Syléane didn't give him time to finish his insolent smile. Pure fury burned in the depths of her silver eyes, reflecting as brilliant flashes on her ethereal scales. She suddenly leaped forward, releasing a wave of draconic mana so powerful that it instantly pulverized everything around her.

Mordred reacted immediately, his orange pupils narrowing with excitement. He activated his [Instinctive Reflexes] without hesitation, time suddenly slowing around him. Syléane, though fast as lightning, now moved with surreal slowness in his eyes. He gracefully slid to the side, his body perfectly following the fluid movements of the Ogame lightning technique, using the "Narukami" technique to strike with precision at his opponent's exposed opening.

Mordred's gleaming blade brutally met Syléane's scales reinforced by draconic mana. The impact generated a violent energetic blast, propelling Syléane against one of the command center's walls. The reinforced concrete cracked deeply under the shock.

Mordred, now fully immersed in the excitement of combat, burst into provocative laughter.

- "Is that all you have, Syléane? I expected better from a dragon of your rank."

The dragoness rose with supernatural speed, her silver scales shining brighter under the effect of anger. Her rage was palpable, radiating, but Mordred clearly saw the flaw this caused: the total loss of discernment, the inability to think strategically. Each of Syléane's attacks became brutal but predictable.

Syléane suddenly opened her mouth, releasing an immense glacial wave that instantly transformed the atmosphere into a deadly ice prison. Mordred retaliated by immediately activating his "Cold Resistance" skill, a previously absorbed ability, and easily broke the ice that tried to envelop him.

- "You disappoint me, Syléane. If you give in to anger, you'll never be able to beat me," he said in a falsely paternal tone.

He leaped toward her, his mana wings majestically emerging from his back, propelling him with phenomenal speed above her. In the same movement, he used the paralysis skill associated with his sword, precisely targeting a sensitive area between his opponent's scales.

The dragoness, caught by fury and lack of discernment, found herself temporarily paralyzed by the bite of the magical blade, an electric shiver painfully running up her body. Mordred landed slightly back, arms open in an arrogant gesture, openly savoring this beginning of victory.

Outside, the agitation was palpable. A dozen dragons, seasoned warriors, had urgently gathered around the building, attracted by the mana blasts. Yet none of them dared to intervene directly. They were perfectly aware that attempting to interrupt such a confrontation would amount to throwing themselves into a devastating storm. Their helplessness was visible, their gazes filled with a mixture of admiration, terror, and respect for the two fighters who clashed without restraint.

- "This fight is beyond us," murmured one of the dragons to his companions, eyes fixed with fear on the ongoing battle.

Meanwhile, Syléane regained her senses, the paralyzing effect quickly dissipating. She raised her head, her eyes sparkling with rage now controlled by an ultimate survival instinct. She screamed brutally, releasing an explosion of mana so intense that even Mordred had to briefly retreat.

Then, in a desperate but extremely fast attack, she swooped down on Mordred with new agility, propelled by her anger but this time guided by a semblance of recovered lucidity. Her draconic fist, wrapped in a glacial and terribly dense aura, struck Mordred full in the chest with unimaginable force.

The shock was so brutal that Mordred was projected backward, passing through several successive walls in a series of deafening explosions. He finally hit a metal structure, bending it under the violent impact. A trickle of blood slowly flowed from the corner of his lips, and this time, his arrogant smile completely disappeared. He felt a deep pain radiating from his ribs, aware that several of them were probably broken or cracked.

His orange gaze immediately hardened. The lightness he had displayed until now instantly disappeared, replaced by cold determination. Mordred slowly straightened up, wiping the blood from his mouth with a calm and measured gesture. He slowly raised his head, his eyes now shining with murderous intensity.

- "Very well," he murmured coldly, his tone now implacable. "Let's play seriously, then."

Outside, the spectating dragons retreated slightly, instinctively sensing that the real confrontation had just begun. They now knew that none of them could intervene. This fight belonged solely to Mordred and Syléane, two beings completely surpassing their understanding and level.

Syléane straightened up, breathing with difficulty but ready to continue this fight that would decide not only her fate, but also the future of their world. Her silver scales shone like never before, her draconic mana pulsing powerfully around her.

