"Fire Magic: Roar of the Great Flame Lion!"
Fuegoleon's lion roared with blazing fury, yet it could not catch the streak of light that was Patri.
"Where do you think you're going?" Charles leapt high, unleashing a Fire Dragon's Iron Fist—but he only managed to intercept a sword of light. Two more struck him from behind, sending him crashing down.
More blades rained toward him, but a spiraling pillar of fire intercepted them, scattering the assault.
Blood trickled from Charles's shoulder, soaking his cloak. The wound below his ribs wasn't deep, but the continuous bleeding was becoming a problem.
He pressed a flame to the wound to cauterize it. It wasn't ideal, but it was all he could manage for now.
The flames hadn't delayed Patri for long—his light whip lashed through, severing Fuegoleon's supporting fire pillar.
Charles found himself wishing Yami were here. With his mastery of dark magic, fighting someone with light magic would probably be much easier.
He realized, finally, that he had overestimated himself. Even after defeating Lotus, he still wasn't on the level of a Magic Knight captain.
True strength wasn't just mana or magic—it was also experience. And often, that mattered even more.
Even with Lotus, Charles had needed Luck's help. Alone, he wouldn't have been able to overcome him. And he still hadn't mastered the most crucial—and forbidden—aspect of Dragon Slayer magic.
Every Dragon Slayer mage carried a dragon seed within them. As they matured, the seed would root and bloom, eventually transforming them into dragons and unlocking the full power of Dragon Slayer magic.
Charles had long been able to sense the seed. As his mana and physique grew, he'd hoped it would activate. But no matter what he tried, there was no response—it was as though the seed had lost all vitality.
He'd wondered if his World Magic blessing had interfered, but if that were the case, Igneel would have warned him. There had to be another reason—one that still eluded him.
At least his mana growth hadn't stalled. He was still advancing.
Charles had thought that would be enough—at least until demons arrived. Enough to deal with anything in this world.
But it wasn't enough. He wasn't fast enough. Wasn't strong enough.
"Damn it!" Charles growled.
Fuegoleon fired another beam with Radiance of the Sun, sweeping away Patri's approach.
"What are you thinking?" Fuegoleon's voice brought Charles back to the present.
"Sorry… I got distracted," Charles stepped back, creating some distance.
Fuegoleon's gaze sharpened. "Whatever's going on—focus. We're in the middle of a battle."
"Yes, sir." Charles steadied himself and reignited his fighting spirit.
Seeing him stabilize, Fuegoleon returned his attention to Patri. He hated to admit it, but every tactic he'd mentally rehearsed had flaws. There was no easy path to victory here.
Patri felt the same. Fuegoleon's strength was worthy of the Wizard King title, and Charles was more than a nuisance.
And this magic space wouldn't last long—once other Magic Knights arrived, their window would close. Even Patri wasn't confident he could finish things then.
All three moved simultaneously.
Fuegoleon's lion swiped, shielding them from a volley of light blades—but the claw shattered under impact.
Patri appeared in front of Fuegoleon, light sword in hand.
"Got you," he sneered.
But a spiraling pillar of fire crashed into the sword.
"Actually, it's you who's caught!" Fuegoleon countered.
The sword cut through the fire, but it began to crack under the pressure.
A flash of fire—Charles appeared behind Patri, not to attack but to face the incoming fire head-on.
"He… ate my magic?" Fuegoleon blinked in disbelief.
Even split, it was still a spell cast with his full power. He had imagined many ways it might be broken—never that someone would devour it.
Charles wiped his mouth, flames surging from his body. "Thanks for the meal. Now I'm full of power."
He lunged at Patri, now brimming with flame.
'What is this?!' Patri reeled. 'His speed… it's accelerating this fast?'
Fuegoleon's fire had given Charles a massive temporary boost in mana. Not wasting a second, Charles charged into close combat.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
The punch missed—but that was just the beginning.
"Then Hooked Claw! Flame Elbow! Wing Strike! Horn Thrust!"
His heel swept in low—Patri had to duck. Charles rotated, elbow smashing into the sword and flooding the area in fire.
Boom! For the first time, Patri was hit—blasted backward in flames.
Charles's arm swept with fire. Patri dodged upward—but Charles followed, flames trailing him, and slammed a headbutt into him.
"Damn you!" Patri finally shouted in anger.
Swords of light shot out—but Charles shattered every one, ramming into Patri and sending him flying again.
More wounds appeared on Charles's body—light slashes across his shoulders, chest, back. Blood flowed freely.
But his face lit with wild joy. "How's that, bastard?!"
Patri hit the edge of the magic space hard. As he tried to rise, a shadow fell over him.
Fuegoleon stood above, gaze stern, his flaming lion looming behind him with jaws agape.
Despite Charles's devastating attack, Fuegoleon knew it wouldn't be enough. Patri's mana hadn't diminished. This enemy wouldn't go down easily.
Patri slowly raised his head.
"Fuegoleon…"
"You're…?"
Even after lecturing Charles about staying focused, Fuegoleon himself wavered. That face—it struck him like a bolt.
Slash! Patri's sword struck his chest.
The flames vanished. Charles saw Patri's face shift—returning to William Vangeance, and he now held a pendant.
Patri's other identity—William Vangeance, captain of Golden Dawn. That face had stunned Fuegoleon long enough for him to land the blow.
So close. So sudden. No way to stop it.
Looking at the charging Charles, Patri smiled smugly. "That's enough for today. Take this wretched royal and go. Consider it a gift."
With that, Patri sank into a spatial portal.
The magic space crumbled. A distant exit portal appeared, and Charles had no choice—he rushed to catch the gravely injured Fuegoleon and leapt through it.
The two of them fell from the sky, crashing into the street below.
"Fuegoleon Captain!"
"Brother!"
The onlookers were stunned—Fuegoleon, gravely wounded, being held up by Charles.
Charles laid him down, staring at the blood on his hands. He clenched his teeth—furious.
But then his head spun. He felt faint.
After all the blood he'd lost, it was amazing he'd even lasted this long. Even with his strong constitution, Charles had finally hit his limit—and lost consciousness.
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