A golden warrior looked down at Kairos from above, his great wings spanned across the protection field, keeping him hovering above.

Though his wind pressure wasn’t strong, flowers and leaves flattened themselves towards him.

The Dragon Emperor descends. All nature bows.

In this state, Calculus has the strength of the dragon race and a temporary access to their bloodline inheritances. The dragons' wisdom and techniques unlocked during the fusion.

Facing such immense dragon’s presence, Kairos had to take his opponent seriously, though he still refused to unseal his abilities.

“Mongrel, you have pointed your blade at me for long enough. I shall show you the distance between us, just like how you are looking upwards at me right now.”

“You mistake it for your own power,” Kairos replied indifferently. As usual, Calculus spends way too much time talking, and encouraging him with a response will create some time to think.

“Hah. Spoken truly like a lowborn. You think that the power that I inherited is not mine, yet the very flesh we have are given unto us by our parents. Some people are born superior, while others have defects, so don’t cloud yourself. When was life, ever fair?

Even the martial arts you have were created through the countless refinement of geniuses, while you are conveniently riding their coattails.

A person of the peasantry like you should remember your place!”

“Riding coattails?” Kairos asked with a dangerous voice, “Whoever said that all my skills are given unto me? Sealing Arts 02: Movement Break!”

Kairos mimicked Calculus’ hand seals and unleashed the same technique. Immediately, invisible twines tangled at the young noble’s ankles in mid-air.

Compared to the original, the effect is exceptionally feeble, with the skill barely replicated by Kairos through his judgement.

Unable to see into Calculus’ body, and therefore not knowing how the Seals were actually cast, it was imperfect. However, with his experience at crafting and altering martial arts, he could guess the general makeup of the skill and reverse-engineer it.

Calculus stared at Kairos like he had seen a monster. The technique used on him is too weak to chain him down that even normal movement should break the bonds, but to Calculus it felt as though these weak tendrils entangling him are threatening abominations.

Having struck by his own skill, he couldn't help but feel a crushing sense of defeat.

What right does Kairos have to think himself superior? Well, for one, he could instantly replicate a skill after seeing it once. That alone is something that Calculus knows he could not compete.

"What... what in the world? What sort of demon could replicate skills after seeing it only once?

I have to kill him before he becomes my undoing!"

While his foe is floored by what happened, Kairos took the chance to initiate an attack.

He launches himself into his opponent while at the same time silently activated a technique. Self-made skill, Celestial Lightning Storm.

Having trained himself in the Storm Palm, after unlocking his new lightning Ki, he had altered the technique to suit the Lightning Dragonling that resides within himself and created a new skill.

It was a flashy move that requires a long charging time, but within his Dantian, his lightning dragon that has its sentience curled up and directed his internal energy for him.

The tiny dragonling sending out waves of lightning Ki, powered the move, while he fought Calculus head on; the two exchanged a flurry of blows in midair.

Before he fell back to the ground, he punched Calculus skyward, taking three hard punches in return. Then, Kairos finally unleashed upon his foe the attack that the dragon had been preparing.

The technique depleted nearly half of Kairos’ Ki, turning the very sky turned dark, as a great storm cloud that looked like the nebula was called forth.

Within it, thick electric serpents danced, their very brilliance gave all that beheld it an overwhelming sense of reverence. This might of heaven which had made millions worship as the wrath of God since time immemorial.

Pure mass of energy begins to gather at the centre of the storm cloud, into a gigantic ball of light.

Calculus’ face turned pale at the bewildering sight. The feeling of invincibility fading away from him instantly.

“T…this presence! This is God's Judgement. The Heavenly Tribulation Lightning?”

As the glow grew dangerously bright, Calculus snapped himself out of his reverie and quickly threw up his arms. A pillar of lightning came at him with blinding speed, far too quick for him to avoid, and he can only rely on the dragon’s resistance.

It fell onto his head in mid-air with an enormous boom that shook the ground and burned the air.

The thick bolt disappeared into him, the energy turning into a ring of light binding him, which glowed with increasing intensity as the seconds ticked.

