Hagra raised his head and fired a dense beam of corrupted energy straight at Jered. The blast carved through the air with a shrill screech, detonating into a thunderous explosion that rattled the stadium.
BOOM!
But the light didn't fade. Instead, it intensified.
The deep red hue of Hagra's energy was overtaken and burned away by a rising blaze of green-gold flame.
The audience gasped.
The dust cleared, revealing Jered suspended in midair, a halo of fire spiraling around him. His armor gleamed, reforged in flame. His eyes glowed with fervent madness, and his lips curled into a grin as wild laughter erupted from his throat.
"AHAHAHAHAHA!"
The Dauntless Warden had entered his true form.
"Now you are worthy," Hagra declared, eyes narrowing.
"But are you?" Jered's voice echoed like thunder.
[System Notification]
Special Class Quest Triggered
Defeat Your Nemesis: Hagra
Reward: +5 Levels
1 Class-Related Skill
The crowd was struck dumb. Seconds ago, they believed Jered was beaten. Now, he seemed reborn burning with resolve and power.
Tashi's voice echoed into Vasra's mind through a mana link. "Now what do you think?"
Vasra, arms crossed as he watched from the observation deck, raised a brow. "Not bad… Still, a Legendary class would've been better."
Vasra was impressed by this epic class but his pride did not let him admit it
Tashi scoffed. "Huh. As if that's the only thing that matters."
---
Back in the arena, Hagra snarled and surged forward.
But Jered didn't wait. With a scream and a trail of green-gold flames, he dove.
BOOM!
Their fists collided, sending shockwaves through the stadium. Dust flew, and debris cracked. Hagra's strength was terrifying, raw, brutal and overwhelming. Each of his punches carried enough force to level the stone. His skin radiated corrupted mana. His class, Abyssal Fiend, was meant to crush hope through fear.
But Jered was Dauntless.
He didn't yield.
With every hit Hagra landed, Jered's flames grew hotter. His skin tore and bled, but the green-gold fire stitched the wounds shut mid-battle. His pain only made him fight harder. He shouted as he threw a barrage of punches, fists hammering into Hagra's ribs like a relentless machine.
"URURURURURURURU!"
The audience blinked. Was he… making fighting sounds?
Yes. Yes, he was.
Jered's strikes roared in rhythm, like a war drum. The more Hagra tried to instill fear, the more Jered laughed.
"I see it now," Jered shouted between blows. "You feed on fear. But guess what.."
A jab to the jaw.
"...I don't have any left!"
Hagra growled and slammed his fists down, but Jered ducked and countered with a fiery uppercut. Hagra reeled back, part of his jaw scorched.
They clashed again. Fist against claw. Flame against corruption.
Hagra landed a blow to Jered's side, cracking bone. But Jered didn't fall. The flames consumed the wound, searing it shut. He stepped in, eyes blazing.
Another flurry.
"URURURURURURURU!"
Hagra roared in frustration. "Why won't you break!?"
Jered smiled. "Because I'm already broken."
Then he spun, enveloped his fist in triple-layered dauntless flame, and struck Hagra in the center of the chest.
A shockwave exploded across the arena.
Hagra was sent flying, crashing into the wall hard enough to dent it.
He tried to stand.
But Jered was already there.
His entire body was now aflame, he was a living torch, barely visible beneath the layers of roaring fire. Burns covered his skin, but he looked... alive. No, he looked triumphant.
"Time to end this."
He charged one final time. The floor cracked beneath his feet. He shoulder-rammed Hagra through the barrier and bounced back crashing to the floor hard.
Dust rose. Silence followed.
But there was no system notification.
If Hagra was taken out this easily he wouldn't be the talented seed sent by the crimson spine.
Suddenly Jered raised his fist towards the sky sending a vortex of flame.
Then.
BOOM!
Another explosion occurred.
And in the next instant Hagra dived down and swipe his boned tail in a dangerous angle intending to cut Jered's head off but he was prepared and counters the tail with another vortex of flame .
The explosion sent both of them a few meters away from each other.
This time they did not close up the gap instead they threw at each wave after waves of energy.
The audience who had normal human vision cannot see a thing of what's happening inside the arena just blinding lights from the explosion.
After a few more rounds Hagra noticed an opening in Jered defense, intending to take advantage of this he flashed besides Jered aiming for his ribs.
A cold smile appeared on Jered's face which he failed to notice because of the flame covering his entire body. And as he was about to land the final blow, Jered suddenly turned in a weird arc.
"you're welcome"
A hard fist with landed on his head followed by a vortex of flame but this time the colour was darker.
Jered had used the Dallas technique on his Dauntless sacred flame elevating it to a new tier.
Boom!
Dust settles and the arena erupted into chaotic cheers.
A system chime echoed in his mind:
[System Notification]
Quest Complete: Defeat Your Nemesis
Reward: +5 Levels
New Skill Acquired: light a hope (AoE Healing Buff)
Jered walked out of the arena, brushing soot from his armor. His flames dimmed, leaving faint wisps of smoke trailing behind him.
He smiled at the stunned audience.
"Now that… was a workout."
He exited the arena looking completely refreshed, as if he had just woken from a long, satisfying nap.
Then his gaze landed on Kaelen
"you're next"
Neal looked at Kaelen dumbfounded face then laughs
" Serves you right".
Kaelen was thrown into panic. He was sure that this time Jered was gonna whoop his ass nice and clean.
He checked his inventory in a hurry, it was filled with high rank items and equipments but the academy had sealed it. There was nothing of use until his gaze landed on the black card which he received on the day of his awakening.
"Ahahahahahahhahahaha bring it on".