The Unrivaled Holder: Rise of the Dragon Monarch

The sun had fully risen, casting light through the thick forest canopy as we continued our journey. The feeling of being watched hadn't faded—in fact, it was growing stronger. The quiet of the wilderness wasn't natural anymore; it was the calm before something deadly.

I glanced at Ingi, who had been walking in silence for some time. His normally relaxed demeanor was gone, replaced by a focused, almost predatory expression. His golden eyes flickered with sharp intensity, scanning the trees as his nostrils flared slightly.

Then, he spoke.

"We're being tracked," Ingi murmured.

Everyone stopped.

"How many?" I asked.

Ingi closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply. "Thirty. Elves. They're keeping their distance, but they are surrounding us from the trees." His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. "They're waiting for something."

Cedrick immediately lifted his shield slightly. "Do we engage?"

"No," I said firmly. "Not yet. We hold formation and move forward. We don't strike unless they do."

Fafnir crossed his arms, exhaling sharply. "Tch. Figures they'd be elves."

A warning from Eldrin before we left Asnor

Before we left Asnor, Eldrin had given us a warning about this exact situation.

"If your journey takes you toward Westeros, be wary. The Queen who rules there is not someone to be taken lightly."

"You mean Luviyah, the Sky Queen?" Chad had asked.

Eldrin had nodded, his expression darkening. "She is a ruler unlike any other. Keen, calculating, and blessed with foresight beyond comprehension. She sees possibilities before they happen. That's how she's ruled Westeros without opposition for centuries."

I had raised an eyebrow. "You sound like you've fought her before."

For the first time, Eldrin's usual composure had cracked. His fingers tightened slightly against his desk as he spoke.

"I have. And I lost."

"Elves specialize in magic," he had continued. "Their spells are fast, precise, and deadly. Luviyah herself is one of the most powerful spellcasters alive. If you must face her forces, be prepared for a battle unlike any other."

Going back...

We kept moving through the forest, maintaining a steady pace. After several days, the elves tracking us never attacked—but they never left, either. They were waiting for something.

Eventually, we reached the edge of the forest, where the trees thinned out, revealing the border between Asnor and Westeros.

Ahead of us stood a vast canyon, carved by time and magic. A single stone bridge stretched across the gorge, leading toward a fortified outpost that marked the entrance into Westeros.

This was it. If we crossed, we would officially be stepping into the Sky Queen's domain.

And the elves knew it.

The moment we stepped closer—the attack came.

The first volley was silent. Arrows rained down from the treetops, enchanted with magical energy.

But we were ready.

Cedrick immediately raised his shield, the arrows bouncing harmlessly off its reinforced surface. "Incoming!" he shouted.

Ronan disappeared in an instant, vanishing into the shadows. Chad spun his spear, deflecting a projectile before launching himself forward. Adrian's hands crackled with arcane power as he formed a defensive barrier, shielding us from the second wave of arrows.

Fafnir grinned. "They finally moved, huh?!" he growled. "Interesting."

He inhaled deeply, then unleashed a blast of scorching dragonfire upward, forcing the hidden elves to scatter.

"Move!" I commanded.

Chad was the first to strike back. He lunged forward with his spear, hurling it at an elf attempting to reposition in the trees. The spear found its mark, piercing through the elf's armor and pinning him against the trunk.

Ronan reappeared behind another elf before they could cast a spell—his daggers flashed, and the enemy collapsed before they could even scream.

Cedrick held the front, knocking back attackers with powerful shield strikes, while Adrian's magic erupted in brilliant flashes, countering the elves' spells before they could land.

More elves descended, their blades glowing with energy, engaging us in direct combat. One lunged at me, his rapier moving impossibly fast—but I countered, twisting aside and slamming my fist into his chest, sending him flying.

Chad retrieved his spear and impaled another elf, spinning midair to kick away a second attacker.

Adrian clapped his hands together, creating a shockwave of pure arcane energy that blasted three elves back, knocking them unconscious.

Cedrick took a direct magical hit to his shield—but he held firm, using the impact to launch himself forward, bashing an elf off the bridge entirely.

Despite being outnumbered, we weren't losing. We were dominating.

Fafnir landed beside me, smoke rising from his nostrils. "Is this all they've got?" he sneered.

I shook my head. "No. This is just the start."

Sure enough, a powerful voice echoed through the canyon.

"Enough!"

A new figure stepped onto the bridge—a high-ranking elven officer, his armor glistening with enchanted runes. His presence alone commanded attention.

Behind him, the remaining elves regrouped, their confidence restored. They hadn't expected us to fight back this hard, but now, they were ready to escalate.

Tall, armored in deep emerald plating etched with golden runes, and wielding an elegant glaive infused with elven enchantments—he was no ordinary soldier. His silver hair fell to his shoulders, his piercing jade eyes locked onto me with an intensity that sent a chill down my spine.

Verdant Regent.

A high-ranking elven officer.

"I challenge you to a duel," he said, his voice calm yet filled with authority. "A battle to the death. No interference."

The battlefield went silent. Even my allies hesitated.

"Huh? You guys ambushed us, and you have the audacity to ask for a duel?! Are you stupid?!" Fafnir growled.

The eyes of high-raking elven officer switched from me to Fafnir and said, "I am not asking you for a duel, get lost"

"This elf!" Fafnir muttered with anger

I narrowed my eyes. "But.. why me?"

Verdant Regent didn't hesitate.

"You are far more dangerous compared to your companions."

Ingi's eyes widened, "Ho? I bet they feel it as well. This kid really is something else.." Ingi muttered

A simple answer. And yet, it told me everything.

