Chapter 18: Chapter 18: The Duel and the Dragon Princess
Ryo placed his hand on the stone slab, and the moment his status was displayed, the entire arena fell into a stunned silence. His abilities, with the exception of Limitless Regression and his titles, were revealed for all to see. Gasps echoed through the crowd.
"He possesses the abilities of two races...!"
Selena's eyes widened in shock. She had known about his vampire abilities, but this... this was different. She turned to him, questions forming in her mind, but before she could speak, a furious voice rang out.
"What the hell is this?!" the senior shouted. His face twisted in disbelief and anger. "You're a half-vampire, half-dragon? That's impossible! Oh, I get it—you must be cheating here too!"
Selena clenched her fists. Unlike him, she understood that forging a status window was impossible. If the stone slab displayed it, then it was real.
The senior, unwilling to accept reality, spat out even more insults. "A half-breed like you dares to stand in the same class as nobles?! Your mere existence is an insult!"
Ryo's blood boiled, his rage building with every word. His Draculean Domination activated instinctively, a crushing aura sweeping across the entire field. The oppressive force brought weaker students to their knees, their breaths stolen by the sheer presence he exuded.
Among the crowd, Seyra Vaelstra, the dragon princess, observed the status window closely. Her heart pounded. This… is unreal. Not only did he possess mastery over every element, but many of his abilities belonged to an era long forgotten. Abilities that no one else in this world wielded. And then, when his Draculean Domination filled the air, she knew. There's no doubt… He has the essence of a dragon.
Ryo took a deep breath, regaining control over himself. He turned to the teacher and calmly said, "Can we start the match?"
The teacher hesitated before glancing toward the noble spectators. Then, after a brief exchange with the other faculty members, he spoke. "We'll move the duel to the Grand Stadium. The heads of many noble houses are present today. This match will be displayed before them."
The audience erupted into murmurs. The family of the senior noble whispered among themselves.
"When that commoner loses, we'll petition the Vampire Lord to wed the princess to our son."
Selena overheard and narrowed her eyes. As if I'd ever let that happen.
The Grand Stadium: The Duel Begins
The stands were packed with students and nobles alike. The senior's family sat confidently, certain of their son's victory.
The referee stepped forward. "Begin!"
Ryo activated Paradox Physique and materialized Blood Gauntlets using Blood Manipulation. Testing his new abilities here was the perfect opportunity.
The senior attacked first, launching Needle Blood Bombs toward Ryo. But Ryo dodged effortlessly, moving with fluid precision.
"Don't run, you coward!" the senior snarled.
Ryo smirked. "Alright, then."
A surge of power erupted from his body as he unfurled Abyssal Dragon Wings, his massive, pitch-black wings spreading wide. Gasps rippled through the audience. Next, he activated Bloodscale Armor, his body encased in crimson dragon-like scales. His Dragonification began, his hands and feet morphing, claws forming, and his draconic aura growing oppressive.
Finally, his Sanguine Dragon's Wrath activated, amplifying his power manyfold.
He turned toward the referee. "We're allowed to kill our opponents, right?"
The referee hesitated, his voice shaky. "Y-Yes... but—"
That's all I needed to hear.
Ryo disappeared from sight. A heartbeat later, a single punch sent the senior's body exploding into a mist of blood.
Silence fell over the stadium.
A noble had been obliterated by a supposed commoner.
The senior's family erupted in outrage. "You murderer! You dare kill a noble?!"
Ryo sighed. "He was just too weak. I didn't even use half of my strength."
The senior's father stood, his fury palpable. "I demand his execution! We will eliminate this mongrel—"
A powerful voice interrupted.
"That's enough."
The Vampire Lord himself stood, his presence alone demanding silence.
The senior's father turned to him. "My Lord, he killed my son! Are we just to let this slide?! He insulted our noble lineage!"
Ryo scoffed. "Your son had every intention of killing me first. If he wasn't prepared to die, he shouldn't have fought. And let's not forget, he insulted me and my family first."
The noble clenched his fists. "It doesn't matter! We are nobles! You are a commoner! Know your place!"
This time, it was Selena who spoke.
"He is my fiancé. That alone connects him to my father, the Vampire Lord. If you insult him, you insult my family and my father. Are you forgetting that?"
The noble paled, realizing his misstep. Challenging a noble was one thing—but challenging a royal decree? That was suicidal.
Selena turned to Ryo, frowning. "You could have just knocked him out. Why kill him?"
Ryo shrugged. "I was testing my abilities a little. He was just too weak."
Hearing that, the Vampire Lord burst into hearty laughter. "Normal vampires have average regeneration. Noble vampires have high regeneration, making them difficult to kill. Royal vampires can regenerate even from a single cell. But you—" he smirked, "—you killed a noble in an instant and say you were 'testing' yourself. Truly worthy of my daughter."
The noble family head gritted his teeth but lowered his head in submission.
Ryo turned to leave, but a voice stopped him.
"Wait."
He turned and saw Seyra Vaelstra standing before him. Her silver hair shimmered under the stadium lights, her sapphire eyes filled with certainty.
She took a step forward and declared, "I, Seyra Vaelstra, claim Ryo as my fiancé."
Ryo froze. A sense of déjà vu washed over him.
Author's Note:
Well, things escalated quickly, didn't they? Ryo not only obliterated a noble in one punch but also showcased his overwhelming abilities to the entire academy. And just when he thought he could finally get some peace, boom!—another fiancée enters the picture. Poor guy just can't catch a break.
This chapter marks a turning point, as Ryo's draconic nature is finally revealed to the world, along with his terrifying potential. The Vampire Lord seems quite pleased, but the nobles? Not so much.
What's next? More political drama? More duels? Or maybe a deeper dive into Ryo's dragonic abilities? Stay tuned for Chapter 19!
Let me know what you think in the comments! Who's your favorite fiancée so far?