I Only Tame Dragons

Horizon's mind flickered to Lydia and Silphie. They had been forcibly separated when the battlefield shifted, and there was no telling what kind of danger they were in.

He clenched his jaw. They better be okay.

But right now, he had to finish this fight.

The sooner he took down his opponent, the sooner he could go to them.

The final match had begun, and the battlefield was chaos. The Elven Elders' interference had already put Nyx's Guild at a severe disadvantage, scattering them across different terrain.

But Horizon and his team were not going down without a fight.

The moment Horizon landed in the storm-ridden canyon, he barely had time to adjust before Grimm appeared before him.

The leader of Brotherhood Legion was an imposing figure, towering over Horizon with a massive blood-red greatsword resting on his shoulder. His eyes burned with a frenzied gleam, the mark of a warrior who thrived in battle. Crimson energy pulsed around him, the aura of his Blood Reaver class growing more intense the longer he stood there.

Grimm grinned, licking his lips.

"You're the reason we're even bothering with this match," he said, voice deep and full of menace. "But let's see if you're still standing after I've drained every last drop of your blood."

Without another word, Grimm charged.

The ground shattered beneath his feet as he moved at terrifying speed, swinging his greatsword in a downward arc. Horizon barely dodged in time, the sheer force of the attack splitting the ground where he had stood moments before.

Fast.

Horizon countered, his blade flashing forward, but Grimm merely grinned as he let the attack connect. Instead of flinching, his wounds began to heal instantly, the red aura around him growing stronger.

Horizon narrowed his eyes.

So that's how it was.

=== ===

On the floating crumbling islands, Von faced off against Elias, the Arcane Gunslinger.

Elias was already firing before Von could fully regain his footing, bullets of pure energy cutting through the air. Von twisted mid-air, barely dodging as an explosive round detonated behind him.

"You're good," Elias smirked, twirling his twin pistols. "But let's see how long you last when you've got nowhere to run."

Von clicked his tongue.

"Big words for a guy who needs magic just to keep up."

With a quick flick of his wrist, he reloaded, then opened fire.

The two gunslingers clashed, their bullets colliding mid-air in a shower of sparks. Elias blinked behind Von, aiming for his back—

But Von was already moving.

Without looking, Von angled his pistol over his shoulder and fired, forcing Elias to dodge at the last second.

A real gunfight had begun.

=== ===

Frigid was in trouble.

He had landed in a lava field, his ice-based abilities already struggling against the sheer heat of his surroundings.

And now?

He was up against Gorak, the Stone Warden.

The massive tank of Brotherhood Legion stood tall before him, his stone armor reflecting the fiery glow of the lava around them.

"You don't belong here," Gorak rumbled, slamming his warhammer into the ground. The earth rippled beneath them, sending shockwaves through the terrain. "This battlefield will be your grave."

Frigid exhaled, frost coating his breath despite the heat.

"I don't die that easily."

Gorak charged, swinging his hammer in a wide arc. Frigid raised his shield, absorbing the impact, but the raw strength behind the blow sent him skidding backward.

The ice tank was already at a disadvantage—but he wasn't out yet.

With a snap of his fingers, Frigid slammed his shield against the ground.

Instantly, a burst of freezing air erupted from beneath him, coating the lava in an ultra-thin layer of ice. It wasn't much, but it was enough to give him a foothold.

Time to fight back.

=== ===

In the twisting labyrinth of shadows, Lydia faced off against Lucas, the Windrunner.

The speed-based fighter grinned, his twin blades twirling effortlessly in his hands.

"Rogues are supposed to be fast," he said. "But let's see if you can keep up with me."

Then, he vanished.

Lydia barely had time to react before a blade slashed toward her. She twisted away, but Lucas was already behind her, his movements unnaturally quick.

He was using wind magic to enhance his speed.

"Tch," Lydia clicked her tongue. "Annoying."

She threw a dagger, but Lucas dodged easily, the wind guiding his movements.

"You'll have to do better than that," he taunted.

Lydia smirked. "Alright then."

In a flash, she disappeared.

Lucas' grin faltered for the first time.

Then the real fight began.

=== ===

Back in the storm canyon, Horizon had figured out Grimm's trick.

The longer the fight dragged on, the stronger Grimm became. His Blood Reaver abilities allowed him to heal from every attack, growing more powerful with each exchange.

Which meant—Horizon couldn't drag this out.

Fine.

He would end it fast.

Grimm swung his greatsword again, but this time, Horizon didn't dodge.

Instead—he stepped forward.

Grimm's eyes widened as Horizon moved past his guard, faster than he could react.

Then, Horizon struck.

His blade cut deep, but this time—Grimm didn't heal.

Horizon smirked.

"Figured it out," he murmured.

Grimm staggered backward, for the first time looking uncertain.

"What—?"

Horizon's sword glowed, coated in a unique energy disruption effect.

"Your healing's impressive," Horizon admitted. "But it's useless—if I sever the connection before it activates."

Grimm snarled—but he was already losing strength.

Horizon was done playing.

With one final flash of movement, he cut Grimm down.

But instead of cutting down Grimm, Horizon felt his own body being slashed.

A deep gash tore across his side, the sudden pain jolting him back.

What—?

Horizon's eyes widened as he leaped back, blood dripping onto the storm-scarred canyon floor. He hadn't been careless—his strike should have ended Grimm.

But the berserker was still standing.

No, he wasn't just standing—he was stronger.

The crimson energy around Grimm had intensified, his wounds sealing almost instantly. His muscles bulged with unnatural power, and his eyes glowed with an eerie red light.

Horizon's gaze flicked to the edge of Grimm's armor, spotting it—the sigil of a stat-boosting artifact.

That cheat item again!