The appearance of a Dragon King on the battlefield was a rare occurrence. Only two circumstances could compel a Dragon King to personally join the fray: either the war was crucial to win, or an opponent of Dragon King-level strength had already emerged.
Anna couldn't comprehend why the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan felt the need to seize the Silver Dragon Territory. There had been no grievances between the two great dragon clans for thousands of years, so why launch a sudden attack now?
Pinned to the ground by Constantine's dragon claw, Anna had nearly bled out and was barely clinging to life. She didn't know if Her Majesty had successfully evacuated, if the two princesses were safe, or if the Prince, who seemed lacking in combat prowess, could protect his wife and children.
Anna's body was on the verge of collapse, aware that she couldn't withstand Constantine's next assault. Yet, even so, she still tried to resist. Feeble dragon flames sputtered from her mouth, but Constantine couldn't be bothered to dodge or defend against such a weak attack.
Constantine looked down at Anna with arrogance and disdain in his crimson dragon eyes. Slowly gathering highly concentrated dragon flames in his mouth, he intended to end Anna's suffering.
Finally ceasing her struggle, Anna slowly closed her eyes. Hundreds of Silver Dragons rushed toward Constantine recklessly, but with Anna, the temporary commander, defeated and the army leaderless, their charge was tantamount to suicide.
As the heat gradually engulfed everything, amidst the fiery red, Anna seemed to catch a glimpse of the true Grim Reaper. But suddenly, sharp bird-like cries pierced her ears.
The next moment, the dragon flames about to consume Anna were dispersed with a single strike. She opened her eyes, not understanding what had happened. But judging by Constantine's reaction, could it be… Her Majesty coming to the rescue?
No, that was impossible. Her Majesty was still in childbirth; there was no way she could come here in such a state. But who else, besides Her Majesty, could so easily deflect Constantine's dragon flames?
Constantine slowly raised his dragon head, revealing a long trench ahead, carved by lightning, with dozens of crimson dragon corpses strewn on either side.
At the other end of this trench, in front of the Silver Dragon Temple gate, stood a slender figure. Clad in black and silver armor, surrounded by flickering lightning, undoubtedly, this person had, in an instant, slain several Crimson Flame Dragons and interrupted Constantine's fatal blow to Anna.
Constantine narrowed his dragon eyes slightly. "So this is the target 'they' mentioned. It seems… indeed formidable."
Leon slowly stepped forward, calmly advancing toward the battlefield ahead. The silver paint on the surface of his black-gold armor had gradually dried. This was a simple disguise he had crafted before coming to the battlefield, to conceal his human identity.
The paint was easy to find; he had used a lot of it when making puzzles for Noah and Muen. During the war years, most dragons only recognized this set of black armor.
Although the disguise he had made now was somewhat crude, it was better than nothing. Moreover, it was nighttime, and flaws were hard to detect from a distance.
The recent attack had also consumed some of the magic stored in the dragon mark on Leon's chest. He raised his hand, sensing the remaining magic power.
Then, he looked up at the massive Constantine before him. After a quick mental calculation, he thought, "There shouldn't be any problem killing him before my magic runs out."
Initially, when Leon saw the Silver Dragon Clan gradually gaining the upper hand, he thought there was no need for him to intervene. He could simply stay by Rossweise and his daughters, acting as the final line of defense.
But it wasn't until Constantine descended upon the battlefield, reclaiming the advantage with overwhelming strength, that Leon realized how desperately this mad dragon desired victory in this war.
Well, if Constantine wanted victory so badly, then Leon couldn't possibly let him have it. Going head-to-head with dragons was Leon's specialty. He scanned the corpse-strewn battlefield, estimated the number of Crimson Flame Dragons, and secretly thought it was fortunate he hadn't acted earlier.
Otherwise, he might have wasted his magic power, and now he probably wouldn't have the confidence to face Dragon King Constantine.
With limited mana, if all his skills were used to clear minions, what would be left to fight the boss? Fists? That was nonsense!
As Leon stepped onto the battlefield, the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan also reacted. Several red dragons pounced toward him. They used their bodies to form a "cage," trapping Leon firmly within. Then, they gathered dragon flames, intending to burn Leon alive inside this cage.
Constantine was also surprised by this human's audacity. How dare he walk straight over like that? Was he insane? But the facts proved that Constantine was overly cautious.
Through the gaps in the "cage" ahead, several flashes of lightning surged forth. The next moment, powerful lightning magic sent those Crimson Flame Dragons flying in all directions.
Meanwhile, Leon remained steadfastly in place, enveloped in scorching lightning. In that moment, his innate desire for dragon blood was reignited.
A tremendous pressure emanated from him, and in the eyes of the dragons, his slender figure seemed like the incarnation of a thunder god.
Not only did the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan feel intimidated, but even the Silver Dragon soldiers felt a hint of fear toward this "ally" they had never seen before.
"Without transforming into a dragon, he can unleash such powerful magic in human form… Is he the newly cultivated Dragon King of the Silver Dragon Clan?"
"And the pressure emanating from him… It feels somewhat familiar."
