Adam observed the girl before him, her appearance now a stark contrast to the desperate figure who had been fleeing earlier.
Her once silver-and-black hair had turned completely white, save for faint streaks of black at the tips, flowing gracefully as though underwater, carried by waves of magical energy. Around her eyes was a faint sheen of white, as if she wore pale eyeshadow. Her irises were now mismatchedâone blue, one white.
But these external changes werenât what caught Adamâs attention. The energy radiating from her was unlike any conventional magic he had ever encountered.
Adam frowned, scrutinizing her closely before muttering, "This energy⊠the opposite of the black dragon scales' power. Interesting."
With a roar, he swung his war hammer and charged. "Letâs see if this new form of yours is just for show!"
---
"Thank you, Noa," came the serene, layered voice from within Noa's consciousness.
"You always wait until the last moment to ask for my help. Do you enjoy acting cool that much?"
"Tch, you know why I held back. You said not to use your power unless absolutely necessary, to avoid attracting the attention of the claws of ultimate fear. Thatâs why I didnât ask earlier."
"Stubborn as always," the voice replied, though not unkindly. "But you knew I wouldnât just stand by."
"Youâre an idiot, but youâre also right," the voice continued. "Iâve got questions to ask and things to tell you, but first, letâs deal with the problem in front of us."
"Just rememberâyour body has already endured significant strain from overusing the Nine Infernos technique. This form places an additional burden on you. At best, youâll have ten minutes of use. Probably less."
"Understood," Noa replied.
---
Snapping back to reality, Noa barely had time to move as Adamâs war hammer descended. Yet as she watched the hammer swing toward her, the world seemed to slow.
She could see his movements clearly, and her body instinctively reacted.
*BOOM!*
The hammer struck the ground, sending dirt flying and scattering the mistâbut not a single strand of Noaâs hair was touched.
Adam looked up to see Noa high in the air, her hand raised as she gathered lightning magic. A sharp, birdlike cry echoed through the forest as her spell charged.
"Lightning Rush? Hah, you idiot. At close range, that technique loses most of its power. You clearly donât even know how to use the strength you have," Adam taunted.
But Noa remained composed, her movements graceful as she landed lightly atop Adamâs hammer. She crouched slightly, her posture poised and elegant. In her hand, the crackling blue lightning of her spell continued to build.
"You stupid brat! Youâre just standing there with that Lightning Rush spell? You donât even dare to use it?" Adam sneered.
Noa ignored him, focusing instead on channeling even more energy into the spell. The birdlike cries grew sharper and louder, piercing the air.
"With the power of the Primordial Force enhancing your magic," the voice in her mind said, "your Lightning Rush will unleash an unparalleled explosion, even at close range. He wonât dare take it head-on."
"Not yet," Noa thought, her tone calm but resolute. "Itâs not enough."
Adam, annoyed by the noise, swung his hammer again, forcing Noa to backflip gracefully and land lightly. Her spell, however, remained active, its radiance growing brighter with every second.
Adamâs frustration boiled over. "You noisy little brat!" he roared, swinging his hammer furiously.
Noa dodged effortlessly, leading him away from Helena. Her movements were quick and deliberate, ensuring their fightâs destructive ripples wouldnât harm her injured friend.
Realizing something was amiss, Adam suddenly stopped. "Wait⊠you never planned to use that Lightning Rush to attack me, did you?" he growled.
Perched on a boulder, Noaâs cool, steady voice cut through the air.
"Took you long enough to figure it out, you oversized oaf."
"What did you call me?" Adam bellowed, his rage building.
"A big oaf. Donât like it? How about âclown with a hammerâ? Does that suit you better?"
Adam let out a furious dragonâs roar, his anger exploding. Noa smirked, satisfied. Sheâd provoked him exactly as planned.
---
Within her mind, the ancient dragonâs voice spoke again. "Your plan is to use the sound of the Lightning Rush to attract your teachers and classmates outside the forest, isnât it? And by enraging Adam, youâre making him loud and reckless, which helps draw attention."
Noa nodded silently.
"You only have ten minutes, but with your mastery of the Primordial Force, thatâs more than enough to settle thisâor to ensure reinforcements arrive," the ancient dragon said.
"Iâll do what I can to make sure weâre noticed," Noa replied calmly.
The ancient dragonâs pride swelled. "Whoever said dragon-kindâs luck is bad? Iâve been asleep for thousands of years, and the first host I wake up to is youâan absolute prodigy!"
---
Returning to the present, Noa refocused her energy, letting it ripple through her body.
"Round two. Letâs begin."
Adam charged, his hammer swinging wildly. Noa evaded each attack with graceful precision. The Lightning Rush, charged to its limit, finally shot forth.
Adam instinctively raised his hammer to block, a defensive array glowing faintly on its surface. The two forces collided, sending shockwaves rippling outward.
"Youâve got some skill, kid," Adam said begrudgingly. "But it wonât change your fate. Youâll end up like that little girl thirty years ago!"
Noaâs eyes narrowed. She didnât know who this "little girl" was, but Adamâs mocking tone filled her with disgust.
---
Despite the raw power of her attack, Adamâs hammer remained intact. The ancient dragonâs voice murmured in her mind, "That weapon⊠itâs not normal. Only a force like Chaos could withstand a full-powered attack from the Primordial Force."
Noa processed the information quickly. "If magic wonât work, Iâll rely on physical combat."
The ancient dragon agreed. "Your enhanced senses and physical strength, combined with regeneration, will give you an edge. But be careful."
---
Switching tactics, Noa launched herself forward, moving like a white blur. Her speed surprised Adam, but he still managed to block her initial punch. However, the sheer force sent him skidding backward, his feet carving long trenches in the ground.
"Damn it⊠what kind of strength is this?" he muttered.
Noa didnât respond. She disappeared again, moving faster than his eyes could track. Her punches and kicks rained down like a relentless storm, each blow stronger than the last.
"Enough!" Adam roared, releasing a surge of black magic that sent Noa flying. She landed gracefully but winced, her body reaching its limit.
---
Adamâs aura darkened, an oppressive energy surrounding him.
"The power of Chaos," the ancient dragon confirmed grimly. "We canât let him escape. If he reports back to the claws of ultimate fear, our secret will be exposed."
"I understand," Noa said, determination burning in her eyes.
Her body trembled, her energy flickering. Yet she forced herself to stand.
"Youâre done for, brat!" Adam sneered, surrounding her with black cubes of Chaos magic. The cubes closed in, trapping her.
"Noa!" Helenaâs terrified scream echoed as the cubes tightened around her friend.
But a defiant voice emerged from within the prison. "You will not insult my father!"
With an explosion of light, the cubes shattered, white flames tearing through the Chaos magic. Noa collapsed, her energy completely spent.
Adam wasted no time. He raised his hammer, charging toward the fallen girl.
"Die, you little pest!"
Helenaâs screams echoed in despair.
But just as Adamâs hammer descended, a voice roared from above.
"You dare harm my daughter?! Adam, Iâll tear you to pieces!"
Thunder and fire rained down, heralding the arrival of furious fathers.