CHAPTER 275: ELEANOR VS DRAYKEN!

It was a warm, sunny, and exciting day in the Dragon Kingdom.

The streets buzzed with life as droves of dragonfolk moved along the same direction, their chatter rising above the rhythmic clatter of clawed feet on stone.

Inside a cozy coffee shop tucked near the plaza, one particularly clueless individual sipped their drink and glanced outside, then turned to the shopkeeper with a puzzled expression.

"Why’s the street so lively today?" they asked curiously.

The shopkeeper froze mid-wipe of a mug and gave the customer a look of sheer disbelief, as if he were staring at an idiot. "Are you living under a rock?" he scoffed.

The man frowned, setting down the cup with a small thud. "You could just tell me instead of mocking my knowledge, you know."

"Our prince is challenging one of the Four Dragon Lords, the strongest Rank Seven Dragons," the shopkeeper said proudly, thumping his chest as his dragon tail rose.

"The strongest Rank Seven Dragons?" the man mumbled incredulously.

"That’s right." The shopkeeper nodded with a smile on his face. "I still remember when our prince fought the younger generation and came out on top. His glory didn’t end there, he led us against the humans when they dared to pry into our secret land and earned momentous merit during the dragon hunts waged by the humans."

"Woah, that’s simply incredible," the man said, nodding with a grin. "I’m a travelling dragon. I usually stay outside the Dragon Kingdom, I live in seclusion."

The shopkeeper raised a brow. "I see. So, are you enlightened now, my fellow dragonman?"

"Yes, I am," the traveler replied calmly. He stood up and nearly hit the ceiling. Towering and broad-shouldered, his presence suddenly filled the entire room, casting a shadow over the shopkeeper, who blinked in surprise.

The shopkeeper gave a low whistle. "Where are you headed?"

"To meet the Dragon Prince," the traveler said with a deep voice. "And to swear my allegiance, if he proves worthy."

The shopkeeper tilted his head skeptically. "You, don’t look all that strong—" He froze. The seat was empty.

The traveler had vanished without a sound, like a ghost.

The shopkeeper blinked rapidly, rubbing his eyes. "Wait... was I serving a high-ranking Dragonman just now?"

***

The cheers and chorus of the crowd bustled with excitement,they were eagerly anticipating what was to come.

All of them were heading to the arena.

Inside, a massive platform stood at the center, built from some of the strongest materials in the land. Surrounding it were rows upon rows of seats, filled with people who couldn’t contain their cheers.

It resembled a Roman gladiator ring.

At that moment, an old man slowly made his way toward the stadium, coughing and wheezing. "I’m too old for this," he muttered to himself, feeling the ground tremble beneath him as the deafening roar of the dragon people echoed through the air.

Suddenly, the temperature across the entire arena began to drop.

In an instant, every dragon fell silent, and a strange stillness settled over the surroundings.

A faint dragon’s roar echoed, low, resonant, thundering in the hearts of the dragon people.

They watched as a giant dragon descended from the skies, her wings slicing through the air. Her slitted pupils scanned the area before she landed gracefully with a single powerful motion.

A mist spread with her descent, and in the next moment, she transformed into a beautiful woman with long golden hair and crimson eyes.

Each breath she took released a fine layer of frost-laced mist, the air itself freezing from the sheer coldness she was emitting.

Then Eleanor turned to the old man. "I have troubled you," she said softly.

"It’s fine. I’m excited to see this match as well," the old man said with a sigh. "You’ve been invincible since you were little. I wonder, will I finally witness the defeat of the Invincible Icy Mistress?"

"Is that my title now?" Eleanor asked with a light chuckle.

"That’s right," the old man replied, taking a deep breath to steady his weary body. Then he spoke again, "Are you confident you can take him on?"

"He’s so bulky and strong, how could I?" Eleanor said, still chuckling. "My limbs are weak, and my frame is small. I could never take the girth of the Dragon Prince."

"Why are you making jokes?" the old man frowned. "Have you even prepared enough?"

"I don’t need to prepare for a measly one whom I made a Dragon," Eleanor said, pride unmistakable in her tone. Her pupils stared straight ahead, her back perfectly straight.

