Dancing on the golden ashes

I could see the fury and hesitation in their eyes. This is not good... I sighed deeply.

"Then let me make the first move," I said, my voice calm but filled with challenge. "The one who survives the longest will actually get to spend some time with me."

I wanted to see if this would trigger their final push, and I hoped I was wrong. But just as the words left my mouth, the two of them suddenly caught fire, rushing at me with newfound intensity.

Seong-hoon was as swift as the wind, and in the blink of an eye, he was already behind me. Fast! I was surprised. In his last battle, he hadn't seemed to try so much. Was he holding back?

At the same time, from the front, Eun-woo crashed into me with surprising force. There didn't seem to be a path of escape, but I wasn't worried. I summoned my gauntlets, careful not to add the claw blades. I didn't want to accidentally slash them into pieces. They still had a long way to go before they could match my level.

I swung my tail with precision, sending Seong-hoon flying through the air. In the same fluid motion, my fist crashed into the hammer that Eun-woo was using to attack me. The force sent him tumbling backward, and his weapon cracked on impact. That was a direct hit to his soul, the pain evident as he grabbed his head, wincing in agony.

"Don't attack like idiots. Think!" I roared, my voice booming through the air. "Try to fight together and exploit my weaknesses. Are you two sworn brothers or rivals? Get yourselves together!"

The words echoed in the arena, and for a moment, the two of them froze. Their gazes met, and in that brief moment, I could feel a silent, invisible conversation pass between them. They seemed to reach some kind of unspoken agreement. Finally, they nodded at each other, and I could sense the shift in the air. The battle was about to get more serious.

I could feel it—their resolve had sharpened. They were no longer just fighting out of stubborn pride. Now, they were truly working together. I knew it would be a challenge for me, but at least now, they could hold their own against me for a little longer.

The two of them slowly rose from the ground, moving around me in tight circles. They exchanged quick glances, as if silently plotting their next move, trying to come up with a strategy on the spot. Good. That's how they should be.

Eun-woo launched his hammer at me with force, the weapon cutting through the air at lightning speed. It would hit me in the blink of an eye. I extended my hand, preparing to catch it, but suddenly, it vanished. He had canceled the attack—it was just a distraction. In the same instant, Seong-hoon slashed at me from above.

Reacting instinctively, I jumped into the air and spun, launching a kick from an awkward angle he wasn't expecting. But, as I suspected, it was another diversion. Seong-hoon used his ice powers to push himself sideways, dodging my strike effortlessly.

In that very moment, Eun-woo sent his shield beneath me, glowing with power that seemed to push me upward, keeping me suspended in the air. The two of them moved swiftly, working in perfect tandem.

Caught mid-air, I found myself unable to counter properly. This is tricky... I thought. But they were still naive. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire

I flapped my wings, stabilizing myself with a gust of wind. With a powerful gale from my wings, I sent them both flying back. Their levels were too low, their coordination admirable but still lacking the power to match my speed. Or so I thought.

Suddenly, things took a dramatic turn. Seong-hoon roared like a dragon, the sound shaking the air. His body shimmered, covered in white dragon scales, as his tail and wings sprouted. He moved even faster now, crashing into me with a power that, for the first time in a long while, actually challenged me.

I could feel my body being pushed back by the immense force of Seong-hoon's sword, and then, suddenly, another powerful aura crashed into me from the other side. Eun-woo had grown slightly in size, and his armor shimmered with a second layer, radiating a golden light mixed with the essence of moonlight. The brilliance was blinding, making it hard to focus.

Seong-hoon, on the other hand, had closed his eyes, purely relying on the fact that Eun-woo was crashing into me with overwhelming power. The golden wings of light unfurled from Eun-woo, resembling angelic wings but radiating an intense, mystical aura. They danced in the air like grass in the wind, majestic and fluid.

That power seemed to boost his offensive abilities, and a crown made of moonlight materialized above his head, making him look like a celestial warrior. His hammer, now glowing with radiant light, crashed down toward me.

"You fools," I said, fury rising in my chest. "Do you wish to destroy the entire city?"

This was supposed to be a friendly exchange, with minimal destruction, but they didn't seem to understand that...

"Sovereign's Domain..."

In an instant, the entire room was cast into darkness, and the two men froze, their movements halted. It was the power of my domain. With this ability, I could even manipulate time itself, and after reaching the emperor level, my stats had increased to the point where I could now control time with greater precision.

I took my time, moving deliberately. I struck them in several places—each hit landing in the most painful spots. With time frozen for them, I knew that when it resumed, all of my punches would crash into them at once, most likely knocking them out. If not, then I'd have to admit they possessed some serious tenacity.

I canceled my Sovereign's Domain and stood off to the side, watching as the two of them twitched in place, their bodies reacting to the punches I had delivered—all of them landing at once. The sight was both amusing and satisfying.

To be honest, I was proud of them. Despite their levels, they were still extremely strong fighters. It was clear to me that with more time and effort, they could grow even stronger. But as it stood, it would take them a little longer to reach the level where I currently stood.