that the spear must be his main weapon.

And not just that—during the fight, Daniel could see a smile of pleasure forming on Malrik's face. When they were fighting with swords, that smile wasn't there.

Daniel landed a strong kick and sent them both flying several meters.

But this time, neither of them attacked immediately. Instead, they stood and studied each other.

"You're stronger than I thought. Much stronger. I apologize for underestimating you," Malrik said.

"So let me apologize properly... with my strongest attack." He raised his spear.

The fight had gone on too long. He didn't want the other pilgrims to notice. If anyone found out, all the plans of the anti-Zirhamism groups would be ruined. They wouldn't be able to stop that bastard's Ascension.

This was his only chance. If he missed it, he'd never get another. Even if the end of this path was death, he didn't care.

In fact, death was all he wanted.

[The Spear That Burns Eternity]

Suddenly, the space around them began to shake. Massive energies started converging toward the spear from all directions.

Even Daniel frowned. His instincts were screaming at him to run—and not to look back.

The spear vibrated as countless auras and energies surrounded it, its color shifting into something like a swirling galaxy.

Without hesitation, Daniel activated every defensive skill he had. He boosted them with death energy and raw mana essence.

He even coated his body with death energy.

Malrik threw the spear, and Daniel felt death itself.

But he didn't retreat. He held out both hands to stop it.

He caught the weapon—but it didn't matter.

It passed through and pierced his chest.

Daniel looked down at the hole in his chest as blood began pouring out. Blood dripped from his mouth and nose.

He immediately tried to use Mana Healing to restore his chest.

But to his shock… it didn't work. Not that the skill itself had failed—it was like some force was actively suppressing it.