She carried an elegance, an utter coldness etched into her expression. The sheer presence she emitted was undeniable, like the grace of an untouched gem.

Her beauty defied spoken description.

And her iciness only heightened it.

The old man watched in silence and shook his head. "Again, I’m too old for these things, but this match is far too exciting to miss."

Tension thickened in the arena, all eyes waiting, for a Dragon Lord to face the Dragon Prince and see the outcome.

Eleanor was considered one of the four top dragons among the Rank Seven Dragons, which only heightened their favor.

If the Dragon Prince really defeated her, then his strength might be able to reach Rank Eight Dragon and there was only one known Rank Eight Dragon in the dragon kingdom:

The Dragon Emperor!

The speed at which the Dragon Prince’s strength increased was simply mind-boggling.

As the old man contemplated the future of the dragon, suddenly the sunny sky grew bloated with dark clouds.

Flashes of lightning struck, and the booming sound of thunder echoed through the place.

Every dragon person raised their heads in anticipation.

They watched as lightning gathered in the skies, twisting and crackling into the terrifying shapes of lightning dragons, beasts so fierce they could chill the hearts of many.

These spectral dragons loomed over the clouds, roaring in subservience around a shadowy, cloud-bound figure.

The crowd grew even more excited, swallowing hard in eager anticipation.

Slowly, the shadowy figure descended through the clouds, revealing a bulky man with long white hair. The lightning dragons swirled around him, coalescing into a suit of armor that enveloped the powerful youth.

He descended slowly to the ground, but even his slightest movement seemed to lengthen the heartbeats of the dragon people.

When he landed with a thunderous bang, the lightning coursing through him shattered the earth beneath almost instantly.

"We greet the Dragon Prince," one dragon person said, standing and bowing. Soon, the others followed suit, all bowing deeply to the bulky, white-haired youth before them.

"Hmm."

Drayken nodded casually, his crimson pupils fixed on Eleanor as he spoke with a mocking tone, "I thought you wouldn’t accept the challenge."

Eleanor remained calm and collected, silent for a moment before replying in an icy voice, "Are you here to mock me or challenge me?"

"Actually, I am fighting you to just ignite my bloodline and get stronger, that is all that I am here for," he replied with a casual shrug.

"So you think of me as a whetstone? A mere punching bag?" she said. Even in her cold face, the twitch of her brows couldn’t be hidden at all.

"Yes, I think exactly that upon seeing you," Drayken said with a thumbs up and a smile.

"... You made quite a grand entrance."

"Of course, as the lord of lightning, it is only natural for me to make a grand entrance, isn’t it?"

"Hmph." Eleanor scoffed in disdain and pointed with her palms.

"Let’s fight."

"We shall." Drayken looked at the old man, and the old man nodded his head.

Then the old man looked at Eleanor, and Eleanor simply glared back.

"I am just asking for permission to start the match, no need to get angry over these old bones," the old man said with a sigh. He coughed again, louder than before, raising his hand and swiping it down. "Alright, let the match begin."

The moment his hand fell, Eleanor moved in an instant, leaving a layer of ice in her wake.

Drayken watched calmly as lightning circulated around him, gathering to strike the woman before him without him even moving.

The ice shattered instantly as the lightning struck Eleanor, causing a slight hindrance.

"Ice Magic: Freeze."

The moment her voice rang out, all the lightning froze in place.

She watched with cold crimson pupils as the frozen lightning droplets fell to the ground one by one.

Then came droves of lightning dragons surging toward her.

Of course, Eleanor countered by circulating her mana and raising her palms forward.

"Ice Magic: Ice Dragons."

Dragons made of ice took shape, clashing fiercely with the lightning dragons.

The lightning dragons were terrifying, not only composed of lightning, but also brought to life by his Monster Creator skill, making them stronger than ever before.

In just a few seconds, the lightning dragons completely tore apart the ice dragons and pressed onward toward Eleanor.

Eleanor had already cast two spells, but Drayken stood there with lazy, half-closed pupils, completely uninterested.