I Only Tame Dragons

As Von stepped off the arena platform, he glanced back at the assassin, who was still kneeling in defeat. "Next time," he called out, his voice carrying over the cheers, "don't mess with my guild. You won't like how it ends."

The crowd roared even louder at his parting words, their admiration for Nyx's guild reaching new heights. With fighters like Von, Frigid, and Horizon, it was becoming clear to everyone that this guild had made it this far through sheer strength.

The arena was silent as Horizon stepped forward, the final match of the round set to decide everything. This was the moment that would determine the victor—the last point that carried all the weight.

Von and the others watched from the sidelines, but none of them offered words of encouragement or even a gesture of good luck. They didn't need to. They knew what Horizon was capable of. Everyone in Nyx guild did.

Horizon's expression was calm, almost disinterested, as he stepped into the battlefield. His opponent, on the other hand, radiated arrogance. The assassin he was facing was not only confident but smug to the point of irritation.

The assassin grinned as he stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "So, you're the last one? The big ace? I hope you're ready to lose," he taunted, his voice echoing across the arena. "I'm the strongest in my guild. Sure, my stats might not be as high as our leader's, but I'm faster, sharper, and deadlier. No one can touch me."

Horizon didn't respond. His hand rested lightly on the hilt of his sword, the blade sheathed at his side.

"Really?" the assassin continued, circling Horizon with a confident swagger. "You're not even going to say anything? Just standing there with a sword like you know how to use it." He snorted, his laughter sharp and mocking. "What's a tamer like you going to do with a blade? Call your little pets to save you. Or are you going to swing that thing around and pray it lands? Let me give you some advice—just forfeit now. I might let you leave with your life."

The crowd murmured at the assassin's bold words, but Horizon remained unmoved. His eyes watched the assassin carefully, analyzing his every movement and word without so much as a flicker of emotion.

The assassin's grin widened as he mistook Horizon's silence for fear. "Oh, I see," he said, stepping closer. "You're scared, aren't you? You should be. I've taken down plenty like you before. Tamer or not, you're no match for me. I'm faster than you can imagine, and once I move, you won't even see it coming. You'll be dead before you know what hit you."

Finally, Horizon spoke, his voice calm and steady. "Are you done?"

The assassin blinked, his confidence faltering for a brief moment before he sneered. "What did you say?"

"I asked if you were done," Horizon repeated, his tone devoid of emotion. He took a single step forward, and the assassin instinctively stepped back. "If you're going to talk, get it all out now. Because once this begins, you won't get another chance."

The assassin's face twisted in anger at the slight. "Big words for a tamer with a sword," he spat. "Let's see if you can back them up."

The referee signaled the start of the match, and the assassin lunged forward, his movements a blur. True to his word, he was fast—faster than any of the previous opponents. He closed the distance between them in an instant, his blade aimed straight for Horizon's throat.

But Horizon didn't move.

In a flash of steel, Horizon's sword was drawn, the blade gleaming under the arena lights. A single, precise strike cut through the air, its speed so blinding that even the most experienced eyes in the crowd struggled to follow it.

The assassin froze mid-attack, his eyes wide with disbelief. For a moment, he didn't understand what had happened. His body refused to respond, his legs trembling as the weight of reality began to sink in.

Then, with a sickening thud, his head fell to the ground.

The crowd gasped, a collective intake of breath rippling through the arena as the assassin's body crumpled to the floor. Blood pooled around the lifeless form, the once-confident assassin reduced to nothing in a matter of seconds.

Horizon stood where he had been, his sword held loosely in one hand. The blade was pristine, untouched by the blood of his opponent. He turned his gaze toward the audience, his expression unreadable, as if the fight had been nothing more than a trivial matter.

The arena erupted into chaos. Cheers, gasps, and murmurs filled the air as the crowd struggled to process what they had just witnessed. Find your next adventure on My Virtual Library Empire

"That was—"

"Did he even move?"

"Was that a skill? How is that even possible?"

Von smirked from the sidelines, leaning back with a relaxed demeanor. "That's Horizon for you," he said, his tone laced with admiration.

Lydia crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing slightly. "He didn't even let the assassin finish his attack. It was over before it started."

"He's efficient," Von replied. "Why waste time on someone who doesn't deserve it?"

The assassin's guildmates were pale, their earlier confidence shattered as they stared at the remains of their comrade. "He didn't even have a chance," one of them whispered, his voice shaking.

"Who . . . Who is this guy?" another asked, his voice filled with dread. "Just who the hell are they?!"

The crowd erupted into thunderous cheers, the arena filled with awe and excitement. The audience had witnessed firsthand the overwhelming strength of each member of Nyx's Guild as they secured their place in the next round.

On the sidelines, the rival guilds watched in stunned silence, their expressions grim. The nameless guild, once dismissed as a group of weak, unknown players, had emerged as a force to be reckoned with. What they had thought would be an easy victory now seemed like their greatest challenge yet.

Seraphina and the rest of Wingless Valkyrie stood among the onlookers, their faces etched with tension. The realization that they might soon cross paths with Horizon and his team weighed heavily on them. The confidence they once carried was now replaced with a growing sense of unease.