The crimson dragon's blood shimmered with an ominous purple hue as Kael executed Stellar Step once more, putting distance between himself and the Golden-Horned Lion King. Without hesitation, he swallowed the potent liquid.
A searing torrent erupted from his core, flooding every vein until his blood seemed to boil. His power abruptly surged, shattering the threshold of the sixth rank. Spiritual energy, mana, and elemental perception all ascended to unprecedented heights - the legendary might of dragon's blood temporarily elevating his capabilities. Though effective only for an hour and diminishing with repeated use, this primal enhancement worked flawlessly for those below seventh rank.
Raw magical energy now coursed through Kael's revitalized form, demanding release. His expanded consciousness simultaneously shattered another seal within The Book of Immortality, flooding his mind with fresh arcane knowledge and incantations. Though temporary, this genuine spiritual breakthrough allowed him to fully lock onto his roaring adversary.
"Damned human!" The lion king's crimson eyes blazed, its gilded horn crackling with emerald energy. Both combatants completed their spells simultaneously.
"Meteor Shower!" Kael's voice thundered as dark clouds coalesced overhead. Flame-wrapped meteors plummeted earthward, their apocalyptic descent warping the air with concussive force.
Countering with "Gale Sever", the beast unleashed a roaring tornado that scoured the battlefield bare. Uprooted vegetation swirled within the six-meter-wide vortex as the two cataclysmic forces collided - scorching flames battling howling winds in a primal contest of elements.
From their vantage point, Yuri and her companions observed grimly. This mage's immediate mastery of sixth-rank magic after temporary advancement spoke volumes about his profound training and formidable lineage. The earth itself trembled under the conflicting energies, air thick with ozone and charred soil as two apex predators clashed.
Boom!
The fiery meteors tore through the emerald vortex, overwhelming the tornado with apocalyptic force. Like celestial wrecking balls, they obliterated the spiraling winds before slamming into the Golden-Horned Lion King. The beast's agonized roar echoed as its colossal frame crumpled under the bombardment, crystalline blood oozing from cratered smoldering wounds. Though it staggered upright in a final bid for dignity, the lion king collapsed moments later with a ground-shaking thud, reduced to helpless whimpers.
Kael lowered his staff, his expression calm yet inwardly alight. This fleeting taste of sixth-rank power—a realm where mana and mental acuity transcended mortal limits—had unlocked profound insights. The chasm between fifth and sixth rank stretched wider than he'd imagined, and now, every fiber of his being thrummed with arcane energy begging to be mastered.
"Impressive," purred Chloe, swaying forward with honeyed charm. "Might we know the name of such talent?" Her every movement dripped calculated allure, but Kael merely frowned slightly. Recalling an alias from past adventures, he answered curtly, "Griffin."
"A rising star unknown to our Radiant City," she mused, undeterred by his coldness. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as the others stirred.
Yuri cut through the tension with a frost-toned warning: "The lion's horn isn't for amateurs, Griffin. Walk away." Before Kael could respond, Daniel sneered, "Still playing overlord, Yuri? This isn't your precious Jade Citadel!"
The temperature seemed to plummet as Yuri's glare sharpened, though she withheld further retort. Sebastian observed silently, his gaze locked on Kael like a hawk tracking prey. To these seasoned fighters, the horn mattered less than pride—none would concede hard-won spoils to an outsider.
Unfazed, Chloe leaned back, delighted in the brewing discord. Chaos was her ally, and this standoff promised rich entertainment. Meanwhile, Kael withdrew mentally, analyzing every nuance of his temporary ascension. The battle's afterglow lingered—each spellcast, each surge of power, a lesson etched into his soul.
The scarred battlefield lay silent save for the lion king's labored breaths, its once-majestic form now a testament to sixth-rank might. Around it, ambitions and rivalries simmered, poised to erupt.
Amelia remained silent, not from unwillingness to aid Kael but from shrewd calculation. Any intervention now risked deepening their adversaries' wariness, potentially uniting the group against both her and Kael. Better to let tensions simmer while observing from shadows.
Unmoved by the surrounding posturing, Kael focused inward. The dragon blood's temporary enhancement had become a crucible—its fading essence now guiding him toward genuine breakthrough. For years, he'd lingered at sixth rank's threshold like a traveler grasping at locked gates. Now, through battle-forged clarity, the final barrier trembled.
A resonance pulsed through his core.
Suddenly, his body became floodgates unleashing pent-up power. Mana erupted through every channel as invisible shackles shattered—not the borrowed strength of dragon's blood, but hard-won ascendance forged through relentless cultivation. Sixth rank's true essence flooded his being, an unbroken tide honed through countless trials.
Sixth-circle mage.
The battlefield's chaos faded as Kael exhaled slowly, fingertips tingling with raw potential. Where borrowed power had raged like wildfire, this new energy flowed with glacial precision—a permanent elevation earned through perseverance. Amelia's eyes narrowed slightly, sensing the shift even as others remained distracted by their squabbles.
Around them, the Golden-Horned Lion King's labored breaths marked time. Kael's staff gleamed faintly, its runes awakening to true potential. Let them bicker over spoils; this quiet metamorphosis mattered more than any trophy. Years of stagnation had crystallized into understanding—not through potions or shortcuts, but the grinding weight of effort finally breaking through stone.