Borzoi stared at the hand gripping his fist.

Then suddenly—

He laughed.

Not nervously.

Not cautiously.

But loudly.

The kind of laugh that came from someone who had finally found something interesting after being bored for far too long.

"Hah!"

His grin widened.

"So what now?"

His voice carried mockery again.

"What are you gonna do about it?"

The moment the words left his mouth—

Maxwell disappeared.

Borzoi’s eyes widened.

Too fast.

A violent force slammed into his side before he could fully react.

Boom!

The kick landed directly against his remaining arm, which he barely managed to raise in time to defend himself. The impact alone caused the muscles in his shoulder to tremble violently, and the next instant, Borzoi’s entire body was launched across the battlefield like a cannonball.

The earth exploded beneath him.

Tall grasses bent and tore apart as his body crashed through them one after another, leaving behind a long path of destruction that stretched across the land. Dirt erupted into the air while shattered stones spun wildly from the force alone.

Borzoi continued sliding.

The ground cracked beneath his feet as he tried to stop himself.

His remaining arm trembled from the collision.

Then finally—

He halted.

A deep line carved through the earth beneath him.

Silence followed briefly.

Wind passed through the broken grasses.

Then—

Borzoi straightened himself.

He was still standing.

His grin returned.

"That’s it?"

He spat blood to the side.

"You hit harder now, but you still can’t put me down."

His tone carried ridicule again, though his breathing had become slightly rougher than before.

Far away, Maxwell slowly walked forward.

The white and golden aura surrounding him had grown denser now, wrapping around his body like flowing flames. The dragon-shaped shadow behind him had not disappeared either. If anything, it looked even clearer than before.

Maxwell’s glowing eyes remained fixed on Borzoi.

Cold.

Silent.

Borzoi smirked again.

"What?"

"You gonna stare me to death?"

But then—

His expression changed.

A sharp stinging sensation suddenly spread through his arm.

"...Hm?" 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

He looked down.

Then froze.

Blood splattered across the grass.

A deep wound had appeared across his remaining hand.

Fresh blood slowly dripped from the injury.

Borzoi stared at it.

For the first time since the fight began—

His smile disappeared.

I defended that.

The thought immediately crossed his mind.

Then how...?

Before he could think further—

Maxwell was suddenly in front of him.

Too close.

Too fast.

Borzoi barely widened his eyes before another kick slammed into his body.

Boom!

The impact sounded like exploding thunder.

His red skin cracked slightly from the force, and blood burst outward into the air as his body flew once again. This time the momentum was far more violent than before.

The ground tore apart beneath him.

Trees snapped.

Rocks shattered.

A long crimson trail appeared across the land from the blood dragged by his body.

Then—

Maxwell followed.

Like a streak of light.

Borzoi had barely regained control of himself when another strike came crashing down.

A fist.

Then a knee.

Then another kick.

Each attack flowed into the next without pause, overwhelming him completely.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Every collision shook the battlefield.

Borzoi raised his arm to defend.

The first strike blocked successfully.

But the second came immediately afterward.

Then the third.

Then the fourth.

Even when he defended one attack, the next one still landed before he could recover.

Again and again.

Relentless.

Violent.

Maxwell moved like a storm that refused to stop.

Borzoi’s body trembled from repeated impacts.

His red skin protected him from fatal damage, but the pressure behind every strike still forced blood from his mouth again and again.

His feet dug into the earth.

His muscles tightened.

Yet he continued getting pushed backward.

Another punch slammed into his ribs.

Another knee struck his stomach.

Then a kick smashed directly into his jaw, forcing his head sideways with explosive force.

Boom!

Borzoi crashed through a large boulder.

The stone exploded apart instantly.

Before the debris even settled—

Maxwell appeared above him and drove his foot downward.

Borzoi crossed his arm to defend.

The impact still forced him into the ground.

A crater erupted beneath him.

Dirt and shattered rock exploded upward like waves.

Maxwell did not stop.

He attacked again.

And again.

And again.

Borzoi’s expression finally changed completely.

The mockery vanished.

The arrogance vanished.

Only seriousness remained.

Damn it...

His instincts screamed at him.

I got careless.

His thoughts raced rapidly.

This isn’t the old battlefield anymore.

This is the continent where Young Warchief lives.

The realization struck him hard.

Ever since meeting Clay, everything inside Borzoi had changed.

The continent no longer felt ordinary.

Every strange creature.

Every abnormal existence.

Every impossible phenomenon.

Everything now felt dangerous.

And because of that—

He realized something important.

I can’t underestimate anyone here anymore.

The moment that thought crossed his mind—

Borzoi roared.

"AAAAAAHHHHH!"

