Child of Destiny

...…

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Multiple figures were flying across the snowy top of a certain mountain as the weather was starting to get worst. The snow was starting to fall from the sky and started to fill the group with their whiteness.

The already cold temperature of the surrounding was dropping at a noticeable rate. It could even make anyone shiver intensely due to how cold it was.

But despite that being the case, the owner of the silhouettes flashing across the mountain peak didn't bother about the chances in their surroundings.

From a spectator's point of view, anyone could tell that one of the silhouettes was way ahead of the rest as it was being chased. It was moving at an extremely fast speed that was seemingly making it impossible to catch.

On the other hand, four of those silhouettes were chasing after the owner of that particular silhouette in a very organized manner. They might be slightly behind and a little slower but they persistently chased after the first silhouette, not willing to let go.

At the same time, there was also a pair of silhouettes who were moving away from the first group. They were also fast but based on their movements, it seemed like they were coordinating with the other four silhouettes and controlling their speeds to maintain the distance that they had.

From time to time, those two were using their magic gun and bow to fire a couple of powerful skills to hinder the movements of the first silhouette.

…

Naturally, the identity of those people dashing in different parts of the snowy mountain peak was Shin and the others while the one that they were chasing after was Caelum who was completely different from the time when they first saw him.

Caelum was now properly showcasing why he was called the Archer King of the famed Dragon Knight Army.

Shin and the others were now having trouble catching up to him despite the four of them being in the state of Reality Manifestation. Not only they failed to corner him with their complicated formation, but they were also forced to break their formation from time to time.

But despite that being the case, none of them felt threatened. Even if the attacks coming from Caelum looked powerful, none of them were threatening enough that would risk their lives.

Shin was not sure if it was on purpose but that was what he was feeling in the current situation. In fact, Caelum seemed to be trying to train them rather than planning to kill them.

He honestly thought that it was just his imagination but he became sure about it the moment when Faker, Zero, and Arthur voiced out their thoughts.

Even Ara and Alucard who were in the distance could also feel it. They might not be fighting in the frontlines, unlike the others, but the constant shots that Caelum was sending in their direction were perfectly timed to interrupt their big moves despite being pressured by the four Godlike Players.

Not only that, but Caelum was also putting a lot of thought into his position. He was controlling his position perfectly and aligning his body directly in front of those four to block their line of sight.

He was using the body of Shin, Faker, Zero, and Arthur to hide from the eyes of Ara and Alucard.

Due to that, the two of them were forced to constantly adjust their position, trying to get a better angle when attacking. And because of this, these two marksmen felt that they were the ones who were being trained the most.

Timing, positioning, awareness, and accuracy – Caelum seemed to be telling them that these things were the real weapons of a marksman in a battle.

In this sense, they were the ones who got the most in this battle.

…

After continuing the battle for a few more moments, Shin and the others became convinced that Caelum was trying to train them. He might not be opening his mouth and instructing them, but his actions were speaking loudly for himself.

Shin didn't know why he was doing it, but there must be a reason behind his actions. They might not know it, but they would not waste this opportunity presented in front of them.

Due to that, the group decided to focus on the battle and the things that they could learn from it instead of trying to kill Caelum and end the battle.

Seeing that Shin and the others understood his intention, Caelum couldn't help but smile in satisfaction before increasing the intensity of his attacks. He even started getting bolder with his moves as he used a series of much stronger skills and combinations in the process.

*******

As Shin and the others were trying to their best learn from Caelum, a similar situation was currently happening on the other side where the rest of their team was fighting.

Nel was still carrying his strong and confident aura as he was fighting the others. And just like Caelum, he was currently using the power of the curse to further strengthen himself.

A black aura was being emitted by his full-body armor, making his appearance much scarier and intimidating than the first time they saw him. His iron mace also grew in size while a bunch of black spikes appeared on it.

There was also a significant boost in his strength and speed that made Owen, Lawless, and Leonard become more careful at their moves. They might have understood that Nel was trying to train them but it didn't mean that they would not die if they got hit by his attack.

Moreover, his attacks became much stronger and scarier compared to before. He looked like a ferocious beast that was currently on a rampage.

