Chapter 183: BATTLING KING OREON(BONUS Chapter)
Flameborn in his dragon form startled King Oren and his court attendants, the young eclipse dragon’s shadowy wings unfurling with a low hum, casting flickering darkness over the chamber, his eyes glowing with vengeful intent.
"What an interesting creature. I will take you as my pet. Be honored," the arrogant king said, staring at Flameborn with a spark of intrigued greed in his eyes, underestimating the dragon’s fury.
Flameborn exhaled a void breath toward the relaxed Atlantean king, the ethereal mist coiling through the water like insidious tendrils seeking to ensnare.
[◈ Dream Eater’s Breath
Exhales a void-breath that infiltrates minds, dragging victims into nightmares that wound their souls in waking reality, their screams echoing in both realms, a haunting chorus of torment.]
King Oren was startled by the little dragon’s sudden attack, but his reflexes kicked in, his guard instantly up. Tapping his trident on the ground with a resonant clang, he manipulated the surrounding water to form a shimmering shield before him, the liquid barrier solidifying just in time to block the insidious breath, the void energy dissipating against it with a hiss.
Controlling the element of water with masterful precision, Flameborn launched a tide of dark-infused waves toward King Oren, the water merging seamlessly with shadows to create Abyssal water that churned with malevolent energy, devouring light as it surged forward.
King Oren countered swiftly, summoning water around him to erect another protective shield, but his barrier proved insufficient. The Abyssal water corroded and devoured it like acid through paper, continuing its relentless advance toward the king.
With his shield failing, King Oren darted aside, dodging the corrosive tide in the nick of time, the Abyssal water splashing harmlessly against a nearby column, etching deep scars into the marble.
With graceful, fluid action, King Oren hurled his trident toward Flameborn, his four-star god-tier strength propelling the weapon at insane speed, a golden streak that cut through the water like a comet, catching the young dragon off guard.
Boom!
Flameborn was sent flying by the powerful blow from the trident, crashing into a nearby pillar with a resounding crack that echoed through the court, shards of stone floating lazily in the disturbed currents.
King Oren swam forward with propelled speed, the water currents aiding his movement as if the ocean itself obeyed him. He stretched out his hand, and the trident flew back to his grasp with effortless magnetism.
Catching the trident with practiced ease, King Oren raised it high, swinging it downward toward the floored Flameborn, intending to impale the eclipse dragon with a decisive strike, his blue eyes flashing with triumph.
Flameborn reacted instinctively, commanding the earth element to rise in his defense—rocks engulfed in darkness erupted from the seabed, forming a sturdy slab that intercepted the attack with a heavy thud.
King Oren was undeterred by the dragon’s defensive maneuver, stabbing his trident through the slab of rock with brute force. The weapon tore through the barrier effortlessly, shards flying as it continued its path toward Flameborn.
The trident embedded itself in the ground where Flameborn had been moments before, but the dragon was nowhere to be found in that position, much to King Oren’s surprise, who hadn’t detected the slightest movement.
Flameborn emerged silently from a patch of darkness behind King Oren, his claws extended like shadowy daggers, ready to strike with lethal precision.
King Oren sensed the subtle vibration in the waters, realizing the imminent danger. He surged forward in a desperate evasion, attempting to avoid Flameborn’s ambush.
"Urgh!" King Oren groaned in pain as Flameborn’s claws grazed him slightly, tearing through his flesh and drawing a trail of crimson blood that diffused into the water like ink.
King Oren spun around abruptly, enduring the stinging wound as he swung his trident in a wide arc, catching the off-guard dragon and sending him flying once more.
Flameborn crashed into another pillar, the impact cracking the structure, but he rose quickly to his feet, unscathed despite the force—his obsidian scales had mitigated the attack completely, absorbing the blow’s energy with a faint shimmer.
The little dragon refused to be bested by King Oren, opening his maw wide as he unleashed a breath of Abyssal fire, flames that burned unquenchable even in the depths, twisting through the water with dark intensity.
The Abyssal fire resisted extinction by the surrounding waters, surging toward King Oren with unrelenting fury. The king dodged gracefully, his movements like a dance in the currents, landing unwittingly on a patch of darkness cast by the castle’s illuminated halls.
Flameborn, who had been waiting patiently for precisely that opportunity, sank into the shadowy patch beneath him, vanishing in an instant before reappearing directly under King Oren. With explosive force, he delivered a powerful uppercut that knocked the Atlantean king off his feet, sending him tumbling through the water.
"King Oren!" the imperial guards responsible for the king’s safety yelled in alarm, rushing forward with weapons drawn to offer their support, their fins propelling them swiftly through the chaos.
They were forced to halt in their tracks, however. Alice intervened, freezing the waters between the combatants and the knights with a wave of her hand. The frozen barrier expanded rapidly, forming a tall wall that extended all the way to the ocean’s surface, its crystalline surface glistening as it prevented the imperial knights from interfering, trapping them in a prison of ice.
"Just enjoy the show. There’s no need to interfere in the battle," Alice warned coolly, her eyes focused intently on the duel between King Oren and Flameborn, the court’s tension palpable in the swirling currents.
They chose not to assist the young dragon, firmly believing it would do more harm than good to his burgeoning pride, allowing him to fight and grow through his own strength.
King Oren crashed to the ground with a heavy splash, his trident still clutched firmly in his hand, his crown askew but his resolve unbroken.
Flameborn, maintaining his distance from King Oren, flew toward him with determined speed, releasing another breath of Abyssal water in mid-charge, the dark tide churning forward like a living entity.
King Oren evaded the Abyssal waves with agile precision, swinging his trident in retaliation. The dragon maneuvered his lithe body, dodging the strike by a hair’s breadth, the weapon whistling past him before he countered by swinging his tail with ferocious momentum.
King Oren summoned the waters around him, forming protective walls that solidified just in time to shield him from the impact, the barriers rippling under the force but holding firm.
"You are very impressive. Come under me, and I will ensure to bring the best out of your raw talent," King Oren promised, retreating slightly to create space between them, preventing either from launching a surprise attack while he caught his breath.
"I can only have Father as my emperor. As for you, all you deserve is death. And I’m going to ensure you die a painful death for disrespecting my father and his wives," Flameborn vowed fiercely, his voice a low growl that reverberated through the water, unwilling to let King Oren escape unscathed, his shadowy form poised for the next clash.