Pratik stood up.
He spat the blood away.
[Pratik]: Trigger 2 and 3, Pre Density.
Combining the abilities of Trigger 2: Density and Trigger 3: Pre Pulse, Pratik charged at Haidoro once again.
His body expanded like a balloon before compressing back to its normal form. The effects of Trigger 2 began taking hold. The density of his muscles increased dramatically.
His irises turned green.
The ability to see three seconds into the future.
Haidoro threw a punch.
To his surprise, Pratik dodged it effortlessly before driving his fist straight into Haidoro's torso.
[Pratik]: It doesn't matter what you have done to those who stood against you.
Pratik further amplified his Dark Plasma Level 10 with the increased density of his body.
[Pratik]: It doesn't matter if your domain is hell.
Pratik's punch sent Haidoro sliding backward.
[Pratik]: If you hurt others... then someday, someone is destined to hunt you down.
Pratik slowly walked toward Haidoro.
With every step, the rage inside him grew stronger.
[Pratik]: If you were obsessed with power and rule... and if you've already obtained both... Then you no longer deserve to keep them. I'll be the one to bring your reign to an end.
Pratik sealed his words with one final Dark Plasma Level 10 punch, driving his fist straight into Haidoro's face.
[Haidoro]: Isn't it amusing? You really think you're some kind of Messiah.
Haidoro casually rubbed the back of his head before looking back at Pratik.
[Haidoro]: You are far too weak-willed. Those very emotions will become the greatest obstacles in your life. If one truly wishes to become powerful, one must cast aside meaningless things... like kindness.
Haidoro's gaze sharpened.
[Haidoro]: Your attacks barely hurt me. So tell me...How exactly do you intend to defeat me?
Haidoro lunged toward Pratik.
A fierce battle erupted between the two.
Pratik was dodging Haidoro's attacks with far less effort than before.
Haidoro noticed it.
It annoyed him.
Yet the thrill of crushing a bug at its absolute strongest was enough to keep him calm.
Pratik started adapting Mala's 2:3 punch-to-kick pattern against Haidoro.
Even then, Haidoro barely needed to defend himself.
Those attacks simply weren't enough.
He was a beast far beyond Pratik's current level.
A Walking Calamity.
The Descendant of Destruction God Wahana...
Haidoro Narakar.
Pratik could feel the pressure mounting.
Despite everything, time was running out.
He could maintain Trigger 3 only for a short while.
Unlike Trigger 1 and Trigger 2, which he had mastered far better, Trigger 3 consumed him rapidly.
That brief moment of distraction was all Haidoro needed.
He slammed Pratik away with overwhelming force.
The Dragoling transformed into his Dragoling Beast Form.
His muscle density increased even further, gleaming like forged metal.
Four horns emerged from his forehead.
His height rose even more.
This time, however, he deliberately suppressed the growth of his natural armour and wings.
He stood before the fallen Pratik.
Like a predator staring down at its prey.
Pratik's eyes widened.
He knew this feeling well.
It was the same overwhelming pressure he had experienced against monsters like Crocus and Griho in the Dragon Empire.
The kind of presence that blanked his mind for a few moments.
Haidoro grabbed Pratik by the head and lifted him up like a rag doll, bringing him closer.
[Haidoro]: The Dragoling Bloodline descends from Wahana, the First Dragon... the God of Destruction. We were born as destroyers. Our legacy isn't defined by strength alone... but by the destruction we leave behind.
His grip around Pratik's head tightened.
Pratik let out an echoing scream.
[Haidoro]: You chose the worst possible enemy... at the worst possible time, kid.
Haidoro tightened his grip even further.
The whites of Pratik's eyes slowly began to show.
Just before Haidoro could finish him, Pratik somehow managed to burst a sphere of Dark Energy near Haidoro's face.
The sudden blast distracted the Dragoling just long enough.
Pratik slipped free and crawled away.
The explosion didn't injure Haidoro.
It merely forced him to sneeze and lose focus for a brief moment.
Pratik struggled back to his feet.
This was his last hope.
[Pratik]: Range Shift—
Blood suddenly streamed from his eyes and ears.
Huh?
[Haidoro]: Seems your body has finally started paying the price for your recklessness.
Haidoro glanced at Pratik before continuing.
[Haidoro]: Using multiple Range Shiftlings repeatedly in a single day... while forcing dangerous techniques like Trigger... has placed an enormous burden on your body.
Even someone as talented as you has limits.
Pratik fell to his knees.
His head hung low.
Haidoro was right.
While using multiple Range Shiftlings wasn't uncommon among elite sorcerers, it was still extremely dangerous for rookie or even average sorcerers.
Pratik had been pushing himself far beyond his limits lately.
This was the price he had to pay.
[Pratik]: Range Shiftling, Convergence...
Haidoro's eyes widened.
Haidoro (thinking): This kid is far too dangerous to be left alive...
[Haidoro]: Space Manipulation, Divergence.
Haidoro had misunderstood something.
Pratik hadn't cast Convergence around Haidoro himself.
Instead, he activated it beneath Haidoro's feet.
Divergence never came into contact with Convergence, so the two techniques never canceled each other out.
Instead, the dark ground beneath Haidoro pierced through his feet.
That unexpected move distracted him.
His Divergence was deactivated.
A costly mistake.
Pratik immediately shifted the point of Convergence from Haidoro's feet to his head.
The result?
Three of Haidoro's horns cracked.
Pratik had been directing the imaginary mass created by his Range Shiftling, Hypermass—which had remained active the entire time—toward that exact point.
Transporting the mass wasn't difficult.
All he had to do was manipulate space itself to shorten the distance between the mass and its target.
A brilliant strategy.
Yet...
Haidoro remained standing.
Blood trickled from his feet.
Blood flowed down from his head.
But he remained unmoved.
As if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, Pratik collapsed onto the dark ground.
Range Shiftling, Shadow Lord, was finally deactivated.
Both of them returned to the battlefield.
Haidoro (thinking): If this boy had trained for just a few more years... he might have defeated me.
What absurd potential...
Without another word, Haidoro began walking toward his next targets.
Kel and Ganaraj stood waiting.
Even they couldn't hide the tension on their faces as the furious Dragoling approached.
Soon...
The day Pratik would never forget was about to begin.
A trauma that would haunt him for a very long time.
Pratik (with assistance) vs Haidoro
Winner :- Haidoro
To be continued...