The First Dragon God-Chapter 119: Fighting Liliana (2)

The shockwave from the collision of Nightshade and Lilliana’s attack echoed across the battlefield, a deafening boom that cracked the earth and shattered distant ruins.

Dust and debris flew into the air, blocking out the fading sunlight. The force of the collision sent ripples through the ground, splitting it apart as though the earth itself recoiled from the impact.

Leo was thrown back. His body felt weightless for a moment before crashing hard against jagged stone.

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He gasped, spitting out blood. His arms hung uselessly at his sides; he could feel the fractures in his bones, the burning ache of muscles pushed beyond their limits.

Even with [Regeneration] working overtime, his body was on the verge of collapse.

Nightshade remained in his grip, though barely. His fingers were finding it very hard to grip it. The blade’s gleam had dulled, stained with his blood and dust. His vision blurred. His chest rose and fell in shallow, ragged breaths.

Lilliana stood tall, unharmed, her crimson-glowing hand resting at her side. The cold smirk on her face deepened as she took a step forward.

The ground creaked beneath her, unable to withstand the pressure radiating from her mere presence.

"You’re still standing?" Her voice was smooth, almost amused. "Impressive, I must say."

Leo pushed himself to his knees, coughing violently. His ribs protested with sharp pain. His legs trembled, barely able to support him. Yet, despite everything, his eyes burned with determination.

Lilliana’s smile widened. "Ah, I see. You’re still clinging to hope. How adorable."

With a blur, she vanished.

Leo barely had time to react.

A fist slammed into his stomach. The impact drove the air from his lungs, sending him flying once more.

He skidded across the broken ground, coughing and gasping for breath. His vision dimmed, stars dancing before his eyes.

But Lilliana wasn’t done.

She appeared above him, her leg descending like a guillotine.

Leo raised Nightshade in desperation. The blade blocked the strike, but the sheer force drove him deep into the ground, like a nail being hit by a hammer, creating a crater beneath him. His arms screamed in agony, and he could feel the fractures worsening.

"You’re nothing," Lilliana whispered, standing over him. "Tatiana must really think poorly of me to send you. To send an insect like to fight me and the both of you will pay. And you will be the first."

Leo gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand. He didn’t bother to listen to what Lilliana was saying as he had far more important things to do than to listen to her rants.

His whole body shook, every movement bringing searing pain. His grip on Nightshade tightened. He couldn’t afford to give up. Not with everything was at stake.

Lilliana tilted her head. "Still fighting? Very well. Let’s see how long that lasts."

With a flick of her wrist, dozens of crimson blades materialized around her, floating in the air like deadly petals. They brimmed with energy, sharp enough to cut through steel.

"Let’s break you," she whispered.

The blades shot forward.

Leo moved. He had no choice.

He dodged left, the first blade slicing the air where he had stood. He ducked, another blade grazing his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood which turned into mist and floated towards Liliana.

He parried one of the crimson blades with Nightshade, and the impact sent vibrations through his already broken arms.

Leo continuously tried to dodge but there were too many.

One blade cut across his thigh. Another slashed his side. His blood sprayed across the battlefield.

Leo staggered, barely able to keep his footing. His vision blurred further. His breathing grew ragged.

Lilliana appeared beside him again.

Her hand gripped his face.

Before he could react, she drove him into the ground with enough force to create another crater. The earth groaned under the impact, cracks spreading out in all directions.

Leo lay there, gasping for breath, his body refusing to move as a never-seen-before headache enveloped his head. His grip on Nightshade weakened.

"Pathetic," Lilliana whispered. "You thought you could fight me? You’re barely more than an insect. You don’t even qualify to be called an insect. You’re nothing more than a speck of dust."

She raised her foot, placing it against his chest. Slowly, she began to press down.

Pain exploded in Leo’s chest as his ribs cracked under the pressure.

"How does it feel?" she asked softly, her eyes gleaming with cruelty. "To know that you’re utterly powerless? To know that you can do nothing but stay put and accept your miserable death."

Leo gasped. He could feel his bones breaking. The world dimmed at the edges. His thoughts grew sluggish.

But then the faintest glimmer of the purple-golden sun appeared again.

It flickered in the corner of his mind. A distant warmth. Faint, yet undeniable.

The faint, ethereal purple-golden light from the sun enveloped him again.

Lilliana paused, sensing it too. Her eyes narrowed. "What…?"

The warmth grew stronger.

Leo’s mind cleared. It was only for a moment but it was enough.

His fingers twitched and with the last of his strength, Leo gripped Nightshade once more.

Lilliana’s eyes widened slightly as Leo raised the blade, the sun’s faint glow reflecting off its surface.

He swung.

The blade connected with Lilliana’s leg.

For the first time, a thin line of blood appeared.

Lilliana stepped back, her expression shifting from amusement to irritation.

"Interesting," she whispered. "So you have something left after all."

Leo fell forward, supporting himself with Nightshade. He was barely hanging on to his consciousness.

Lilliana’s smile returned, colder than before. "I’m very curious to know how many times that thing of yours can save you from your inevitable death."

She vanished again.

A punch to his side sent him crashing into a wall.

Before he could recover, a kick to his back that almost broke his spine, drove him to the ground.

Another punch to his stomach left him gasping.

She was faster now. Stronger.

But Leo kept hanging on the last thread of his consciousness, never wanting to let go, no matter how many times she knocked him down.

Lilliana’s smirk faded. Her strikes grew more aggressive. More desperate.

Why isn’t he staying down?

Leo’s vision blurred. His body screamed. But he remembered Tatiana’s words.

If you don’t win this fight, you’re going to be in for a world of hurt in the tournament.

He had to survive. He had to win.

Even if it meant pushing himself beyond the limit.

The sun’s glow flickered once more, lessening the pain he was feeling.

Lilliana appeared in front of him for what she intended to be the final time.

"Enough."

She gathered her energy, crimson light swirling around her.

Leo shakingly raised Nightshade one last time.

The blade glinted with the crimson color of Liliana’s forming attack.

And they clashed.

The explosion rocked the battlefield.

Dust and debris clouded the air.

As the dust settled, Leo stood there, barely conscious, barely breathing, swaying like a small plant in a hurricane.