Calculus could feel his flesh disintegrating and his blood boiling within his veins by the frightening might of the thunderbolt. Knowing that he could not endure for much longer, he dispelled a significant portion of his energy outwards to force the currents out.

Together with an immense pressure, the electric ring broke apart and scattered in a wave, as everything turned white with a flash.

When visibility finally returned, Kairos saw that the dragon warrior had withstood the attack. His wings are now tattered, and all the scales on him dulled, but the bestial fury had not left his eyes.

“You! How did you call down the Heavenly Tribulation Lightning?!” Calculus howled in a mixture of rage and unease. In his heart, he hoped that he had mistaken the identity of the storm. Although it is the weakest version, this lightning is something that only occurs when one is turning into an immortal, and able to deliver heavenly judgement that could destroy even a triple S ranker.

Only those that survive would be found worthy to enter the higher realm. Even Calculus that fused with the Five-clawed Golden Dragon dares not easily receive it with his body.

Kairos did not entertain him with a reply when he himself did not know how his Ki turned into the Tribulation Lightning. Furthermore, his Heavenly Lightning Storm technique is still in progress.

A sizzle of lightning alerted Calculus, whom suddenly found himself covered by the storm cloud that had descended unnoticed from above. A web of lightning closed in on his position; Each strand was merely as thick as a vine, but a dangerous amount stretched towards him within the dark nebulae. It's might superior to the previous attack.

He glared at Kairos in an unholy rage, knowing that this was a trap set up onto him. The blinding light, the earth-shaking noise, even the shock of the Heavenly Tribulation Lightning Pillar itself, is all used to distract him. Giving Kairos the time he needed to set this up.

Now that he is tangled within, if even one of those lightning strikes him, it wouldn’t end with just a little shock. The Tribulation Lightning, no matter in what form, is a fearsome force that commands reverence.

But before even a strand of electricity could touch him, Calculus with a wave of his arm summoned numerous circular seal barriers. They surrounded him, becoming like a cocoon of colourful lights.

Now, not only were hundreds of shields protecting him, it was instantaneous casting without using hand seals. An ability impossible for Calculus without his fusion.

As the high-powered sparks touched his shields, great explosions covered the entire sky. Without such a swift defence, anyone in his place would turn into charred meat.

Lightning and fire struck at his shell relentlessly, but not a single barrier broke even facing attacks superior to what used before. Instead, the Seals dissipated the Heavenly Lightning Storm.

Kairos on the other hand were unconcerned how his trap had failed. It was merely a test of Calculus’ power, and to drain his opponent's strength to a more manageable level.

“These binds on me is rather annoying,” Kairos thought. Till now he had not taken a single step because of Calculus’ Seals, but the next part of their fight will require him to have maximum mobility.

*Haaaaahhh!*

Summoning the dragonlings within him with a shout, Kairos directed them to the surface of his skin, where they greedily gorged themselves on the sealing energy.

“Hah! Do you expect such crude methods to..,” Calculus said half way then stared at Kairos transfixed, “You freed yourself of the seals?! But how?”

Kairos had seen the dragons within his Dantian swallowing up rampant energies enough times to know they can deal with these binds just as easily.

“I’m unable to defeat his dragon form with elemental attacks of my level I guess.

Let's see if his soul can take my hit. War God’s Epithet!”

Activating his Soul Core, Kairos’ eyes burned with fire, as his Astral body manifested before him.

Clad in armour, his War Soul flew upwards and struck his opponent. He could see a small crack appearing on Calculus’ soul, but, the spirit blade quickly met a resistance and a magnificent force repelled him back.

The Ancestor Dragon’s presence.

Kairos' spirit flew back into his body with tremendous force, and at once he was forced onto one knee as a trickle of blood ran down his mouth.

His body reflecting the injury his soul received.

“Soul Arts? Not bad! Now it's my turn, curl!” Calculus shouted with a great cry, and he flew downwards diving at Kairos.