"Who is inside that armor?"
The Crimson Dragon warriors couldn't help but discuss.
But with a roar from Constantine, all astonishment and panic were suppressed. "Whoever he is, kill him."
At Constantine's command, dozens of Crimson Dragons once again attacked Leon. The sharp bird cries resounded once more.
Leon slightly spread his arms, gathering Thunder Magic – Chidori in each hand. He gradually lowered his body, and his steps quickened.
Both sides rushed toward each other at lightning speed, engaging in close combat. Leon, like a blade forged of lightning, cut through the dragon horde.
Blood splattered, lightning flashed, and amidst the cries of the Chidori mingled the roars and wails of the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan. The pain inflicted by lightning far surpassed that of swords.
The silver-black armored figure moved through the battlefield like a force of nature, leaving death and destruction in its wake. With every step, he crushed countless bones and spilled blood. It was a one-sided massacre, where both human and dragon forms appeared frail and powerless against the unmatched lightning.
Yet, this wasn't even Leon's full power. He simply aimed to deal with Constantine before his magic ran out, and he had to dispose of these obstructive minions along the way.
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.
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Inside the temple, Noah widened her eyes in horror. She could hardly believe that the meat grinder on the battlefield was her father.
The gentleman who spoke softly, cooked, did household chores, and took care of her mother… seemed like a completely different person. Although Noah had sensed before that her father might be very capable, seeing it firsthand today made her wonder if he had become too powerful.
"I thought His Highness… wasn't good at fighting," murmured a maid.
"Yeah, I've never seen His Highness on the battlefield before."
Is there a possibility that any dragon who has seen His Highness on the battlefield has been slaughtered by him?
Rossweise lay on the bed, silently listening to her subordinates discuss that man. She closed her eyes, and her frantic heart gradually calmed down.
"This is the real you… Leon Cosmodeous."
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On the battlefield, Leon stepped on the head of a Crimson Dragon, using it as leverage to leap into the air. He raised his right hand high, gathering the mighty power of lightning.
S-Rank Thunder Magic: Heavenly Thunder Annihilation!
Leon was no longer interested in wasting time with these foot soldiers. With a thunderous strike, he instantly reduced the surrounding Crimson Flame Dragon Clan to ashes.
He landed lightly on the ground and glanced around before finally looking at Shirley not far away. "You take your people to clean up the remaining Crimson Flame Dragons."
Shirley was taken aback; the voice under the armor sounded very familiar. "Your… Your Highness?!"
"What? Do you want me to sign an autograph for you?"
"N-No… I mean…"
"Say whatever you want after I kill Constantine. Hurry up and execute the order."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Shirley led the remaining Silver Dragon soldiers back into the fray with the enemy. Leon's recent waves of attacks had already turned the tide back in their favor.
He couldn't keep wasting his magic on foot soldiers, and these Silver Dragon soldiers couldn't just stand by and watch. They needed to lend a hand.
So, what's next?
Leon turned back, looking at the crimson giant dragon hundreds of meters away. It was time for the main course.
Constantine also realized that this battle wouldn't be won so easily. He released Anna and transformed into his human form, taking on the appearance of a man with red hair and red eyes, dressed in a long robe.
Leon and Constantine slowly approached each other. When they were about ten meters apart, they both stopped.
They scrutinized each other in silence for a moment before Constantine spoke first. "I didn't expect you to actually make a move."
In his words, Leon was slightly surprised. Although it was a short sentence, it contained a lot of information. At least it indicated that Constantine already knew… There was a human under the armor.
But Leon had only fought against the soldiers of the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan before and had never seen this Dragon King.
"How did Constantine know about him?"
"You, once hailed as the Empire's strongest dragon slayer, would actually lend a hand to the dragon race. Isn't that somewhat ironic?" Constantine said calmly.
He not only knew there was a human under the armor but had also confirmed Leon's identity.
Unexplainably, Leon always felt that the sudden attack by the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan was not merely about expanding territory. Behind this, there seemed to be a larger conspiracy.
But now, the situation was urgent, and Leon didn't have time to dwell on this issue. He suppressed his astonishment and replied calmly, "I can't be bothered with the infighting among your dragon race, but if you keep going, you'll end up hurting my wife and children, and that changes the situation."
"Hmm, wife and children… Cosmodeous, once the strongest has a weak spot, he is no longer the strongest."
Leon slowly raised his right hand, gathering lightning in his palm once again.
The blue light reflected off the blood-stained helmet, and the man under the armor replied, each word deliberate, "Constantine, I will show you what it means to be the strongest. And, they are not weak spots—"
Before he finished speaking, Leon disappeared from where he stood.
When he reappeared, he had already blitzed towards Constantine at lightning speed from his flank.
"They are family."
Dragons have scales, touching them means death.
Bird cries erupted as Constantine leaped away, a Chidori crashing into the ground, stirring up billowing dust.
Before Constantine could prepare to counterattack, Leon burst out from the dust cloud, charging straight at him.
"Fast…" Constantine exclaimed inwardly. Being able to match the speed of the Silver Dragon Queen was certainly fast.
