Chapter 47 - Malileah's Dragon's Will!

"Ke-heok!"

A mouthful of blood came flying out of Alistein's mouth as his back slammed into the hard rock ground of the Ember-Crowned Mountain summit. Crippling pain seared through his entire body, the sight of the sky above him blurring as his expression knew only agony.

The brutal throw his father used against him…felt as if it were really meant to kill.

He knew what it was.

It was one of the many large outer reap techniques of his father's master, the grandmaster of the Killing Throw Art, formulated to destabilize the upper body and reap the lower body to maximize the effectiveness of, as said in the name, a killing throw.

However, he was caught off guard less because of this technique, but more because the person who used this technique was his father. He knew his father as an easygoing person. The father he knew was weak, weak because of the lack of fire he sensed from him, a fire that was extremely important to the people in the martial world. It was the reason that drove him towards Batarak's philosophy, full of grit, tenacity, and superiority.

But now, the Azaron looking down on him wasn't the personification of patience he once knew. What he saw was a beast far fearsome than all others; it was as if the dragon lying dormant within the Emperor had finally awakened.

"This is what you get for disrespecting your father and leading that d*mned dragon to Lunargard! I may be your father, but that doesn't mean I will go easy on you! I am still the Emperor of this faction, and you continue to humiliate me with your wrongdoings! Now stand up!" Azaron barked. "We're far from over, boy!"

Alistein's eyes shook with fright, his father's thundering voice piercing through his ears. He tried to move to lessen his pain, but his attempt was left in vain. The back of his head was planted deep into the ground, his jaw and senses left numb. He could barely hear him despite the distance, his ears ringing. If he could speak, he would tell his father he wanted to stand and fight, but pathetically, he couldn't.

When Azaron was young, he was a simple kid. The average child that grew up in the Sea Tribe wasn't gifted like his peers, but his hard work, energy, effort, and perseverance took him a long, long way. Azaron becoming the Emperor wasn't even a thought to be considered back then. But the future said otherwise. He may have failed to surpass Batarak to become known as the strongest in Lunargard, but he himself was still a force not to be reckoned with. He was a man, feared by the warriors of all factions during their era.

He glared at his son that lay on the ground, writhing in agony. His fists shook. He was almost disgusted.

"I SAID STAND UP!!!"

Azaron planted one foot on the ends of the strange black uniform his son wore before he ruthlessly swung his other leg towards Alistein's vulnerable face. The merciless kick sent Alistein flying head first, but he could only go so far as his clothes were being held down, and he was pulled back to meet another vicious blow to the face.

'…huh?'

Azaron's eyes narrowed in confusion. His fist struck Alistein's face, he was certain, but this time, it felt like he had hit a wall of reinforced metal instead.

Only then, did he notice the strange black markings that scattered through the left of his son's body from the face, jagged shapes shifting and curling down his neck to his arm and leg. It wasn't there before.

Underneath Azaron's fist, Alistein sneered.

* * * * *

"Hahahahaha! Those weapons are indeed dangerous," Malileah remarked. She rose from the ground, blood gushing through the open wound caused by the reflected impact of hitting Odeus' perfectly angled anti-dragon shield. She smirked, licking the blood that dripped to the corner of her mouth with excitement. "Children shouldn't be playing with sharp things," she jeered.

Quintel rose shakily back to his feet with a grunt, covered in bleeding wounds. Malileah's brute strength alone was enough to knock him unconscious but woke when he heard Odeus' willful shouts of Lunargard at the top, overflowing with the spirit to fight.

"Quintel, are you okay?" Yvonne approached him quickly but cautiously, crossbow still pointed at Malileah. Malileah, that woman must be crazy, a monster of insanity.

"Yeah, let's finish her!" Quintel cast a look in Pearl's direction, and she gave a firm nod before initiating their attack.

Quintel followed. The representatives shifted positions; their goal was to confuse Malileah, to make her wonder who was to attack, and from which direction. But once again, Malileah put up not even a defensive stance and stood there, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger as if they were not even a threat.

The tribe representatives had no clue what was up with her, but they all knew one thing. If they didn't finish her now, they will fail to seize their only chance of winning.

CLANG-!!!

The moment they neared, Malileah leg shot out in a split second and forcefully kicked their weapons out of their hands, sending them flying into the air.

'I can see why ordinary humans can hunt dragons now. Whoever came up with the idea to use dragon bones to forge those weapons must be a genius.' Malileah spewed a bit of blood from her mouth to one side and dusted her clothes off. Her pupils gradually sharpened until for a fraction of a second, they flashed pink, and the light died down to reveal the eyes of a reptile.

The representatives stumbled back in alarm as the markings on the right side of her body spread to the left as well, glowing in a similar, terrifying shade of pink. Then, a yellow, opulent-looking translucent screen popped into view, one only Malileah could see. She grinned, unnerving her opponents as she stared into a space invisible to them.

[Dragon's Will <Blissful Stage (2nd Stage)> manifesting...]

Ding!

[Dragon's will manifestation complete!]

<Profile>

[Name: Malileah Starasis]

[Gender: Female]

[Type: Warrior (Tier II Tanker)]

[Dragon Class: Toxic]

[Cultivation Type: Superb Fusion Art]

[Cultivation Level: Mid-Awakened Stage <3rd Stage>]

<Skills>

[Dragon's Unique Ability: Poisonous Body]

<Poisonous Body (Active)>

- The ability renders the user's body poisonous to exterior factors and beings but harmless to the user. Any being that touches the user will remain poisoned for a duration of 1 minute. The poison effect can destroy up to 5% of the body per minute. The skill's effect duration will reset if the enemies attack the user while the skill is still active.

Cast Time: Instantaneous

Cooldown: None

Draconic Energy cost: Low (Requires continuous supply of Draconic Energy to retain the skill's efficacy)

[First Skill: Adhesive Touch]

<Adhesive Touch (Active)>

- The ability allows the user to slow anyone they touch by 30% for a duration of 1 minute. The skill duration will reset if the user successfully touches the enemies again. The Poisonous Body's effect will become 2 times stronger with Adhesive Touch's effect.

Cast Time: Instantaneous

Cooldown: None

Draconic Energy cost: Low (Requires continuous supply of Draconic Energy to retain the skill's efficacy)

[Second Skill: Queen of Poison]

<Queen of Poison (Passive)>

- The ability allows the user to negate any poison effect from other toxic class dragons and dragon's will users.

[Third Skill: Predator's Excitement] (Locked)

- Reach Tier III Tanker (Gladiator) to unlock.

[Fourth Skill: Death Sentence Poison] (Locked)

- Reach Tier IV Tanker (Captain Knight) to unlock.

Malileah lolled her head back and back forward to the side. She grinned, baring her sharped canines as for the first time, killing intent was released into the air, mixing together with her dragon's aura.

"Let's get the real fight started, shall we, kiddies?"