Saliad POV

This girl was incredibly strong. My blade was an SS++, a blade that was supposed to be immune to every attack, but this girl was damaging it.

"Sacred Sword!"

I struck as fast as I could and barely clipped her, but she responded with a kick to my stomach that caused me to throw up blood.

"Hah-"

I barely got a second to breathe before a roundhouse was coming for my head. I barely dodged and slashed at her cutting her leg off.

As typical for dragons, it regenerated. Her arm was also back, a fact I learned as she punched me with it.

Her martial arts weren't art-skill based; I could tell that much. Meaning, somehow, she'd mastered her own style of martial arts that was unique from any other.

"Divine Blade!"

My Divine moves were the only ones that seemed to do anything, but she was getting faster, and she had begun fully countering my blows.

Attacks that should've crushed her brain were instead either getting launched back or only cutting her arm.

This was getting annoying.

_

Mammon POV

The girl was that strong. A powerhouse indeed. I had merely guessed that she may have caused trouble, but she was full out battling him as equals. In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd say she's stronger.

As a dragon slayer, Saliad has to not only be incredibly strong, but also incredibly smart. So, he made sure he knew of every spell in every application, but this girl seems to have revolutionized her own style.

When she fought Galswell, I thought that she'd died, and I was freaking out, wondering how to explain it to Royce, but then she stood up as little more than a skeleton and regenerated from that.

I heard her explanation that it was a unique application of life foundation, but even still, she'd need immense HP to survive that blow. And life eruption. I heard that much when I ran down to check if she was dead.

That wasn't a spell that I'd heard of. It may be a unique spell, but it was strong enough to rewind her health to full. The entire round was like she was playing with her food after she revealed that thing.

I think it may have been a last resort spell, but normally, last resorts are to take down the enemy. In the final moments she decimated Galswell.

I felt that normally she would've been able to do that here as well, but she didn't out of respect for Saliad.

Wait, his sword was nearly broken, she was winning!

_

Jalad POV

How, I knew she was strong, but I never anticipated that she'd be that strong. Saliad could annihilate the entire kingdom on pretty much a whim. Any S rank could, but she was winning.

Dallel was next to me with absolute shock at her strength.

I think I may know why she's that strong.

It's ridiculous, but the more I think about it, the more it made sense.

No, that's too ridiculous.

Is it?

_

Me and Saliad clashed again and again, his sword was pretty much scrap metal and he looked irritated.

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"You're strong."

"As are you."

We took a second to breathe.

It was clear that the barrier wouldn't hold up if we were to continue. So, we took a breather to enhance the barrier.

"They are... repairing the barrier?"

The audience was very confused by our actions, but it was clear that neither of us were comfortable with hurting civilians. After the barrier was fully repaired and empowered, we stepped back in the battle arena.

"I'm ready."

"Same."

Despite not liking each other we'd grown to respect each other on strength alone.

"Draconic Aspect."

And that's why we enhanced the barrier.

"Arcane Oblivion."

Because neither of us were going to hold back anymore.

_

Did he just say Draconic Aspect?

"That idiot, he'll destroy the city."

Galswell was as shocked as we were. Draconic aspect is a unique skill that one receives from killing a dragon. It gives their strength to the killer. Jalad had an idea.

"That may be why they enhanced the barrier. Though I'm more shocked by what Rose is using."

That's right. Arcane Oblivion. Arcane required mastery of all elements to handle a single drop. Arcane Oblivion was only usable by people with Arcane affinity, but no one had been born with an affinity to arcane in millennia. Galswell nodded.

"Even with an affinity for arcane, she'd require a mana pool the size of a mature dragon's to handle that spell."

"Well, they are about to attack. Let's keep watching."

"Wait, how is she doing that?"

Galswell noticed something odd before we did.

_

I saw three aspects. He truly did kill Ravi. I had to fight to avenge my family.

Arcane Oblivion would regularly destroy everything in front of the user, but I wasn't foolish enough to think that would kill him, so I used it in a secret technique I designed myself.

In casting it on myself, I could form it into armor and a blade that rivaled his gear.

"Well, that's unique."

"Designed it myself."

"Impressive. Now I know the level of prey I hunt."

"Same, prepare to die, Saliad."

"After you, Rose."

It was the first time we addressed the other by name. The Announcer took notice of this.

"It seems in this battle. They gained the other's respect. Now they will fight!"

He had it down pat. We charged and clashed, but this time he was as strong as three dragons in addition to his immense skill.

He pushed me back and I countered with Divine Oblivion. He struck at me with Draconic Slash, but I barely dodged it.

He created a new move on the spot, realizing I would be able to counter anything conventional.

"Divine Draconic Blast."

A massive beam of Flame, father's power, and water, Mother and Ravi's power, shot at me. I needed to use my strongest counter.

"Arcane Blast"

Our spells clashed causing an earthquake that we saw shook the stands despite the barrier. We both took advantage of the smoke to attack the other leading to a clash of power.

His aura was on full blast, but so was mine. The barrier blocked most of it, but people outside were still freaking out because of the sheer energy.

I realized that he was trying to tire me, so I decided to go full force. In a single blow I would take him down.

As a dragon I too had Dragon Aspect, but they'd all think that I must be a dragon slayer too. Because Royce confirmed I fought a dragon, so Mammon and the adventurers that heard him would assume I actually killed the dragon.

"Draconic Aspect of Arcane!"

As my Dragon Aspect was my own, it was much stronger than a single stolen aspect. But it was comparable to three. In addition to my own strength being parallel to his strength. He realized that he wouldn't win. So, he started laughing.

"It seems I've met my match. Someone stronger than me, no matter. I will not go down in a way that you can forget me."

Upon realizing his death was certain, he unleashed all of his power in an instant to at least leave a scar that even a dragon's regeneration wouldn't fix.

I was faster.

As he channeled all of power into the final blow, I made my move, and I cut him clean in half. To prevent pain to the combatant I respected, I cut him head down through his heart. No matter how strong an opponent is, only a dragon can survive their brain being destroyed.

"You win."

And with that, the Dragon Slayer, Saliad, breathed his last, smiling as though he'd gotten a gift.

_

The arena was in ruins, despite the two powers enhancing the barrier, that last move they both used caused it to shatter.

"To think, she's a dragon slayer."

Jalad's opinion of the kitten had raised. As had mine. The thing that allowed her to win was the aspect of an arcane dragon. To think that she had been able to kill one.

I understand now why Royce chose to limit the explanation of her deeds. Arcane dragons were powerful, beyond mythic even. Once matured they were virtually unkillable.

"And the battle is over. The winner of the tournament is Rose! Wait!"

As the announcer stated that she won, she collapsed. That battle clearly tired her to her limit. Her arcane armor and weapon disappeared. I looked over at Galswell, who had a sad smile.

"The dragon slayer is now dead, at least he died happy and with a smile."

"What?"

"He always wanted to meet his match. That's why he hunted dragons in the first place. To think that his match would be a young catkin that was also a dragon slayer."

Saliad was considered one of the strongest adventurers in the world. A powerful elf that could only be bested by other S ranks. But none of them were his match.

He sought someone that would fight with all of their heart and defeat him through a show of strength. Not through trickery, but through sheer power. One who saw him as an equal despite loathing him. Rose was the only one who fought him like that.

Medics went out to heal Rose and retrieve Saliad's body. The arena was silent. Never has a duel to that extent been seen in this nation. I then understood why they empowered the barrier, not because they wanted to prevent it from breaking, but because they knew that if they didn't the entire city would've been leveled.