In his fused form, his swiftness has become close to the celestial beast’s speed, nearly unmatched in this realm. Without using Soul Perception, Kairos could hardly track their movement with his eyes, yet it only caused a wide grin on his face.

Calculus appeared beside him in a flash and sent him flying with a single punch before he could react. Then, without letting him land, the winged warrior caught up and dealt a second blow with both arms in mid-air.

Kairos barely managed to block the attack when once again Calculus appeared below him, striking him on his back with a knee.

“Tch, my Eternal Empyrean is barely holding up against this pounding. But, this fighting style… how third-rate.”

With the dragon’s strength, Calculus could shred Kairos’ defences with his claws at any time. However, the boy was only toying with Kairos as though he wanted to show the difference between them.

To return from Silent Lambs Empire, Kairos and his brothers had fought tooth and nail for their survival, yet Calculus here is using a completely opposite combat style. Kairos shook his head internally as he endured the blows.

"It’s obvious he had never fought with everything on the line before."

As more and more attacks came his way, Kairos twisted his heels to the side and protected himself with his arms in the exact same manner as how Calculus fought.

His disgruntled foe soared up into the air and barked, “Copying my techniques once again. How pathetic. Have you not your own that you must use mine?

If you are so desperate to learn techniques, then try copying this!”

Eight orbs of light materialised behind him, rotating in a spiral, as a familiar sensation hit Kairos.

“Aisa, what’s this?!”

Be careful Kairos! That is the Five-clawed Golden Dragon's ultimate technique. It consists of all the Elements of Creation and Nature.

“Isn’t it born of my Fire Ki?”

Oh oh~! Kairos had underestimated us dragons, hehe. Fire may be its forte, but the dragon race has stronger affinity to the elements than most. And among the Ancestor Dragons, the Five-clawed Golden Dragon is the King because of their superior natural affinity.

“… Then, isn’t it stronger than Aisa?”

Waaa! Kairos doesn't believe in Aisa? Wuu, Aisa is much stronger you know?

“Haha, I'm just teasing you. I know there are only sixteen Primordial Dragons right?”

Aisa replied with a satisfied coo, “It’s good that Kairos knows.”

“A King among dragons huh? Well, looks like I’m in a whole lot of trouble right now. I don't think I can block them all” Kairos thought while looking at all the glowing orbs flying towards him.

Sending all his strength into his legs, Kairos dodged the power of every element that flew at him with the Lightning Flicker Body. The orbs that flew past, turned around and homed in on him.

“Come dragonlings!”

With a thought, the Fire and Ice dragons flew out of his robes and charged towards Calculus at once; their speed a good match against him.

Though they were much smaller, and weaker, they attacked without reserve and managed to pin their foe down.

Using this short interval they earned, Kairos rushed before Calculus and gripped onto him.

“You knave. Stay back!” Calculus roared, as he tried to pull Kairos off, however, even with his increased strength he found it difficult to free himself.

“This strength?! Kairos, how…”

“Like it? Look, your orbs are returning.”

Along with Kairos’ proclamation, the energy spheres bombarded them both. Elements of every kind blasted at them, causing roars of pain from the two.

They suffered terribly, but ultimately, the Five-clawed Golden Dragon is a celestial beast, and Kairos' array of defences are already equal to the average immortal that they are hard to be destroyed.

The blasts, however, was powerful enough to send them flying out of the barrier.

Calculus barely survived his own power. He flew out headfirst and struck the ground with great force, flipping across the lawn and only stopping when he crashed into the dorm building. He landed, face-down, unconscious.

Having used up all his contract beast’s strength, Calculus' transformation was undone, and the golden dragon entered a slumber within him.

Kairos who landed not far away slowly picked himself up. The golden runes from his True Heavenly Armour activated at the most critical moment, shielding him from the unearthly detonation.

His final line of defence broken.

“Tch, I wouldn’t be able to use this for a month at least.”

The battle between them had ended. Although Kairos could still fight while Calculus could not, with the both of them out of the barrier, the duel ended in a draw.

And, in the case of a stalemate, it is considered as though they each have suffered a loss.