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Drake remained still as Fortune rushed forward, blitzing through the rubble at lightning speed, resembling a golden blur as he reached Drake in less than a split second.
His giant golden heavy blade rushed towards Drakeās chest, aiming to impale his heart and then destroy it alongside shattering his soul.
CLAAAASH!
However, to Fortuneās surprise, his blade never hit Drake, and instead, his blade ended clashing against Drakeās gigantic katana, adjusted to his own draconic size.
"A-Ah...?! Impossible! You blocked my attack?!"
"What? You thought you could cut me down with that needle?"
Fortune was flabbergasted, as he glared at Drake and his family... his family, who were so desperate back then, were now smiling confidently.
They had great confidence in Drakeās strength.
"Alright, let me handle this," Drake said.
"Are you sure?" Benladann wondered.
"Itās fine, youāve fought more than enough, the battle isnāt even over yet, you have to save energies," Drake said. "The battles weāll have next might be even harder, for that, Iāll handle him."
"You?! Alone?! Donāt make me laugh! You could block that attack, but can you block this?!"
As Drake let his family fly behind him, Fortune swiftly unleashed a technique, turning into pure golden light, and blitzing around Drake, zigzagging everywhere and constantly trying to confuse him.
FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!
"{Fate-Shattering Radiant Blade of Providence Arts}"
Until...
"{Radiant Starlight Constellation}!"
FLAAASH!
Fortuneās movements became radiant and bright, each time he reached Drake with his blade, a bright star appeared, interconnecting into a beautiful constellation!
This was amongst his strongest techniques, capable of matching foes that even went beyond his strength back then.
CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!
And yet...
"Huh...?"
Drake swiftly moved his blade, rapidly blocking all blows with Muramasa. Indeed, he moved at such a speed that it seemed like he didnāt move at all, however, each time Fortuneās heavy blade came for a stabbing blow, he was blocked!
"Impossible! How fast is he?! This makes no sense! Isnāt this just teleportation- no, but heās not moving anywhere! His body is reacting on its own! Is he even thinking in that stance?! Itās like... Like he has become a sword himself?!"
Fortuneās eyes widened in disbelief as he noticed Drakeās Aura surging, shaped like a long, sharp katana while he held Muramasa tightly with both hands.
Indeed.
He had become a blade.
This was Drakeās evolution, as he ascended further through all these battles, as he defeated three powerful war gods and then even the sword god himself, Susanoo.
"{Immortal Soul Blade: Limitless Ascension}"
And as their power became his own, all while he continued evolving his own techniques, combining them with Muramasaās teachings and his own experiences in life.
"{Echo}"
Drake was reaching new pinnacles with every new technique he invented!
"{Limitless Immortal Soul Blade Physique}!"
CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!
"GAAAAHHHH?!"
Fortune screamed in agony as his blows were suddenly not blocked, but parried, dozens of blows striking his body, deep, painful stabs that made his incredibly hard body bleed all over.
Truth is, he wasnāt at his peak anymore either, his battle against Drakeās family had weakened him, and those wounds he was trying to keep close were being opened once more, especially that hole in his chest.
"You look wounded, tired. Looks like this ended being a team effort at the end... My family really roughed you up, eh?"
"SILENCE, YOU MONSTER!"
Fortune grew furious, his body turning into a giant constellation and dozens of stars at once, each star firing hundreds of starlight beams at him from every direction.
Drake quickly closed his eyes, focusing.
"{Limitless Immortal Soul Blade Physique}"
"{Echo}"
FLASH!
Bright light surged from Drakeās body, as his sword was suddenly split into dozens of swords all around his body, slicing through all beams, turning offense into his greatest defense...
"{Limitless Immortal Soul Blade Myriad Protection}"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
However, he was so fast that for Fortune, it felt like he had received all the blows, constant explosions capable of destroying dozens of mountains at once and making continents tremble all concentrated into his body.
And even then...
"Unscathed?!"
Fortune saw Drakeās body emerge amidst the smoke; his body was completely unscathed! If anything, he looked healthier.
Indeed, Drake felt the best he could ever felt right now, like he was truly getting somewhere now.
And the more he battled, the more he began to untap his truest potential.
"Nice show. My turn now."
FLASH!
Drake disappeared, and then reappeared in front of Fortune, not behind, not above, in front of him, as if taunting him.
As Fortune saw him, he swung his sword down, trying to slash his chest or even slice his head, but Drake took a step forward, and everything around him seemed to stop for a second.
And then, when time resumed, he was behind Fortune, sheathing his blade.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
"GAAAHAA?!"
Fortune vomited blood, feeling dozens of cuts all over his body, and several deep stabs into his stomach and neck.
The attack was so quick he didnāt see it.
He, an ancient venerable!
How could he not see an attack?!
"Impossible! Impossible! IMPOSSIBLE! How come a damned dragon become faster than me?! No, no, NO!!! Heās cheating! HEāS CHEATING SOMEHOW!!!"
Fortuneās thoughts became chaotic, as he swiftly pursued Drake even with those wounds covering his body, his heavy blade becoming gigantic, reaching the skies and piercing hundreds of rooms above.
Drake saw his technique, it was rather majestic, thousands of stars combined into his sword, becoming a pillar of eternal light that seemed to form a nebula around it.
"{Heavenly Nebula Pillar}!!!"
TRUUUM!
The titanic pillar rushed down, burning and disintegrating everything on its path towards Drake, and yet the Dragon King smiled, his Aura surging, his Golden Dragon King form powering him up.
The power of his Dominions manifested, his Void Dominion, his Gluttony Dominion, his Light Dominion, and his Life Dominion, all mixed into a spinning Yin and Yang symbol behind his back.
"Thatās impressive, Fortune. But let me show you whatās going even further beyond."
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