"Dangerous? How come?" I asked

"Do you accept the request or no?" 

I exhaled, then tightened my grip. "Tsk. Fine," I said. "I accept." I added

The moment the words left my mouth, Verdant Regent vanished.

A whisper of wind was my only warning before his glaive slashed downward. I sidestepped, feeling the sheer force of the swing as it split the ground beneath me.

I clenched my fists, Magicore surging into my hands as I lunged forward. The energy pulsed, enhancing my strength as I threw a punch toward his chest.

Verdant Regent twisted mid-air, narrowly avoiding my strike. But he wasn't fast enough. My follow-up caught his shoulder, sending him sliding back.

He steadied himself, his emerald eyes flickering with amusement. "Interesting."

I didn't let him recover. I charged again, this time feinting left before slamming my fist into the air in front of him. The shockwave from my Magicore-infused strike rippled outward, forcing him to block with his glaive.

He skidded back further, but the moment he stopped, he disappeared again.

I felt the shift in the wind—behind me!

I spun, raising my arm just as his glaive came down. My Magicore-enhanced block sent another shockwave bursting through the battlefield.

The sheer force of it cracked the ground beneath us.

"Good," he murmured.

His speed increased. The air around him shimmered as he weaved through my attacks, his glaive moving in a deadly arc. I dodged and countered, striking back with precise, crushing blows, my fists glowing with raw energy.

One solid punch connected with his ribs—the impact sent him flying through the air, crashing against a boulder.

Silence followed.

For a moment, it seemed like I had won.

The battlefield was still, save for the faint crackling of flames and the quiet breaths of my allies. Across from me, Verdant Regent stood, blood trickling from his lips where my last attack had connected.

For a moment, I thought he might stop.

Then, his jade eyes gleamed with renewed intensity. He raised his glaive, and the air around us trembled.

Glowing runes ignited along the length of his weapon, pulsing with ancient elven enchantments. The very air seemed to warp, charged with overwhelming magical energy.

Fafnir's eyes narrowed, his stance shifting slightly. "Craig," he called, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "Be careful. That thing reeks of something ominous."

Even Chad, usually calm, adjusted his grip on his spear. "This isn't ordinary elven magic…"

Cedrick took a step forward but hesitated. "Isn't it dangerous to let him keep going?"

Ingi has noticed it and said, "His regeneration was keeping him in the fight, but it came at a cost—his Magicore was draining at an alarming rate." 

Ronan watched me closely before muttering, "While he isn't taking any serious damage from the elf's attacks, that constant regeneration is going to burn through his energy. In the long run, it's a disadvantage."

Adrian folded his arms, his eyes sharp. "It seems like we'll have a winner soon."

Ingi, however, wasn't concerned. He watched me with intrigue. "No… it's impressive," he murmured. "He's adapting as he fights. He's pushing his body to its limit while maintaining his regeneration. Although it is concerning, we should trust him. Do not worry, the kid might have a plan."

They weren't wrong. I could feel it.

My body was becoming heavier with each second, my Magicore reserves being drained with every injury healed. If I wanted to end this, I had to do it now.

I took a deep breath, then infused my entire body with Magicore.

A deep golden glow erupted around me, but the concentration was strongest in my hands. My fingers burned with pure energy, ready to deliver one final, decisive blow: Heaven's Rupture

Across from me, Verdant Regent smiled. He saw what I was doing.

"I see," he said, raising his glaive. "That will be your final strike, I surmise?"

His magic surged.

"Then let me reciprocate."

He lifted his glaive high, closing his eyes as he began to chant.

"By the decree of the Verdant Sovereignty, let the eternal winds sharpen, let the heavens rupture, let the earth be cleansed by judgment!"

His glaive roared to life, emerald flames twisting around its blade. The air around him warped and cracked as his spell fully activated.

"Celestial Severance!"

A violent gust of magical energy surged outward, creating an aura of pure devastation.

"Elves really are pain in the ass, huh!?" Ingi muttered with anger and excitement while clinching his fist. 

"Show us, kid" Ingi muttered

Then, for a moment, we simply stood there, then we moved.

Both of us dashed forward, the ground beneath us exploding from the sheer force of our launch.

Verdant Regent's glaive carved through the air, leaving a spiraling storm of razor-sharp wind and divine magic. Every swing split the air itself, and the sheer force of his enchanted attack caused the very battlefield to quake.

I jumped, barely avoiding the devastating arc of his attack as it carved through the battlefield, leaving a deep, glowing fissure in the earth.

Verdant Regent pursued instantly, his movements flawless, relentless.

I twisted midair, my hands pulsing with raw Magicore. His glaive was coming.

He swung.

I countered.

The moment Celestial Severance met Heaven's Rupture, the impact shook the very air.

A shockwave erupted from the clash, sending torrents of wind and energy rippling outward. The sky itself seemed to split as our combined force cracked the atmosphere, sending debris and sparks flying in all directions.

The collision of raw force and ancient magic shattered the sound barrier, creating a deafening explosion that engulfed the battlefield in blinding light.

For a split second, everything was still.

Then—BOOM.

The force of our clash sent both of us flying in opposite directions.

I crashed into the ground, rolling before digging my hands into the earth to stop myself. My breath was ragged, my arms trembling from the sheer exertion of that last attack. My vision blurred as exhaustion crashed down on me like a tidal wave.

Across from me, Verdant Regent landed, his boots skidding across the battlefield before he finally stopped. He staggered slightly, the remnants of his shattered enchantment flickering around him.

For a long moment, neither of us moved.

Then—both of us collapsed.