During this battle, Owen became more confident in himself. By withstanding those crazy attacks and dodging a few of them, he was able to learn quite a few things.

His footwork when defending became more refined while his usage of his shield improved drastically. It would not be an exaggeration if he said that he was the one who gained the most in this battle.

With the powerful Heals and Buffs that Cloe and Black Hand were giving him, his confidence in himself grew significantly. And when he learned that each strike that Nel was throwing at him carried a lot of martial insight, Owen did his best to receive them despite how powerful they were.

In the meantime, Lawless and Leonard who were also fighting alongside Owen in the frontline also grew quite significantly.

They might not have gained as much as Owen because they already had a particular path that they were currently walking on, but the things that they had learned could help them grow in the style that they had chosen. Especially when they saw how Nel utilized his strength in every strike.

For people like them who were also using their bodies and strength attribute as their main weapon, Nel was one of the opponents that they wished to face to learn more about their respective styles.

*******

On a certain mountain peak, away from the two battlefields, Grand Marshal Draco was currently looking at the horizon.

With his current strength, he was able to clearly see what was ahead of him no matter how small they looked from the distance.

His figure looked like a sturdy mountain that would never collapse no matter how strong the storm was going to clash against it.

Crossing his hands on his back, he stared at the distance with his calm eyes. He remained expressionless as he watched the ongoing battle between his two most powerful subordinates and the young heroes who arrived in this place.

A few moments later, a spiraling shadow suddenly appeared beside him before turning into a humanoid figure.

Grand Marshal Draco didn't have to turn his head in that direction as he already knew who was that person.

"You look so calm despite knowing that your end is near," said Dracula, the Vampire Progenitor, as he also stared at two battlefields in the distance.

"For cursed being like us who managed to retain our sanity, dying is the same as regaining our freedom," replied Grand Marshal Draco in a calm tone.

Dracula didn't reply and continued to stare at the ongoing battles. He only opened his mouth when he felt that he observed enough. "As expected of those people, the inheritors of their legacies are very talented."

He then paused for a moment before looking at Draco from the corner of his eyes before continuing. "You are also as strong as them. Are you sure that you are not going to pass down your legacy to these kids? From what I can see, there are quite a few of them who are worthy to be your successor."

Grand Marshal Draco remained silent for a moment before shaking his head. "These young heroes already have a path that they had chosen. Trying to persuade them on accepting my legacy would only do them more harm."

He then paused for a moment as he stared at the certain person before continuing. "But you are right. It will be a pity not to pass my legacy to anyone which is why I am going to ask them to hold onto it until they found a worthy individual to carry it."

"Hoh~! I see," Dracula nodded his head in understanding.

The silence between the two continued as they watched the battles. A few moments later, the grand marshal finally opened his mouth. "The contract is about to be fulfilled. I hope that that choice they are going to make is the right one."

Dracula didn't immediately answer as he stared in another direction before responding. "I am also hoping for the same result."

"Though, I also want them to move as fast as they could since I can feel the spawns of that Demon King are plotting something. He must have sensed my sudden change of heart."

He then paused for a few moments and turned his head toward the sky before continuing. "After being trapped in this place for a very long time, I realized how foolish of a choice I did back then."

"I was blinded by the rage and revenge, and chose to turn my back to the world and betray our roots," he added with a tone full of regret and longing.

"I am originally planning to let you take my life when I lose myself from breaking my contract with that Demon King, but who would have thought that you are going to be cursed by one of the gods that you used to serve back then."

"Fortunately, our hopes are still alive. The guardian dragon is still alive and unaffected by the curse cast upon you."

Taking yet another pause, he lowered his head and stared at Arthur who was fighting in the distant mountain peak before continuing. "What's more, a Dragon Knight suddenly appeared when we are about to lose all hope."

"It must be fate," said Grand Marshal Draco after a long silence.

Dracula silently nodded his head at those words before continuing to watch the ongoing battles. His eyes were full of hope and longing. He was waiting for this for a very long time – the time when he could finally break free from his curse and enter his eternal slumber.

...