His skin darkened further.

The red color spread violently across his body, becoming deeper, hotter, more intense than before. Veins bulged along his remaining arm while steam erupted from his skin.

The air around him distorted.

The ground beneath his feet cracked.

His muscles expanded slightly.

Then—

A violent aura burst outward from him.

Boom!

Maxwell’s next strike collided against Borzoi’s guard.

This time—

Borzoi did not move.

Maxwell’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Borzoi slowly lowered his arm.

His grin returned again.

But now—

It looked far more savage.

"Now we’re talking."

His voice sounded deeper than before.

Almost beast-like.

Maxwell immediately attacked again, but Borzoi’s movement had changed completely.

Faster.

Sharper.

More explosive.

He twisted his body and avoided the strike entirely before slamming his shoulder into Maxwell’s chest.

Boom!

Maxwell staggered backward several meters.

Borzoi immediately chased after him.

His fist drove forward like a cannon.

Maxwell blocked.

But the force behind it still pushed him backward through the earth.

Maxwell’s expression changed slightly.

He got stronger.

Meanwhile inside Maxwell’s mind—

His master became alarmed.

This is bad.

That red state evolved again.

Maxwell gritted his teeth.

"I know."

Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.

"But I can still fight him."

Another collision erupted between them.

Boom!

The surrounding area shook violently as their fists collided head-on.

This time—

Neither side moved.

Wind exploded outward from the impact.

Both stared directly at each other.

Then both attacked simultaneously.

Punches.

Kicks.

Elbows.

Knees.

Each exchange became fiercer than the last.

Maxwell’s dragon aura clashed repeatedly against Borzoi’s berserk power, creating shockwaves that ripped through the land around them.

Trees collapsed.

Grass flattened.

The earth continued cracking apart beneath every step they took.

Maxwell’s breathing grew heavier.

Borzoi’s body accumulated more wounds.

Yet neither side stopped.

Instead—

Both seemed increasingly excited.

Borzoi laughed loudly while exchanging blows.

"Yes!"

"This is better!"

His remaining arm slammed against Maxwell’s side.

Maxwell retaliated with a glowing punch directly to Borzoi’s face.

Blood splattered.

Borzoi grinned through it.

Maxwell narrowed his glowing eyes.

Their battle became faster and faster until even the air itself seemed unable to keep up.

Inside Maxwell’s mind, however—

His master became increasingly worried.

Stop.

The voice echoed heavily.

Do not continue further.

Maxwell gritted his teeth again.

"I don’t have a choice."

You do not understand what you’re forcing out.

Maxwell blocked another punch before retaliating instantly.

"I can’t lose here."

His master’s tone became tense.

Your Dragon Body has levels too.

The more you force it... the more dangerous it becomes.

Maxwell’s expression hardened.

"Then I’ll endure it."

Another explosion erupted between him and Borzoi.

Borzoi suddenly laughed again after forcing Maxwell backward.

"That’s right!"

"Fight harder!"

His body radiated terrifying heat now.

The grass near him had already begun burning from the intensity alone.

Maxwell steadied himself.

Then—

Golden light erupted from him once more.

Even stronger than before.

His aura surged upward violently.

The dragon shadow behind him roared silently toward the sky.

His master immediately panicked.

No!

Do not force more power out!

Your body cannot fully control it yet!

Maxwell ignored him.

"I said..."

He raised his glowing hand.

"I don’t have a choice."

The light around him intensified further.

His veins glowed faintly beneath his skin while scales slowly began appearing around parts of his arm.

His master could only sigh heavily.

Then reluctantly—

...Fine.

But if you lose yourself completely...

The voice became bitter.

I may not be able to save you anymore.

Maxwell said nothing.

Instead—

He disappeared again.

Borzoi’s grin widened immediately.

"There you are!"

Boom!

Their fists collided.

This time both were pushed backward simultaneously.

Both froze briefly afterward.

Then both smiled.

Because both realized the same thing.

He got stronger again.

The next instant—

They charged at each other once more.

The battlefield exploded continuously beneath their clash as both unleashed everything they had without restraint.

Borzoi’s attacks became wilder.

Maxwell’s strikes became heavier.

Blood flew repeatedly from both sides.

Their bodies accumulated injuries rapidly.

Yet neither slowed down.

Borzoi suddenly laughed loudly again while wiping blood from his mouth.

"This continent really is insane!"

He cracked his neck.

"First Young Warchief..."

Then he stared directly at Maxwell.

"And now you."

Steam rose heavily from his body.

His red skin darkened even further.

Then—

His expression became serious again.

Very serious.

"It’s time..."

His aura exploded outward violently.

"...to try the third phase..."