Chapter 465

Chapter 465: Dragon Roar Three Swords

“Lowly human, I should be asking *you* that,” Kanis snarled. “Are you prepared to die?”

Though he mocked Midi as a “lowly human,” Kanis—a core member of the Death Scorpion family—approached the challenge with caution. His armor, forged from drake scales, encased him completely. In his left hand, he gripped a crystal shield resistant to magic, while his right hovered over the hilt of a magical broadsword. Every piece of his gear left no openings.

While his one-handed sword paled in attack power compared to Midi’s Horn King Greatsword, Kanis’s defenses were overwhelming. Neither long-range nor melee attacks could threaten a one-hit kill against his physical and magical resistance. This battle would be a pure, unavoidable grind.

Ordinarily, such attrition would burden a heavily armored fighter. But Kanis’s Steel War Scorpion bloodline and partial mastery of Black Dragon priestess skills turned this into an advantage. To win, Midi needed to either outlast him or deliver crippling force swiftly. Yet overpowering a Black Dragon Knight’s defenses in seconds? Nearly impossible. Worse, Midi stood at Level 62—two levels below Kanis—further weakening his offense.

Most Death Scorpion members doubted Midi’s chances. As pragmatists from a major family, they ignored biases like level or race. The problem was simple: Kanis’s profession hard-countered Midi’s.

Kanis himself had resolved to fight defensively. Mockery for caution? Worth it for victory. He’d even spin it as savoring Midi’s despair.

The Black Dragon High Priest’s chant sealed the blood oath. A spectral dragon head loomed over the arena. The battle began.

No more taunts. Swords spoke now.

Kanis opened with a charge—Cleric Skill: Tiger Pounce! A “defensive battle” for a Black Dragon Knight meant relentless pressure, using his armor to force exchanges of stamina, endurance, and wounds until his opponent crumbled.

Yet Midi didn’t evade. He charged straight back.

“Reckless fool,” scoffed Nym, the fourth-ranked core disciple, from the stands. Beside him, Akdina, the third-ranked gunner, frowned. She’d trusted Midi because Veyna—never one to misjudge—had endorsed him. But this? Suicide.

Consider the math: At Level 62, Midi’s attack power was 100. Kanis’s, with a one-handed sword, was 60. But Kanis’s defenses rated 90+. Each clash would deal 10 damage to him… and 60 to Midi, whose Demon Swordman defenses were pitiful.

Kanis’s meager 10 damage, combined with the Black Dragon Knight’s divine arts, would likely be healed quickly. The gap between them would immediately widen. After a few more direct clashes, Kanis would remain unharmed or slightly injured while Midi would suffer irreversible severe wounds. This hard-earned challenge opportunity would be wasted.

"This isn’t some minor bonfire gathering, human," Akdina shook her head, secretly pleased that Veyna—who usually dominated the core disciples—had misjudged this time.

The three elders in the central VIP box exchanged knowing glances.

"Hmph! This Midi shows no exceptional combat skills," sneered the enforcement elder, deliberately raising his voice. "If such mediocrity could win group first and third place in the bonfire gathering’s finals, our tribes have grown weak. It seems Martial Arts Master Hawke merely lucked out—he aimed to recruit a warrior but got an alchemist instead…"

Hawke, who had invited Midi, stood watching from the stands. Hearing the elder’s words, he frowned deeply.

Yet despite Midi’s seemingly flawed tactics, Hawke remained steadfast. He’d witnessed Midi behead Ulhan and manipulate Risen into a fatal duel with Alexis. Such a man wouldn’t make critical errors in an important challenge. Midi’s direct approach surely hid deeper plans.

As tensions simmered in the stands, Midi’s Horn King Greatsword slammed into Kanis’s crystal shield with a deafening crash.

Kanis staggered back, feet carving trenches through gravel, his shield bearing a white scar. But the Black Dragon Knight’s "Holy Light Shield" skill recoiled through Midi like a giant hammer, blood rising in his throat.

This sacrifice revealed Kanis’s defenses—twice the armor strength of the Blue Truth Sect’s Fury-class heavy cruiser. The core disciple resembled an impenetrable iron wall forged from layered armor.

Though Midi had once sundered Fury armor below Level 60 using the "Eliminate" and "Kill" dual swords’ special effects, breaking double defenses at Level 62 through pure strength seemed impossible.

But Midi knew such power couldn’t stem from mere armor—it flowed from Kanis’s Steel War Scorpion bloodline and Black Dragon Knight enhancements.

_Let’s test that bloodline’s limits!_

Midi suddenly vanished using Demon Shadow Flash, reappearing distant as his greatsword unleashed blazing fireballs—the Asura skill Explosive Flame Wave Sword!

Half the arena vanished under apocalyptic fire. Yet when flames cleared, Kanis stood unharmed on glassed sand, smirk intact.

"You thought fire would work?" he jeered, awaiting despair.

Midi remained impassive. After long silence, he stated: "One physical strike, one magical. Your defense breaks down as—40% Steel War Scorpion bloodline, 20% Black Dragon Knight’s Guardian Badge, 40% natural defense and armor."

Kanis paled.

"Knowing changes nothing!" he snapped, relying on brute-force superiority.

"If your true defense can’t match a Fury warship…" Midi’s golden-red aura coalesced around his blade. His eyes burned crimson, pupils slitting draconic.

"Dragonification?!" Veyna swayed, utterly shaken.

Midi launched skyward like artillery, trailing superheated air that boomed with supersonic cracks.

"Pathetic trick!" Kanis raised his shield defiantly.

Then Midi roared—a bestial sound freezing Kanis’s blood. His Steel War Scorpion lineage STILLED.

"How?!" Panic surged as Kanis fought the draconic suppression, scrambling to activate emergency skills.

Too late.

Azure light flashed in Midi’s eyes. Mind-related abilities: mind lock.

Kanis’s thoughts blanked. No defense. No evasion. No fear.

Dragon’s might crushed his bloodline. Mind lock paralyzed cognition. 60% defenses vanished, leaving less than Fury-class armor.

The Horn King Greatsword fell like meteorite.

Hot blood sprayed across glassed sand.