Without another word, they lunged at each other.
Both vanished—reappearing in violent bursts across the battlefield. Blows collided midair. Kicks shattered stone. Teleportation flashes cracked the ground beneath their landings, leaving afterimages suspended like ghosts in motion.
Yardy drew his bow and released a single arrow.
It split into billions.
The sky screamed as countless arrows streaked forward, each one slicing through the air with a piercing whistle.
Joseph moved.
Dozens of afterimages scattered as he dodged, wind spiraling around him from the sheer force of his speed. He weaved through the storm and closed the distance in an instant.
Arrows rained down.
Joseph slipped through them and drove a kick into Yardy's ribs.
Yardy teleported—
—but Joseph was already behind him.
Yardy spun and fired at point-blank range. Joseph's eyes widened as he barely evaded the volley. Arrows pulverized the ground, shards of stone erupting in every direction.
Then Yardy appeared behind him and drove a brutal kick into Joseph's back, slamming him into the fractured earth. Dust and debris exploded into the air. Joseph rushed towards Yardy.
They separated after exchanging a few blows.
Hovered.
Faced one another in the sky.
Both were breathing hard now. Blood streaked their faces. Bruises darkened across their skin like war paint.
Joseph exhaled slowly.
"Even if I die today… I'll have no regrets," he said, voice steady despite his wounds. "I lost to someone on my level."
Yardy gave a faint, tired smile. "We'd have been good friends… if we'd met sooner."
Joseph smiled back. "Yeah. Maybe in the next life… if there is one."
They charged again.
Yardy had been dominating the opponent, each strike sending shockwaves through the battlefield. The air trembled. Debris scattered with every impact.
Then the man vanished.
He reappeared behind Yardy, unleashing a rapid flurry followed by a crushing punch that sent Yardy skidding across the broken stone.
Yardy pushed himself up, blood on his lip.
"I underestimated you."
In an instant, he shapeshifted—taking Ron's form.
Before the man could react, Yardy teleported behind him and delivered the same rapid combination, finishing with a devastating punch that drove him toward the ground.
But the man never landed.
Yardy teleported beneath him and launched a powerful kick into his abdomen, sending him soaring upward. The wind shrieked from the force.
In the next heartbeat, Yardy appeared above him and slammed him down.
The ground spider-webbed with cracks on impact.
The man rose again.
Blur.
He was behind Yardy.
Yardy barely teleported in time, feeling the gust of the missed strike brush past his face.
His speed… it's incredible.
Yardy wiped blood from his lip.
He struck—but the man flowed like a shadow, dodging with almost no visible movement.
Again, an attack from behind.
Again, a narrow teleport.
Brilliant speed… I'm barely keeping up, even with teleportation.
They suddenly met head-on, fists colliding at the same time.
The shockwave blasted outward, throwing dust and rubble into the air.
They drifted back, breathing heavily.
The man wiped blood from his mouth. "What's your name?"
"Yardy. And you?"
"Joseph Nelson."
Yardy gave a tired grin. "You're incredible. Your speed keeps up with my teleportation."
Joseph shook his head. "No. You're the better fighter. I liked the shapeshifting."
They smiled.
Then attacked again.
Later—
Ron flew toward Yardy, scanning the ruined battlefield.
"Hey, Yardy," he called, noticing the fallen body nearby. "Who was that?"
Yardy glanced at Joseph, chest still rising and falling.
"Joseph. He was a tough one."
Ron went silent.
Dream.
"Yes," her voice echoed gently inside his mind.
What's the situation on the battlefield? Ron thought.
"The armies have been defeated. Jake ordered a retreat."
Understood. Come home. Ron thought.
"Hey, Yardy," Ron said aloud. "Tell them you handled the Dragon Sage and Eric."
Yardy nodded.
Ron teleported away.
Moments later, Dream appeared at the house, holding Ines carefully in her arms.
"You should rest," Ron said softly. "I'll take her."
Dream nodded and gently handed Ines to him.
For the first time that day—
there was silence instead of war.