Constantine didn't have time to launch an attack, so he could only spread his dragon wings in a defensive posture. This was a unique fighting style of the dragon race: if you can't win, open up and turtle.
Leon's countless combat experiences and muscle memories were all awakened. He adjusted his posture in time, stepping onto Constantine's dragon wing, then jumping into the air and circling behind Constantine.
Before Constantine could react, a lightning strike was thrust out, solidly hitting Constantine's back. When dragons use their wings for defense, their back becomes the biggest vulnerability. But should we be surprised by the Dragon King?
At such close range, a lightning strike should have pierced Constantine's body. However, in Leon's view, if the lightning strike didn't pierce the enemy's body, it meant the enemy was quite formidable, and he needed to put in more effort. But little did he know, Constantine's back had already been severely injured by that lightning strike.
Leon withdrew his attack and distanced himself from Constantine. Constantine was panting heavily, spreading his dragon wings and slowly turning around. His crimson dragon eyes were filled with rage.
"Cosmodeous, you've angered me."
"Is that so? Then killing you will surely calm you down."
"Human, you will pay the price for your arrogance with your life!"
With a deafening roar, Constantine transformed once again into his dragon form. Leon's human body appeared thin and weak before him. A massive shadow loomed over Leon, but he had long been accustomed to such scenes. He had seen bigger dragon kings; how could Constantine possibly scare him?
The crimson dragon flapped its wings, raising its head high. Then, three huge magic arrays lit up behind him.
Within the magic arrays, the powers of ice, fire, and wind converged into countless blades, all thrusting towards Leon. Yet Leon didn't dodge or evade; he intended to counterattack head-on. He had the skill and courage to make a desperate attempt, without wasting time on maneuvers.
The power of lightning filled his body, greatly enhancing Leon's defense and speed. He maneuvered agilely through the rain of elemental blades.
Even if hit, the powerful lightning would shatter them. Leon became faster with every dodge, transforming into a blur of blue lightning, launching a near-invisible assault on the massive forelimb of Constantine.
Constantine attempted to withdraw, but it was too late. Surging with lightning, Leon unleashed a torrent of thunder elements from within him.
The dragon tattoo on his chest began to shimmer with an unprecedented deep blue light. In an instant, Constantine's entire left forelimb was numb and devoid of sensation.
Lowering his head, Constantine continuously spewed dragon flames towards Leon beneath him, trying to drive him away.
However, Leon's speed far exceeded his expectations. Before the numbness in his forelimb could fade, Leon stepped onto his knee, effortlessly leaping onto his back.
Standing on Constantine's dragon back, Leon raised his right hand high. The dim night sky instantly gathered thick clouds. Within the clouds, thunder rolled and lightning flashed.
At this moment, Leon seemed like a deity harnessing lightning. The most tumultuous, violent, and uncontrollable element in nature was being wielded by him with astonishing mastery.
S-Rank Thunder Magic: Thousand Thunder Heaven's Call.
Boom! —
"Roar!!!"
The terrifying thunder struck down fiercely, accompanied by a painful roar from Constantine. His spine, his entire torso, lost all sensation. A human… how could a human possibly be this powerful!
Constantine desperately flapped his dragon wings, struggling to shake Leon off his back. But Leon, at this moment, was like a cold-hearted butcher. All he wanted to do was kill the beast beneath him.
The previous Thousand Thunder Heaven's Call had consumed much of his magic power, so…
"This is the final blow, Constantine."
Leon clasped his hands together, then slowly separated them, shaping the lightning in his palms into the form of a longsword. Gripping the thunder sword, he ruthlessly pierced through the scales on Constantine's back.
Flesh and blood intertwined, the Dragon King's lament — this was the most wonderful moment for Leon Cosmodeous, the strongest dragon slayer.
However, it didn't end there.
Leon tightened his grip on the thunder sword and raced across Constantine's broad dragon back. The blade slashed along his spine towards his neck.
Wherever Leon went, lightning flashed, flesh and blood flew, scales shattered. Constantine's lament brought the two dragon clans, still locked in battle, to a halt.
Both the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan and the Silver Dragon Clan stared in disbelief at the scene before them. Constantine's massive body lay prone on the ground like a collapsed mountain, dragon blood forming rivers flowing down his back. His proud head drooped weakly after a brief struggle.
Before the dragons on the battlefield could comprehend what they were seeing, a figure slowly appeared on Constantine's dragon head.
Leon gripped the thunder sword in his right hand, lifting his leg to step onto Constantine's forehead.
After a night of fierce battle, it was already dawn. The sun rose slowly from the horizon, dispelling the darkness and cold. Its rays bathed the silver-black armor as if giving him a baptism.
All the dragons looked at him, their gazes filled with fear, surprise, or resentment. But he didn't care. Everything he did was to protect his family.
"Maintain this false family," it was a promise he made with Rossweise. He slowly swung the thunder sword and chopped off Constantine's dragon horn.
Constantine breathed weakly. Leon crouched down slowly above him, looking at the gradually dissipating dragon pupils, and said calmly, "I told you, I will show you what it means to be the strongest."