I Only Tame Dragons

And yet—Seraphina still stood strong.

Her golden aura flared.

Even against overwhelming odds, she wasn't going down without a fight.

She raised her sword, golden flames licking the blade.

"Come then," she said, her voice firm. "Let's finish this."

Horizon smirked.

"Gladly."

The battlefield erupted once more.

The battlefield had become a frozen wasteland, the once-scorched ground now covered in an unforgiving layer of ice. Frost clung to every surface, glittering under the arena lights like a treacherous, beautiful trap. Every breath came out as mist, the air biting cold, sharp enough to sting the lungs of those who still stood.

Seraphina's golden armor flickered, the radiant light dimming slightly under the effects of the freezing air. She took a slow breath, steadying herself, her fingers tightening around the hilt of her Celestial Blade.

Even with her enhanced power, she could feel the way her movements had been forced to slow, the icy winds dragging against her like unseen chains.

Frigid stood at the center of it all, his massive shield coated in frost, his presence like that of an immovable glacier. His skill, Absolute Zero, had turned the battlefield into his domain, forcing his enemies into submission with sheer environmental control.

Dawnfire, her fiery magic weakened by the bitter cold, shivered as she struggled to maintain her balance. Her flames sputtered, fighting against the freezing air. Aria's breathing was shallow, her mana nearly depleted from keeping the remaining summons active.

Fiora and Velvet were already unconscious, their bodies still as they lay sprawled on the battlefield. They had given everything to empower Seraphina's ascension, pushing beyond their limits to give their leader a chance at victory. But now, their exhaustion had overtaken them, leaving them unable to fight.

The only thing standing between defeat and survival was Seraphina herself.

Von took aim, his twin pistols gleaming under the harsh arena lights. His sharp eyes locked onto Seraphina, tracking her every movement. He grinned, sensing the shift in momentum. She was still fast, but not as fast as before.

He pulled the trigger.

The first shot rang out like a crack of thunder, echoing across the battlefield. Seraphina twisted her body at the last second, her wings flaring out as she narrowly avoided the bullet.

But the second shot came faster. The bullet grazed her shoulder, searing pain lancing through her skin. It wasn't enough to bring her down, but it was enough to remind her—she wasn't invincible.

Horizon watched from a distance, his sword still resting loosely in his grip. His expression was unreadable, his gaze locked onto Seraphina as if calculating something, measuring just how much fight she had left in her.

Then, without a word, he whistled.

The battlefield shook. Discover exclusive tales at My Virtual Library Empire

The Dracolich reared back, the air around it vibrating as waves of dark energy pulsed from its skeletal frame. The blue flames burning in its hollow eye sockets flared, intensifying into a raging inferno. A deep, guttural growl echoed from within its ribcage as it began to charge its attack.

A swirling vortex of necrotic energy gathered in its chest cavity, pulsating with sheer destruction. Shadows stretched across the battlefield, warping under the immense power the undead dragon was about to unleash.

Above them, the Giant Hawk circled high in the sky, its steel-like feathers crackling with arcs of lightning. It let out a sharp, piercing screech before tucking its wings in and diving toward the battlefield at breakneck speed.

The crowd gasped, their cheers turning into stunned silence. They had seen Horizon's summons before, but never like this. Never at full power.

The Dracolich's attack was unleashed.

A tidal wave of black fire erupted from its maw, consuming everything in its path.

The Celestial Stag took the brunt of the blast. The radiant beast let out a final cry as cracks formed across its glowing body, golden light shattering like glass before it was completely engulfed. In an instant, it was completely gone and Aria and Dawnfire could no longer supply it with mana. Its wounds were too great to heal and they themselves were out of mana.

Things weren't looking good for them.

The Lunar Wolf let out a desperate snarl, lunging toward the Dracolich in an attempt to stop it. But the Giant Hawk swooped in before it could reach its target, its talons glowing with electricity. With one swift, brutal strike, the wolf collapsed, the electric surge tearing through its form before it, too, faded into nothingness.

The battlefield went still.

Wingless Valkyrie's guardian summons had been wiped out.

Seraphina clenched her jaw, ignoring the pain in her shoulder. She had expected this. Horizon's creatures weren't just mindless beasts—they were extensions of his strategy, weapons as deadly as any blade.

Her allies were running on fumes. Dawnfire and Aria were barely able to stand. Fiora and Velvet were unconscious.

She was alone.

Horizon's team, however, was still at full strength. Von stood ready, his pistols primed. Frigid's presence remained unshaken, the frost swirling around him like an unyielding storm. And then, there was Horizon himself—calm, composed, completely in control.

Seraphina's golden wings flared again. Even if the ice was slowing her down, even if the odds were against her, she refused to give in.

She raised her sword, the celestial flames dancing along the blade.

"Come then," she said, her voice steady despite everything. "Let's finish this."

Horizon grinned widened slightly. He lifted his sword, his grip tightening as he took a step forward.

"Gladly," he replied.

Then, in the blink of an eye, they clashed.

Seraphina moved first, her blade cutting through the air in a golden arc. Horizon met her strike head-on, the force of their collision sending shockwaves through the battlefield. The frozen ground beneath them cracked under the sheer pressure of their attacks.

She was still faster than him. Even with the ice slowing her down, even with the weight of exhaustion creeping into her limbs, she moved like lightning, her sword a blur of radiant light.

Horizon, however, wasn't fazed. He matched her pace, blocking each attack with expert precision. Every time she struck, he was there, countering her movement with just enough force to disrupt her flow.