CHAPTER 54: THE END OF THE PEACEFUL LIFE!

Elara gasped, leaning forward in excitement. "He dodged it! He dodged it!"

Helius glided backward, twisting lightly as he raised his sword. Flames wrapped around the blade viciously like a snake.

"Your swings are too heavy, Draxton."

Draxton let out a low chuckle. "Then let me crush you faster!"

Another surge of fire erupted from beneath him as he charged forward again.

Their blades collided again and again.

CLANG!

CLANG!

CLANG!

Each strike was infused with fire, turning the arena into a swirling battlefield of sparks and burning arcs.

Helius wielded his sword like a flexible whip, his flame was thin and sharp like a burning wind.

On the other hand, Draxton’s flame roared violently, thick and explosive like molten magma.

The contrast made their fight feel like two different worlds of fire clashing.

Helius swung his sword horizontally, sending a thin crescent of flame racing across the ground as he used his (Scorch Crescent) skill. The sharp arc of fire cut toward Draxton like a slicing blade.

Draxton raised his sword in response, coating his arms with dense fire mana as he used the (Inferno Bulwark) skill.

A thick shield of flame erupted from his body, absorbing the crescent attack with brute force. The flame splashed like liquid fire before evaporating into thin air.

Elara clapped cheerfully. "He’s so strong!"

Ignis tilted her head slightly as she commented. "His mana control is crude, but the volume is considerable."

Helius circled to the side, flames curling around his feet as he moved like a dancer. In a blink, he vanished from his position.

"So fast—!" someone in the crowd shouted.

He reappeared to Draxton’s left side and used his sword skill (Flame Phantom), delivering a swift stab that glowed like a star.

Draxton responded instantly, ignoring the phantom-like feint and turning his sword deep, molten red as mana surged violently when he used (Molten Reversal) skill.

BAAANG!!

The strike sent a shockwave across the arena, blowing dust and embers everywhere.

Helius was forced backward, sliding across the arena floor. He stabbed his sword into the ground to stop himself.

"Ugh—this guy..." Sweat trickled down his forehead.

James crossed his arms. "That guild member is decent."

The crowd roared louder as the two knights reset their stance. Both knights inhaled deeply, flames surging around them.

Helius’ sword ignited with thin spirals of flame that wrapped around his blade.

Draxton’s entire body pulsed with fire mana, steam rising from the ground beneath him.

Everyone watching held their breath. Even Elara went quiet, as her lips parted slightly and she opened her eyes wide clearly.

Then, the two knights charged at the same time.

BOOOM!!

A massive explosion of fire engulfed the center of the arena. Some spectators shielded their eyes as the blast illuminated the plaza with vivid red.

The flames swirled upward like a pillar reaching for the sky before scattering into floating embers.

When the smoke gradually dispersed, a single figure remained standing.

Draxton Veil.

He was breathing heavily, his armor cracked and scorched, but his sword still pointed firmly downward.

Helius lay on the ground, coughing violently, blood trickling from his lip.

The plaza then erupted in cheers.

"Draxton won!"

"As expected of Ember Fang’s strongest Peak Gold!"

However, for a brief moment... There was a sudden silence because of one small voice.

Elara blinked twice, then tugged on James’ coat.

"Brother James."

"Yes?"

She pointed down at the arena with a completely innocent expression. "Brother Garran is stronger than both of them combined... right?"

The plaza turned dead silent.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Everyone, including Draxton and Helius, was speechless.

Ignis looked away, covering her mouth to hide her laughter. Nyxrael lowered his head out of respect for the fallen pride of the duelists’ knights.

James coughed lightly. "Elara... You can’t just say that out loud."

"But it’s true," she replied sincerely, tilting her head as if confused.

Draxton exhaled deeply. "I trained for years just for this."

Helius pushed himself up with a complicated expression.

The surrounding crowd stared at Elara like she had dropped a meteor into the arena. Somewhere in the distance, someone whispered softly.

"Steelheart children really are something else..."

James sighed as he patted Elara’s head while she remained unaware of the chaos she caused.

"Let’s go." James shook his head helplessly. "It’s getting late."

Subsequently, they headed back to the Azure Crest Pavilion as the sun was about to set, and Elara was getting hungry after spending hours going here and there.

The moment they stepped into the fourth hall, the same server greeted them politely. "Welcome back, Young Master James, Young Lady Elara. Let me guide you to—"

"We’re going to eat first, our little glutton is hungry after these activities." James chuckled as he patted Elara’s head.

The server smiled gracefully in response and guided them to the same private balcony table as before.

Elara instantly ordered the same thing but with double portions of the food she fancied the most. As for James and the others, they also ordered the same thing except for the Abyssal Tidewine.

Just as the server left the private balcony and James enjoyed the bustling city, Ignis suddenly tilted her head sharply to the left, her gaze seemed to penetrate anything and looked in the City Gate’s direction.

Naturally, James noticed this and raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"This is troublesome. Two Peak legendary Ranks just entered the city." Ignis spoke with a frown.

"Huh? Two?" James knitted his eyebrows and murmured softly. "Is it the royal family?"

"No!" Ignis shook her head in response, then tapped her finger on the table as she continued. "Because the humans in this place shouldn’t have the capability to be that strong."

James frowned deeply, looking at Ignis with a solemn expression. "You mean?"

Ignis nodded. "Yes, they should be from the outside of this isolated region. And I’m pretty sure that one of them is an Elf."

On the way back to the Steelhearts before, James explained the rough situation and plan of the Steelhearts to Ignis, as he thought that she should know their current situation and goals for the future.

That’s why Ignis was certain that these two Peak Legendary Ranks were from the outside of this isolation area.