Battle of Fate

And at that moment, high in the sky.

The once-arrogant red dragon was already covered in wounds, groaning softly. Her body was riddled with gashes that cut deep into flesh, and golden radiance clung to them, steadily corroding the wounds.

Her Wing Membranes were like torn rags. Every beat produced a howling wind through the gaps, making her look especially miserable.

Yet she merely considered this a troublesome opponent; she did not believe the other party could defeat her completely. After all, she was a red dragon. She still possessed Tiamat's power, incomparably scorching flames, and countless methods she had yet to use.

"Boom!"

The red dragon landed heavily atop the mountain, making the cliff walls rumble as shattered stones tumbled down.

For the first time, hesitation entered her voice. "Half-elf, you are powerful."

"Unlike those mortals, your strength far surpasses theirs. Thus, you are worthy of the attention of a noble True Dragon."

"Become my servant, and you may rule the Anzeta Great Wasteland alongside me!"

The Half-elf Paladin did not reply. She merely slowly raised the Silver Sword in her hand, her gaze unwavering. A faint glow still flickered across her silver armor, blackened in places by fire.

"Whether hunting sworn foes or driving out lesser evils, I am willing to challenge greater evil."

"And sworn foes deserve no mercy."

Rhea leaped lightly into the air, the Silver Sword in her hand radiating a spiritual glow like the afterglow of sunset.

It was neither dazzling nor intense, yet it carried an unyielding resolve that declared: even should darkness descend, I shall still shine.

That was the origin of the Twilight Blade.

"Vengeance Soul!"

With a clear, sharp cry, countless phantom souls appeared around the Half-elf Paladin.

They were children burned to death in the flames, mothers crushed beneath collapsed houses, men who had bravely raised pitchforks to fight only to be reduced to ash by dragonfire, Fighters who had stood against evil only to be ground into pulp beneath sharp claws—and the Paladin's blazing will for vengeance.

Rhea began to fly through the air. Phantom black Wings emerged from her back, making her resemble an angel born for revenge.

At that moment, she stood higher than the mountaintop.

"Roar—"

Aclasia let out an enraged roar. The absolute pride of a red dragon would not allow any Lesser Being to dare look down upon her.

At that moment, all the power surging through her bloodline erupted. With the most primal, most brutal force of her body, using the close-combat methods red dragons excelled at most—

She lunged forward with unstoppable force!

"Boom!"

The might generated by the impending collision of the two powerful forces made the mountain tremble without cease, shaking the entire Anzeta Great Wasteland.

Even Keosius, who was desperately fleeing, could not help turning his head to sneak a glance at the terrifying sight.

"Most Holy Slash!"

Rhea used every ounce of strength in her body, gripping the Silver Sword tightly as she leaped and brought it down in a slash. She paid no heed whatsoever to the red dragon's gaping jaws snapping at her.

The silver blade was coated in twilight radiance as it slashed diagonally.

"Slash—"

The longsword cut through dragon scales harder than armor as easily as a hot knife through butter, tearing open the red dragon's scorching, pulsing veins and flesh.

The phantom souls surrounding her resembled a vast army. The Vengeance Souls roared and charged into the wound on the red dragon's neck.

With every impact, the wound deepened by several feet.

Under the immense pain, Aclasia abruptly threw back her head and let out a pained hiss. But this instinctive motion only worsened the tearing of the wound, and scorching blood spouted forth like a fountain.

"Aoo—"

At first, the red dragon could still make sounds of agony, but once her throat was completely severed, she could not make a sound at all.

Everything happened too quickly.

So quickly that the red dragon had not even had time to swing her powerful claws or lash her thick tail.

She had not even had time to use the invincible power granted to her by Tiamat.

But the Silver Sword mercilessly sliced through her throat.

This adult red dragon, dozens of meters long, struggled in midair before her wings drooped weakly. She crashed heavily onto the mountainside.

"Boom!"

The earth trembled as her massive body rumbled down the slope. Her sinful, greedy life had come to an end.

Perhaps her soul would be taken by Tiamat. Perhaps it would be shattered by the Vengeance Souls.

But one thing was beyond doubt.

The red dragon was dead.

Meanwhile, at the foot of the southern slope of Cloud Peak.

"An Avenging Angel with Wings on her back—she is practically a top-tier Black Knight. Terrifying."

"Time to run."

Keosius could not help but sigh.

Sub-Legendary combat strength was a top-tier existence even in version 4.0 of his previous life. Among tens of millions of players, only a few hundred had reached that level.

Those who could step onto the Legendary Path were even rarer.

Thinking of this, the Young Red Dragon became even more determined to flee. He hurriedly used the ability attached to the Nimble Mage Ring he had swallowed and cast a spell on himself.

"Grease Soles!"

His speed immediately became even swifter.

Keosius fled in great strides like a streak of red lightning, racing toward the distant forest.

As for flying?

He did not dare risk it yet.

If his luck was bad and this Sub-Legendary Fighter noticed him with her senses, she might casually send an Evil Breaking Slash his way from several hundred meters off, and he would likely be sent straight to Tiamat.

That was a Sub-Legendary Paladin, after all.

Having Divine Sense was perfectly normal for one.

Keosius was too busy fleeing in panic to pay attention to anything else.

He did not know that the Half-elf Paladin was standing atop the mountain at that very moment. Her entire body was splattered with still-warm dragon blood as she looked down upon the southern slope of Cloud Peak Mountain—the direction in which the young dragon was fleeing.

A trace of confusion appeared in Rhea's amber eyes.

For beneath the Spirit Vision through which she sensed evil, the distant Young Red Dragon was not covered in the black color representing an evil alignment like ordinary red dragons.

Instead, he was colorless, representing a neutral alignment.

"A neutral red dragon? How is that possible?"

After pondering for only a moment, she still raised her Silver Sword and pointed it toward the young dragon in the distance, determined to investigate.

"Monster Immobilization Spell!"

At the direction of the Silver Sword, a spell glow flew into the distance.

Once it struck, the young red dragon would be immobilized by the spell, unable to move in the slightest.

But just as that glow was about to touch the red dragon's scales—

An invisible barrier suddenly emerged from Keosius's body, completely blocking the Monster Immobilization Spell before shattering apart.

Spell Invalidation Barrier

Keosius was horrified at the sight. The Magic Immunity Amulet could only be used once per day, and he had no second chance.

"Run!"

Under the pressure of a life-or-death crisis, the young dragon frantically beat his still-immature wings and flew with all his strength, heedless of everything else.

He fled as if his life depended on it. In the blink of an eye, he plunged headfirst into the woods, vanishing deep into the forest beneath the cover of towering trees.

Rhea gazed down at the endless Bokara Mountain Forest, her brows slightly furrowed. Then she shook her head and relaxed.

A neutral red dragon.

Perhaps she had created a terrifying enemy for her future. Perhaps she would bring a better change to this world. Perhaps nothing would happen.

She would not kill him for evil he might commit. But if that red dragon committed monstrous crimes, Rhea was equally confident that, just as she had today, she could use the incomparably sharp Silver Sword in her hand to slay him.

That was the creed of a Paladin of the Vengeance Oath.

"Show no mercy to evildoers."

"Perhaps grant mercy to ordinary foes."

The Half-elf slowly removed her helmet, revealing a beautiful, cool expression, and murmured to herself.