Despite Yeon-woo’s joy, he had the presence of mind to take advantage of the current situation with his increased thinking speed. The fire that exploded from the blade blanketed everything, turning the world red. A firestorm engulfed the Wave of Light, and the air turned wavy with heat.

It was hot enough to melt Yeon-woo’s scales and burn up everything that remained on the ground. Yeon-woo found the different streams of light in the midst of the explosion and avoided them. However it was hard to completely avoid the objects hurtling in the air, and sparks would sometimes hit him.

Despite the chaos, the shadow used Blink to try to direct the Wave of Light towards Yeon-woo. ‘Does he want us all to die?’ Yeon-woo used Swe to block it, but he only managed to redirect the attack, and it spread around them.

It was fun fighting with his brother’s shadow, but it was hard to tell what the shadow was thinking, and there was no way Yeon-woo could move away from the situation he found himself in. At most, he could only limit the damage, and he had to keep thinking of ways to lessen the explosive power of the attack. He made several calculations and thought of different possibilities, but each time, he could only conclude that it was impossible.

The only way he could free himself was to escape the stage or break it. However, the arena was too sturdy to be broken by players, and he had only one option left. ‘Territory.’ He would have to announce his territory and evade the explosion there. ‘Nike.’

『OK! Got it!』

Yeon-woo summoned Nike and grabbed the fire that came flying his way. He started to twist it around, using the same method to control his Consciousness. The flames followed his wishes and moved around him. Heat entered his Magic Circuit and even tried to destroy his Cores. His Magic Circuit burned up, and it felt like his magic power would evaporate at any moment.

Although it grew more painful by the second, Yeon-woo’s cells started to awaken with the Draconic Factors.

[Warning! You are currently exposed to an environment that is difficult to endure! It is advised to change location.]

[You are attempting control of fire and heat elements in your territory.]

[More control is needed.]

[More control is needed.]

....

[You have been afflicted with the status ‘Stun’.]

[The Draconic Factors are being applied.]

[Your trait, Cold-blooded, has helped you maintain composure.]

[The status 'Stun' has been removed. You have developed a strong resistance to fire.]

[You have developed an outstanding resistance to heat.]

[Your control of the fire element has increased by 5 points.]

[Your control of the fire element has increased by 17 points.]

....

[Your trait, Cold-blooded, has helped you maintain composure.]

[Your control of the light element has increased by 21 points.]

[Your control of the light element has increased by 16 points.]

....

[Due to your strong will, you have increased your control over the fire and light elements. The rules in your specialized territory are being strengthened.]

[The Draconic Factors are merging with the light and fire properties. The blessing is gaining fire and light properties.]

[You have acquired more knowledge about the fire and light properties. Please increase your knowledge through a deeper understanding of control.]

[You have learned concepts around ‘Demarcation.’ The power of the Draconic Factors is growing. Information about new power is being unrevealed.]

[You have learned concepts around Draconic Pressure.]

[‘Holy Fire’ skill proficiency has dramatically increased. 25.9%]

Yeon-woo had chosen to strengthen a particular element and exert complete control over it. It was a gamble to use the control of the fire element through Nike. Even if he couldn’t completely cover the arena with fire, he thought he would at least be able to avoid the explosions in his territory.

His gamble had been partially successful. The explosion had been so strong that it was impossible to control it fully, but he managed to lessen its destructive force in his territory.

The Draconic Factors were as powerful as the proud Draconic species, and it was a huge achievement to have partially opened up the second step.

Boom! Yeon-woo was sent flying by the storm. “This is...crazy.” He barely managed to land on the ground in the middle of a deep crater. However, he was in a terrible condition: his right arm was so burned that it was unrecognizable, he had difficulty breathing, and his internal organs were injured.

If Dragon’s Blood weren’t circulating through his body, he probably would’ve died already. ‘Henova’s going to nag me for this.’ He felt guilty when he thought about how Henova had patted him on the shoulder and told him to use the armor well. It hadn’t been a full day yet, and the Magic Armor was already in a pitiable state. It was fortunate that it had a self-repair feature to alleviate the worst of the damage.

Yeon-woo was too tired to fight. Even Vigrid felt heavy. He was sure even the shadow would be injured, but at that moment, the shadow slowly flew down with his Sky Wings. He sounded like he was breathing more easily than Yeon-woo, and he looked different. The dragon scales that had been on his neck were now up to his eyes. Under Sky Wings were Dragon Wings. The more steps one learned, the closer one became to an actual dragon.

Those wings meant that Jeong-woo had managed to open up the third step, Elemental Contact.

“That damned prodigy.” Yeon-woo laughed in disbelief. Some people had to gamble their own lives to reach this level, and others…It was unbelievable that his explosion had been swept aside so easily. Jeong-woo’s shadow had probably used light to defuse it.

Although he was also injured, he looked better off than Yeon-woo, and he raised Dragon Slayer, albeit in a tired manner. Yeon-woo felt keenly how strange it was to have someone with his face kill him.

「Hey!」

「Master, we can also participate…」

Shanon and Hanryeong shouted, sensing the danger. The Black Bracelet was one of Yeon-woo’s abilities, but he hadn’t used it even once. However, Yeon-woo cut them off. “I said…” Even if he couldn’t do anything about the Mythical Dragon, he wanted to defeat his brother with his own strength. Only then would he be able to grow. Besides, he still had some tricks up his sleeve. “I don’t want to do anything embarrassing.”

At Yeon-woo’s feet, blue and yellow Holy Fire burst up, healing his destroyed arm and giving him new scales. As the scales grew thicker, they also began to spread until they reached Yeon-woo’s right eye.

[The 2nd step of the awakening has been released.]

[Power: Draconic Pressure]

[Draconic Pressure]

[Description: The ancient dragon Kalatus set up an eight-step process to help the contractor adjust to the Dragon Body quickly. This is the second step. The will of a dragon is powerful enough to threaten a god or a demon. This will is projected into the territory to set up control.]

[*Dragon’s Murderous Aura

The Draconic species is a superior species that surpasses all others. This pressure buffs allies and scares enemies.]

[*Dragon’s Holy Walls

As the understanding of the power grows deeper, the additional effects of the territory also increase. A basic imaginary world will eventually be created.]

[Territory of the Dragon, ‘Binah’, has been strengthened. You can exercise control over your properties within the specified territory.]

[Within a limited time, all attributes increase.]

....

[‘Demarcation’ has been successfully achieved.]