CHAPTER 306: CHAPTER 306 - THE DRAGON AND THE STORM

Atlas shot through the air at incredible speed, closing the distance toward his enemy in the far distance. He combined the explosive power of his Mountain Leaper Bands with the green stepping platforms Lyrassa created beneath him, using both in perfect rhythm to propel himself forward.

He needed to finish this battle quickly, before more lives were lost on either side.

The massive azure dragon that had been coiling around Bai Yun suddenly broke away, its immense body twisting as it began to gather energy in its gaping jaws. A brilliant light flared inside its mouth, signaling an energy blast about to be unleashed straight at Atlas.

Atlas pushed himself faster, but the dragon was quicker. Several glowing magic spheres fired from its mouth in rapid succession, streaking toward him like shooting stars.

"Damn it!" Atlas cursed, veering sharply to the side. Explosions erupted in the air around him, shockwaves rippling through his armor. He had only a split second each time to react.

More and more magic spheres followed, converging on him from all angles. He could only rely on Lyrassa’s support from afar, her nature energy shaping footholds beneath him just in time to keep him from losing momentum in his mad dash through the storm of blasts.

Atlas darted right, then left, another explosion bursting close enough to rattle his balance. He rose higher into the sky, hovering for a brief moment before a new volley came. Without hesitation, he dove straight down, slamming his foot onto another green platform, and launched himself forward again with explosive speed.

The air split around him as he surged ahead, lightning trailing in golden arcs around his armor.

The distance between him and Bai Yun was shrinking fast. He was almost there!

[Unique – Stormcall Domain (Active Skill) activated.]

[Epic – Storm Chain: Judgment Spear (Conditional Active Skill) activated.]

The skies above darkened in an instant, thunder roaring as lightning split the heavens. Bolts of pure energy rained down in rapid succession, and in that same heartbeat, they converged into Atlas’s spear.

The weapon blazed with divine light, crackling with the power of a raging storm. In mere fractions of a second, he would be within striking distance. His first blow ready to land.

But Bai Yun only smiled arrogantly. The man’s expression was calm, confident. Then, with fluid precision, he darted backward, his body twisting through the air as he weaved between the crashing bolts of lightning that shattered the sky around him.

The azure dragon roared again, its massive body gliding through the storm as it spiraled away from the danger zone, energy coursing along its scales.

Atlas pressed forward, chasing him relentlessly. Lightning burst from his armor, propelling him faster as he aimed to strike, but Bai Yun moved even faster. His speed exploded in a surge of blue energy as he shot upward, leaving Atlas trailing behind.

Within moments, Atlas realized he had left the range of his Stormcall Domain, and as he crossed that invisible boundary, the storm faded. The power surrounding his body dissipated, and his skill deactivated.

"Hah!" Bai Yun’s mocking laughter echoed through the air. "Did you really think I would stay still and let you strike me so easily? I’m not an opponent you can defeat with such foolish tricks, Atlas!"

The azure dragon’s roar thundered once again, its maw glowing as it charged another attack aimed directly at Atlas.

If ranged assaults were useless, then Atlas would take him down in close combat!

Lightning erupted around him once more, golden arcs snapping across his armor as he pushed off from the air itself. In a single burst, he vanished from his position. Then reappeared right before Bai Yun, his spear sweeping upward in a blinding motion.

But Bai Yun was ready. Though he held no weapon, his stance shifted sharply. His feet moved as if stepping on invisible platforms, his body steady and perfectly balanced in midair, like a master who could walk the wind itself.

Atlas swung his spear in a sharp horizontal arc toward Bai Yun, but the man bent backward at the last instant, the blade missing him by mere inches. Atlas followed with a rapid series of thrusts, the tip of his spear flashing in streaks of golden light, yet Bai Yun twisted and wove between each strike, moving like water, smooth, fluid, and impossibly fast. His arrogant smirk never fading.

"Is that all, Atlas?" he taunted. "Did you think I was just another foolish lord relying on reinforcements? No... I am a master of my art!"

Atlas gritted his teeth and pushed harder, lightning crackling along his weapon. He spun the spear around his back and launched another strike from the front. With the reach of his weapon, Bai Yun would have little room to counterattack unless he resorted to using magic.

[Elite – Flurry of Spears (Active Skill) Lv. 9 activated.]

The spear danced like a storm, striking again and again with impossible speed.

But Bai Yun merely smirked, raising one hand as a glowing magic formation appeared before him. It absorbed the strikes with a loud metallic hum, nullifying the skill’s power in an instant. Then, with a flick of his wrist, Bai Yun deflected the shaft of Atlas’s spear to the side.

He moved in close, faster than expected, his feet sliding with perfect control as his fist shot forward. He aimed a precise blow toward Atlas’s chest, followed by another to his side, each strike aimed to keep Atlas from recovering his stance or countering with his weapon.

Atlas barely managed to retreat, leaping back just in time as the impact grazed his armor.

Then Bai Yun’s hands blurred again, forming complex seals in rapid motion. His entire body became enveloped in glowing blue energy that surged and pulsed like a living flame.

"Now," he shouted, his eyes gleaming, "let’s see how brave you truly are, Atlas. Let’s see how long you can stand against me in close combat!"

Atlas planted his feet firmly on the floating platform, gripping his spear with both hands. Lightning rippled along his armor as he steadied his breath, his eyes locked on his opponent. He was ready.

Bai Yun’s hands moved again, forming another rapid sequence of hand seals. In the blink of an eye, his body split apart, one after another, until twelve identical copies surrounded Atlas from every direction, each radiating the same sharp blue aura as the original. They floated in a loose circle around him, their movements perfectly synchronized.

Then, all at once, their voices overlapped, echoing through the air like a sinister chant.

"Let’s see how this foolish rat handles being hunted by twelve predators at once."

Atlas lowered his stance slightly, gripping his spear tightly. The air around him pulsed with surging energy, his lightning aura flickering wildly like a living storm that hungered to be unleashed.

His gaze swept across the circle of enemies, each one a perfect copy of Bai Yun. Yet his expression remained calm, unreadable, untouched by fear or doubt.

Bai Yun was clearly skilled in martial arts, his movements refined and deliberate, strengthened further by his mastery of spellcraft. But Atlas knew this was nothing compared to the martial prowess of Kurogasa.

A faint, confident smile curved at the corner of his lips.

"I haven’t even finished warming up," he said coolly.