“Are you Rank 5?”
Andrea imitated Ailaira, warming up by rotating her wrists and patting both sides of her thighs. Although Kuchierkan did not understand these strange preparations, she remained respectful, resting the Greatsword on her shoulder and speaking optimistically.
“It is indeed only Rank 5, but you do not need to hold back, Senior. I just want a hearty battle to relieve the agitation in my heart.”
Andrea nodded in agreement. As her footsteps steadied, her Dragon Eye snapped open. Crimson Magical Power erupted from her body, displaying a Rank 5 level. Andrea beckoned Kuchierkan over, radiating a casual, brash ease. “Then we will fight at Rank 5.”
“Since others are around, let us keep the fight in Human Form.”
Upon hearing this, the arrogance in Kuchierkan’s expression dimmed slightly, and a hint of dissatisfaction appeared in her eyes.
However, considering this was not Dragon Valley and that those Non-Human Races likely would not keep the secrets of Dragonkind, she could only complain with unsatisfied desire, “Since you say so, Senior, then fine.”
“I hope for a chance to fight you without any restraints.”
“Do not worry, you will have that chance.”
‘But at that time, it will not just be me fighting you,’ Andrea thought.
A cool morning wind swirled fallen, withered leaves, which landed on the blade of the Greatsword. Like a signal, the leaves were instantly incinerated to ash by rising flames. Restless, suppressed Magical Power carrying a scorching breath swept toward Andrea, condensing into a heavy, powerful sword pressure. It struck toward Andrea’s head with the force to shatter stones and split the earth!
This zero-frame startup attack was an ambush Kuchierkan had been preparing for a long time. Her previous battle had made her deeply realize the vast Magical Power of the person before her, which had forcibly kept her from closing the distance. Having learned her lesson, Kuchierkan decisively chose a close-quarters surprise attack, striving to pull Andrea into her familiar Domain of combat.
However, despite Kuchierkan’s high combat intelligence, she could not grasp one simple fact — from beginning to end, she was facing different people.
The opponent she sought to engage in melee had never enjoyed the blessings of Magic since birth. In battle, the only thing she could trust was her own two fists!
*Bang!*
The flames coiled around the Greatsword vanished completely, leaving only the plain blade to come crashing down. A seemingly small, soft hand caught it steadily. A dull, heavy sound like a giant axe striking wood erupted between them. The resulting shockwave blew away the surrounding flowers and trees, but it only caused Andrea’s stance to sink for a moment.
Kuchierkan stared blankly at her palm. There was a stubborn blockage inside her body that cut off all her Magical Power output. The only thing she could call upon was her physical instinct. “I cannot use Magic?”
“I said this was a duel. Let us stick to the most primitive struggle of Dragonkind.”
The smile on Andrea’s lips widened. After the initial clash, her already swelling confidence grew even more intense. She was certain that her current, strengthened body was no weaker than Kuchierkan’s Human Form!
Kuchierkan’s mind raced. Since Magic was unavailable, she would use her physical advantage to overwhelm her! Relying on her tall stature, she gripped the Greatsword with both hands and pressed down with all her might, forcing Andrea to block with both hands and step back to stabilize her stance.
Two dragons in Human Form engaged in a frantic contest of strength, but the scene remained at a stalemate. The impatient Kuchierkan was the first to lose her cool. Catching the moment Andrea prepared to gather strength for a counterattack with her naked eye, she released the sword hilt first. The pressing force on Andrea’s arms suddenly vanished, causing her body to freeze for a split second.
Kuchierkan seized this moment, her long leg whipping toward Andrea’s waist like a sharp blade. However, the anticipated blow did not land.
Andrea truly had not expected Kuchierkan’s trick, but her physical flexibility and reflexes compensated for the mistake. She arched her waist backward into a bridge. The difference in their sizes was now fully utilized; Kuchierkan’s whip-kick only lightly ruffed the hair on Andrea’s forehead.
“What!?”
Now it was Kuchierkan’s turn to be caught in her attack’s recovery. Used to fighting with wide, sweeping motions, she could not adjust her limbs as flexibly as Andrea. Before she could retract her leg, Andrea’s raised legs clamped around her neck.
Andrea pressed her hands against the ground and rolled forward. Using the momentum, she lifted Kuchierkan’s tall body off the ground, drawing a parabola in mid-air. Kuchierkan was slammed headfirst into the dirt like a tombstone.
Andrea performed several easy backflips and landed perfectly. Watching Kuchierkan pull herself out of the ground, Andrea sighed with the attitude of an experienced veteran.
“I can tell you have never engaged in close-quarters combat with someone smaller than you.”
“You cannot just rush in recklessly like that.”
In Dragon Valley, everyone stayed in Dragon Form. Even when clashing without Magic, it was just biting and clawing without any skill. But for Andrea, who had left Dragon Valley and wandered outside in a small Human Form, the dangerous environment forced her to master various fighting techniques to deal with enemies far taller than her.
Through countless battles where Blood sprayed and by secretly observing human warriors, Andrea had integrated these techniques — which were despised by Dragons — into her very bones and Blood.
On the second floor of the nearby Chapel, the newly awakened Ailaira was watching the battle through a window. Andrea’s performance far exceeded her expectations.
‘I really underestimated her.’
Even if Andrea had grown, Ailaira expected the confrontation to be evenly matched; she did not expect Kuchierkan to look more like a toyed-with mouse. When both sides were restricted to the same level, Andrea’s advantage in experience became apparent.
Ailaira sometimes forgot that before she brought her home, Andrea had also been alone, traveling from Dragon Valley to the Human Kingdom. The hardships and obstacles of that journey were reflected in Andrea’s every move — the helplessness and bitterness born of the struggle for survival.
Ailaira rubbed her aching neck and sighed. “I see. No wonder her legs have so much power.”
The battle had reached a boiling point. Kuchierkan’s crude attack style had never been effective. Aside from the beginning when Andrea chose to test her strength by meeting a strike head-on, Kuchierkan had not even touched the hem of Andrea’s clothes with her Greatsword or fists. Instead, she was caught time and again, her face hitting the ground repeatedly.
The dusty, grimy Kuchierkan’s eyes were filled with frustration. She was about to lose it. How could there be such a slippery Dragon? ‘Are you an eel!?’
With Magic unusable and her physical advantage gone, continuing was pointless. She let go of the Greatsword and slumped onto the ground, shouting as if giving up, “Forget it, I am done. This is no fun.”
“You are nothing like a Dragon, Senior.”
Andrea had enjoyed the fight thoroughly. It had been a long time since she had such an equal match. She put her hands on her hips and bragged, “That is why I could remain hidden in the Human Kingdom. The secret to it is not something a green girl like you can understand.”
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