Chapter 113 - 106: The Clash Above the Mountains

The night sky split with thunder.

The kind born when enormous forces collided against one another high above frozen mountains.

Far below the peaks, the armies of the southern coalition continued preparing siege lines and assault formations near Elarion’s frontier.

Campfires burned across the valleys. War drums echoed through the night. Supply caravans crawled through snow-covered roads.

Most soldiers believed the war had not yet begun.

They were wrong about it.

Legends had already started fighting.

The mountain ridge north of Elarion stood buried beneath snowstorms and moonlight.

Jagged cliffs surrounded the frozen summit while violent winds screamed through the valleys below like spirits trapped beneath the ice.

At the center of the ridge stood Aurethar.

The golden dragon appeared monstrous beneath the moonlight.

Massive wings folded partially behind him while molten heat escaped from between enormous fangs with every breath.

Each golden scale reflected silver moonlight like forged armor plates.

His mere presence dominated the mountain itself.

Snow melted beneath his claws. Ice cracked under his weight. The air trembled faintly around him.

The kind that made lesser creatures instinctively flee.

Yet one man remained standing before him.

Kieran Wolfblade.

The wandering knight stood calmly against the storm while dark winds whipped his fur cloak violently around him.

His massive sword rested loosely in one hand now.

The blade itself looked unnatural made blackened silver metal with faded runes along the edge and deep scars covering the weapon from countless battles.

Even from a distance—

The sword radiated danger.

Farther back atop a neighboring ridge, Lucien, Cedric, malen and Ironbreaker observed carefully.

None of them spoke for several moments.

Because even watching the confrontation felt dangerous.

Cedric finally muttered quietly:

"...This man is completely insane."

Ironbreaker snorted.

"No." "He’s strong enough to afford insanity."

Lucien remained silent while studying Kieran carefully.

The knight’s stance looked relaxed.

The posture of someone who survived impossible battles before.

Back on the frozen ridge, Aurethar slowly lowered his enormous head toward the knight.

Golden eyes narrowed.

"You should have refused the contract."

Kieran’s expression remained calm.

"You should’ve stayed away from human wars."

A deep rumble escaped Aurethar’s throat.

"You came here believing you can stop me?"

Kieran slowly raised the massive sword.

Snow swirled violently around the blade.

"I came here knowing you’ll waste time proving you can’t be stopped."

For the first time—Aurethar grinned.

"Bingo-but the reward for this correct guess is still death"

The dragon suddenly moved.

The mountain exploded beneath his claws as Aurethar lunged forward with terrifying speed despite his size.

Entire sections of frozen rock shattered apart while snow erupted into the air behind him.

Most men would never even perceive the attack before dying.

Kieran moved instantly.

BOOM.

The dragon’s claw slammed into the ridge where the knight stood a moment earlier, completely pulverizing stone beneath the impact.

Kieran flashed sideways through the snowstorm before landing atop a broken cliff edge.

Far too fast for an ordinary human.

Aurethar’s golden eyes sharpened immediately.

"So the stories were true."

Kieran adjusted his footing calmly.

"Most of them aren’t."

The dragon attacked again.

This time Aurethar’s massive tail swept across the ridge like a collapsing fortress wall.

The impact alone shattered entire sections of frozen stone.

Kieran leapt upward just before the strike connected.

The knight soared through the air directly toward Aurethar’s head.

Then swung.

The black blade flashed beneath moonlight.

CLANG.

The sword struck Aurethar’s scales and sparks exploded violently across the mountain.

The impact alone sent shockwaves roaring through nearby cliffs.

Lucien narrowed his eyes slightly.

Because the sword actually penetrated.

A thin line appeared across one golden scale near Aurethar’s neck.

The dragon immediately pulled backward.

Golden eyes widened slightly.

Then narrowed.

"Oh."

Snow and smoke drifted slowly from the shallow wound.

"That sword is irritating."

Kieran landed smoothly atop the ridge.

"You’re slow."

Aurethar’s nostrils flared.

"You’re ugly."(emotional damage x10000)

The knight ignored the insult.

Mostly because it was accurate.

Suddenly the dragon opened his jaws.

Golden flames erupted across the mountainside instantly.

Dragonfire consumed the ridge like a living tidal wave.

The snow vanished immediately. Stone glowed red beneath the heat. Entire cliff faces melted.

The attack illuminated the mountains for kilometers.

Cedric stared wide-eyed from the neighboring ridge.

"...Gods."

Ironbreaker crossed his arms proudly.

"Now THIS is a proper fight.

But inside the inferno—

Kieran still moved.

A faint silver aura surrounded the knight as he burst through the dragonfire itself before charging directly toward Aurethar again.

The dragon’s eyes widened briefly.

Then Kieran struck.

BOOM.

The sword smashed against Aurethar’s lower jaw hard enough to send shockwaves through the mountains.

The dragon staggered backward several steps while snow avalanched down nearby cliffs.

Lucien’s eyes narrowed slightly.

That strike carried enormous mana reinforcement.

Legendary-level enhancement.

Aurethar shook his head violently before laughing deeply.

"Oh this is wonderful."

The dragon suddenly spread his massive wings.

The force alone blasted snow outward across the entire ridge.

Then Aurethar launched into the sky.

The mountains trembled beneath the takeoff.

Gigantic golden wings cut through the storm clouds while dragonfire illuminated the night sky above the battlefield.

Kieran looked upward calmly.