Mordred wiped away with the back of his hand the blood flowing from his mouth, his eyes now cold, rid of all arrogance or lightness. He stared intently at Syléane, the dragoness now bathed in a flaming aura, scarlet flames slowly licking her silver scales, finally revealing her true heritage. This familiar incendiary power immediately reminded Mordred of his former adversary, Belgaroth, and he instantly understood that this dragoness belonged to the same noble fire family.

- "Interesting," he murmured to himself, feeling a thrill of combative excitement run through his battered body.

Syléane advanced, the ground cracking under each of her steps, the heat emanating from her dangerously increasing. She was a true incarnation of burning fury, each breath escaping her lips exhaling burning embers. Her silver eyes were now tinted with red, a direct reflection of the rage and ardent energy she mastered.

- "Let's finish this!" she roared, charging directly at Mordred, her body radiating devastating power.

Mordred reacted immediately, activating his [Instinctive Reflexes] again to narrowly avoid the first flame-charged draconic punch. He felt the burning heat graze his skin, tearing a slight groan of pain from his lips, but this time, he didn't retreat. He countered directly, striking Syléane full in the chest with a violent seismic discharge, seeking to disturb her balance.

However, the dragoness held firm, solidly anchored to the ground thanks to her powerful fire draconic magic that reinforced her body to a superhuman level. She retaliated without waiting, swinging a lightning succession of flaming claw strikes that forced Mordred to retreat prudently, parrying and skillfully dodging each attack with millimeter precision.

The fight had radically changed pace, becoming a brutal and merciless physical confrontation. The two adversaries now danced in an intense melee, each seeking to gain the upper hand over the other. Mordred, though hardened by his previous battles, immediately felt the difference facing an opponent who wielded flame with such physical intensity. Each blow delivered by Syléane was like a burning hammer, constantly threatening to pierce his defense.

Taking advantage of a furtive opening, Mordred attempted a bold counter-attack, employing the lightning techniques of the Ogame school, "Narukami" and "Shidensen" in rapid succession, aiming to break Syléane's brutal offensive. His blade shot precisely toward her, haloed with lightning tearing the air around him.

Syléane roared fiercely, her rage amplifying her already sharp reflexes. She partially dodged the lightning attack, the blade slightly cutting her powerful shoulders but without causing critical wounds. In immediate retaliation, she brutally seized Mordred by the arm, her burning claws painfully planting themselves in his flesh.

The pain was intense and immediate. Mordred, caught off guard by this aggressive grip, felt his arm numb under the terrible burn of Syléane's claws. She violently pulled him to her, raising a massive flaming knee that brutally struck Mordred's chest. The shock was so violent that he felt several ribs crack further, tearing a muffled cry of pain from his throat.

Syléane immediately took advantage of her momentary advantage, throwing him to the ground before delivering a series of rapid and violent blows. Each impact burned, each strike fractured his resistance, making the struggle terribly difficult. Yet Mordred refused to give up, using every ounce of remaining strength to repel the dragoness's flaming attacks.

Around them, the other dragons watched the fight with growing stupefaction. Never had they seen a battle of such intensity. None even tried to intervene anymore, aware of their insignificance faced with the brutality and power unleashed by these two fighters.

Mordred, panting and bloody, felt his determination intensify. He drew from his last energy reserves, his orange eyes shining with a new light, fierce, determined. This time, it was no longer about having fun or testing his limits. He had to win this fight at all costs.

He roared in turn, releasing a brutal mana impulse that momentarily pushed back Syléane. Taking advantage of this brief respite, he got back on his feet, swaying slightly, his wounds numerous but his will intact. His mana wings deployed fully, sparkling with new intensity.

Syléane charged again, this time surrounded by an aura of glowing flames so intense that even the air around her seemed to crackle with pain. But Mordred didn't move. He waited for her, focused, his senses sharpened to the extreme.

At the last moment, just before the fatal impact, Mordred suddenly disappeared from Syléane's sight, using the ultimate technique of the lightning kata, "Shidensen," at its maximum. He immediately reappeared behind her, his blade charged with both electricity and a paralyzing aura. Before she could react, he struck her violently in the back, his blade this time penetrating deeply between her scales.

Syléane screamed, the shock coursing through her entire body, her muscles contracting violently under the effect of electricity. Mordred didn't release his advantage, driving his sword deeper, lightning tearing through her robust body. In a desperate movement, she released an explosive wave of flames that projected Mordred backward, violently separating the two fighters.

Both fell heavily to the ground, getting up with difficulty...