Chapter 406: Preparation

Luke was given a small, shed-like structure to prepare for the battle.

He was still in the elven region, as the dragons would need time to return to their realm and make the necessary preparations for the ultimate battle.

He had no idea what they might be preparing, but if he allowed himself to dwell on every possibility, he would only lose focus on what mattered most.

"System, what was the last reward again?" Jorma had interrupted him back then, so he had not gotten a chance to see it properly.

[Host, upon bringing the discussion to its best conclusion, you have been rewarded with:

[All-Resistance Potion: Nullifies poison and elemental attacks, suppresses pain, and provides regeneration.]

[Rank: SS]

Oh, nice.

He had been wondering how he would deal with the flames. At one point, he had even considered spraying himself with cooling oil or finding some kind of protective suit, though neither option sounded particularly practical. This was far more desirable.

And considering its rank, he had little reason to doubt its effectiveness.

"What’s the duration?"

[One hour, host.]

Luke hummed.

The battle wouldn’t last that long.

He took the potion and stored it in his inventory for the time being.

Next, he checked his weapons. He had several basic ones, including knives, spears, blades, and a bow. As for enhanced weapons, he had three. His favorite, Magma Tooth, the war hammers, and now, his newest addition.

The Lunar Sickles.

"Hmm. Quite nice."

The pair of crescent-shaped blades were forged from silver-white metal, their edges gleaming with a cold, moonlit radiance.

Slender yet mercilessly sharp, each curved blade possessed an almost delicate elegance. It was only when the light struck its edge that its true nature became apparent. The thin line of silver was sharp enough to cleave through flesh and steel alike.

The moment Luke grasped them, he felt a faint hum travel through their handles, almost like a restrained pulse of energy waiting to be unleashed.

He summoned a small pouch from his inventory and held one of the sickles against it. With a thought, he willed the blade to become dull and blunt.

Then he swung.

TNG!

The coins inside rattled violently as the pouch jerked in his hand, yet the fabric remained completely unharmed.

The impact sounded as though he had struck the pouch with a hammer, despite the curved blade itself barely making contact.

Luke pulled his hand back and slashed again.

This time, he commanded the sickle to regain its sharpness.

Crackle.

The fabric split instantly.

Coins spilled onto the floor, several of them falling in two clean pieces.

Luke nodded in appreciation as he examined the gleaming edge in his hand.

It worked exactly as the system had described.

More importantly, it could be useful for deception.

An opponent might see a harmless, blunt weapon and lower their guard, only for its edge to become razor-sharp at the critical moment. Against someone stronger than him, an unexpected attack like that could mean the difference between landing a decisive blow and losing the opportunity altogether.

’Good weapon.’

Still holding the sickle, Luke decided to test its teleportation ability.

He planted his feet and asked, ’How do I use it, System?’

[Host, you need to build momentum and pour magic into the Sickles through combat to awaken that ability. You will know when you are capable of using it.]

"..."

That was definitely not good news.

He couldn’t exactly bring a weapon into a battle where the difference between life and death could be decided in an instant without knowing how to fully utilize its abilities.

Still...

’It’s not like I would actually die.’

He knew that much for certain.

He decided he would try activating the ability during the battle and figure it out as he went.

Next, he checked his potions. He had two medium-grade potions and several low-grade ones. They probably wouldn’t be of much use during the battle, but there was no reason not to keep them ready. In a battle like this, even something seemingly insignificant could prove useful at the right moment.

He also had his vanishing cloak, along with several other tools he had accumulated over time, including a flare gun, a taser, spray, and a few similar items.

But then again...

’What use would any of these be against someone with mountain-like endurance?’

The Dragon King’s defense was already approaching two hundred. Someone of his age, or perhaps even older, could reasonably possess a similar level of durability.

Luke remembered how the taser had barely been effective against him under the moon.

’Hah. Forget it.’

He shook his head.

’I need to rely on my magic and combat skills.’

Perhaps he was overthinking things.

He had experienced more unexpected battles in his short life after his rebirth than he cared to remember. Not long ago, he had gone against an entire army of savages and somehow survived.

If he had managed to walk away from that, then he would survive this as well.

He would win.

Hopefully.

...

"Are you ready?" Jorma asked as Luke stepped out of the shed, looking no less confident than he had before.

"Yeah. Are we leaving right away?"

Jorma nodded. "I had a chat with the elders, and it appears they will be watching the whole thing through sorcery."

Luke smiled wryly. "So I have an audience now, eh?"

Jorma sighed. "Well, most of them are eager to prove the Ancient One wrong about you being the Guardian. So they will be watching in the hopes of seeing your head flying through the air."

Luke chuckled.

"Well, I hardly believe even the Ancient One has any hope for me. In fact, in this entire world, there isn’t a single person other than myself who believes I could come out victorious."

Luke had faced similar situations before, back when people expected absolutely nothing from him because he had been nothing more than a weakling and a loser in their eyes. There had always been something strangely satisfying about proving those people wrong, especially when the disbelief on their faces slowly gave way to shock.

He could never quite explain why he enjoyed it so much. Perhaps it was because, for once, he was the one standing above the expectations that had been placed upon him, rather than the one struggling beneath them.

He wasn’t sure how today’s battle would unfold, but he knew one thing.

His performance would leave plenty of people staring in disbelief, their jaws hanging open as they struggled to comprehend what they had just witnessed.

"Well, I won’t say that I trust your victory is certain, but I have a feeling you are going to prove a lot of people wrong today."

Jorma’s sudden words carried a sincerity that caught Luke slightly off guard.

Luke chuckled. "Even though we only met recently, you’ve already started trusting me. Quite a lot, too."

Jorma coughed lightly. "I’m just following my instincts. Anyway, are you ready to go, or do you need a moment to collect your thoughts?"

Luke snickered. "These kinds of things are better done with a rush of adrenaline, so let’s get going."

Jorma nodded.

He stepped forward and reached for Luke’s hand. The moment their palms met, magic stirred around them, and the scenery shifted.

In the next instant, they were standing in familiar surroundings, though they were nowhere near the Dragon Queen’s fortress anymore.

Luke looked around, recognizing the terrain almost immediately.

Naturally, Jorma had brought them to the place where the battle was going to take place.

The same heightened senses and overwhelming strength surged through him, but rather than grinning and swimming in the rush of power, Luke remained still, his brows drawing together as he looked ahead.

"What are they preparing here?" he asked.

A large number of people were streaming toward what appeared to be a massive colosseum. More kept arriving from every direction, their voices carrying through the air as the gathering steadily grew.

"Well, they like battles to the point that they could cancel their weddings just to witness a good one," Jorma said with a shrug. He had somehow expected this, so the sight didn’t surprise him in the slightest.

Luke sighed, then a slow smile spread across his face.

"Well, it would be even more fun this way."

They started approaching the venue when Luke suddenly said, "Go ahead without me."

Jorma’s brows rose as he wondered if Luke had changed his mind and was about to back out.

Then he noticed someone approaching in the distance.

Understanding immediately, Jorma gave Luke a knowing look before stepping away.

"Don’t take too long," he said, then vanished.

Luke turned his gaze toward the sky.

There, a beautiful woman hovered high above them, her deep crimson wings spread wide behind her and her arms crossed over her chest.

"You...are such an idiot."

Luke gave her a wink, "Took you long to realize."

~~~~

A/N:- Thanks for reading. Please review the book and a comment