Then—

The knight jumped.

The frozen ridge shattered beneath his feet as Kieran launched hundreds of meters upward toward the airborne dragon.

Cedric blinked.

"...That shouldn’t be physically possible."

Ironbreaker shrugged.

"Legendary knights stop obeying common sense."

Midair—

The clash began properly.

Kieran landed directly atop Aurethar’s back before driving the black blade downward.

CLANG.

The sword pierced between golden scales this time.

Golden dragon blood splattered across the storm clouds like molten metal.

Aurethar roared furiously.

The sound alone shook the mountains below.

Then the dragon rolled violently through the sky.

Kieran barely avoided being thrown free before slamming the sword deeper for leverage.

Aurethar immediately regretted that.

"That is EXTREMELY rude!"

The dragon twisted again before smashing directly through a mountain peak.

BOOM.

Stone exploded apart around them.

Entire sections of the summit collapsed into the valleys below.

Kieran was finally thrown free through the storm.

But before falling—

The knight raised one hand.

Silver mana exploded around him.

"Skybreaker."

The atmosphere itself cracked.

Then Kieran descended like a meteor directly toward Aurethar.

The sword glowed bright silver.

The impact struck the dragon’s shoulder hard enough to create a shockwave visible across the mountains.

BOOOOOOM.

The sky itself seemed to split apart.

Far below near the coalition camps, thousands of soldiers looked upward in horror as flashes of gold and silver illuminated the storm clouds above the mountains.

Even southern commanders emerged from tents watching the distant battle silently.

One younger officer whispered nervously:

"...Is that the dragon?"

Another commander swallowed slightly.

"No ordinary mage creates shockwaves like that."

Back above the mountains, Aurethar crashed through another frozen cliffside before immediately rising again.

Several golden scales now carried visible damage.

The dragon’s eyes burned brighter afterward.

"You actually improved."

Kieran landed atop a broken ridge nearby.

"You still talk too much."

Aurethar’s grin widened.

"And your employers lose too much."

The knight remained silent.

The dragon laughed deeply.

"Honestly." "They marched thousands of soldiers north just to die in snow."

Kieran slowly adjusted his grip on the sword.

"I’m not paid to care."

"Oh I know." "But watching southern nobles panic is hilarious."

The dragon suddenly smirked wider.

Even Lucien looked mildly surprised hearing that.

Kieran sighed tiredly.

"They probably deserved it."

"They absolutely deserved it."

Then Aurethar’s eyes sharpened again.

The humor vanished instantly.

Dragonfire exploded outward once more.

But this time—

The flames condensed.

Compressed.

Focused into a narrow golden beam.

Kieran’s eyes narrowed immediately.

Because that was not ordinary dragonfire.

It was a legendary draconic technique.

"Sunflare Breath."

The beam erupted across the mountainside.

Everything in its path vanished instantly.

Stone evaporated. Snow disappeared. Entire cliff faces melted into glowing liquid.

Kieran barely avoided direct impact by bursting sideways through the storm.

Even then the remaining heat scorched his cloak black instantly.

The knight landed hard against a frozen ridge before looking toward the dragon seriously now.

"...You’re using legendary skills already."

Aurethar’s grin returned.

"You annoyed me."

Kieran slowly exhaled afterward.

Then raised the black blade vertically before him.

Silver runes across the weapon suddenly ignited one by one.

The pressure surrounding the knight changed immediately.

Even Lucien felt it from kilometers away.

The mana density alone became enormous.

Aurethar’s eyes narrowed.

"Oh." "That one."

Kieran spoke calmly.

"Moonfang Style." "Seventh Form."

The storm winds suddenly stopped.

For one unnatural moment—

The mountains fell silent.

Then Kieran vanished.

Even Aurethar reacted late.

The knight appeared directly beside the dragon’s neck midair before unleashing a blinding storm of sword strikes faster than sound itself.

CLANG. CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.

Sparks exploded across Aurethar’s scales while silver shockwaves carved through nearby storm clouds.

Several golden scales shattered completely.

The dragon roared furiously before slamming a claw toward Kieran.

But the knight disappeared again.

Then reappeared above Aurethar.

Another strike descended.

This one pierced deeply enough to spill more golden blood across the sky.

The dragon finally became serious.

Golden mana erupted around Aurethar’s body like a burning sun.

The pressure alone shattered nearby cliffs.

His voice deepened.

"Very well."

The dragon’s enormous wings spread fully across the storm clouds.

"Let’s stop pretending."

Then Aurethar used his own legendary skill.

"Dominion of the Sun King."

The sky turned gold.

Literally gold .

Storm clouds evaporated instantly while burning golden light covered the mountains for kilometers.

Heat rolled across the battlefield below like a furnace wind.

Because for several horrifying moments—

It looked as though a second sun had appeared above the mountains.

At the center of that burning sky—

Aurethar descended toward Kieran like divine destruction itself.

The dragon’s claws glowed molten gold. Dragonfire poured from between his jaws. The air itself ignited around him.

Kieran’s eyes narrowed.

Then the knight smiled for the first time.

"Finally."

Silver mana erupted around the black blade again.

The knight raised the weapon directly toward the descending dragon.

And beneath the burning golden sky—

The legendary knight and the golden dragon collided with enough force to shake the northern mountains.

Both the knight and the dragon are actually fighting long distance from the army camps but legendary techniques are just that broken so they still hear some shockwaves and flashes thank you.