Adam didn’t wait. He shot forward, his claws extended, dark energy curling around his fingers. The rain scattered where his body passed, droplets parting like startled prey.

Caelum’s golden eyes tracked him. His lips curled into a sharp, confident smile. The Lance of Pride blazed in his grip, the golden light along its edge intensifying until it seemed to burn. And then, his aura surged.

It erupted from him in a wave of radiant gold, shaping itself around his form like a second skin. The image was unmistakable a lion, mane ablaze with light, its golden eyes fixed on Adam with predatory certainty. The pressure of it pressed against Adam’s senses.

[Artifact Active: Sovereign of Arrogance]

[Effect: While activated, all of the wielder’s stats are increased by 30%. The wielder’s attacks ignore 50% of the target’s defenses. Duration: 5 minutes.]

[Bonus Effect: Pride’s Mantle – The wielder’s confidence feeds the artifact. The more certain the wielder is of victory, the stronger the boost becomes.]

Adam’s eyes narrowed. ’So his arrogance makes him stronger.’

Caelum’s voice rang out, sharp and commanding.

"Lion’s Pride Strike!"

He lunged.

The Lance of Pride swept forward, trailing golden light. The strike was fast, faster than anything Adam had faced from him.

Adam’s daggers rose to meet it.

CLANG—CRACK!

The daggers didn’t just deflect the strike. They shattered.

Shards of cursed steel flew through the air, glittering in the fading light like dying stars. Adam stared at the hilts still clutched in his hands, the jagged remnants of the blades.

Caelum’s smile widened.

"Those daggers were never meant to withstand the Lance of Pride." He twirled his spear, the golden light pulsing along its length. "Did you really think you could match me with someone else’s castoffs?"

Adam’s jaw tightened. He dropped the broken hilts.

"No."

His hands rose, empty, dark energy already curling around his knuckles.

"I’ll just use my hands."

Caelum’s golden eyes gleamed. "A fistfight? Against the Lance of Pride?" He laughed—a short, sharp sound. "You really are a fool."

Adam’s lips curved into a cold, dangerous smile.

"We’ll see."

He moved.

Caelum’s spear swept toward his throat. Adam ducked, the blade passing close enough to ruffle his hair. He took a step closer, but Caelum was already retreating, the spear’s long shaft keeping Adam at a distance.

Adam lunged again. The spear jabbed toward his chest. He twisted, the blade grazing his ribs, drawing blood. He reached for Caelum’s arm, his fingers brushing the prince’s sleeve—

Caelum spun, the spear’s butt slamming into Adam’s side.

Adam stumbled, caught himself, and pressed forward again. The spear’s reach was too long, its wielder too skilled. Every time Adam thought he was close enough to strike, Caelum’s footwork carried him back, the spear’s point forcing Adam to evade or be impaled.

’This is useless,’ Adam thought, his internal voice sharp with frustration. ’I can’t get past his guard.’

Caelum’s golden eyes gleamed.

"Frustrating, isn’t it?" His voice was light, almost mocking. "All that power, and you can’t even touch me."

Adam didn’t answer. He was already backpedaling, putting distance between them.

His hands rose.

[Tempest Sovereign].

The vortex of cutting wind and lightning exploded from his palms, tearing through the rain, tearing through the air. It streaked toward Caelum, hungry and wild.

Caelum’s eyes widened.

The golden lion’s mane around him flared, and the Lance of Pride swept up in a desperate block. The storm struck him full force, lifting him off his feet, hurling him backward. He crashed into a pile of rubble, stones scattering, dust billowing.

Silence.

Adam’s chest heaved. His hands were still raised, dark energy curling around his fingers.

Then the rubble shifted.

Caelum rose.

His golden hair was disheveled, his clothes torn, blood trickling from a gash on his forehead. But his golden eyes, blazed brighter than before, and on his lips, a smile.

"Heh." He spat blood onto the stone, his voice rough but steady. "Not bad."

The golden lion’s mane around him regathered, brighter than before. The Lance of Pride blazed in his grip, its hunger undimmed.

"But is that really all you’ve got?" His voice hardened. "I’ve faced demons far stronger than you, monster. You think a little wind can stop me?"

Adam’s eyes narrowed.

’That didn’t even slow him down.’

He raised his hands again, drawing on his mana. But the drain from the earlier fight, from the Crimson Siphon’s rapid healing, from the constant pressure of Caelum’s assault, was taking its toll.

He needed more.

Adam’s gaze flicked past Caelum, toward the soldiers still watching from the edges of the street. His lips curved into a thin, cold smile.

"I’ll show you what I’ve got."

Caelum’s expression shifted. His golden eyes widened.

"No—!"

Adam was already moving.

He sprinted toward the soldiers, his fangs already descending.

Adam’s fangs sank into another soldier’s throat, [Crimson Siphon] drinking deep. The man convulsed, his life force flooding into Adam’s depleted reserves. He dropped the husk and spun toward the next target, but before he could strike, something shifted in the air behind him.

Adam spun, his crimson eyes widening.

Caelum stood at the center of the street, his golden hair stirring in an unfelt wind. The Lance of Pride blazed in his grip, but the light was different now. It pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat, spreading outward in waves that washed over the gathered soldiers.

And the soldiers... they were changing.

Their eyes, once wide with fear, glazed over. Their postures shifted, straightening, shoulders squaring. Weapons that had been held in trembling hands now gripped with renewed confidence. Their auras, faint and barely perceptible before, began to pulse in sync with Caelum’s.

[Artifact Active: Legion of Arrogance]

[Effect: The wielder’s confidence and authority extend to those who follow him. For every ally within a 50-meter radius who acknowledges the wielder as their superior, all of the wielder’s stats increase by 5%. ]

[Current Followers: 147]

[Stat Increase: 735%]

Adam’s blood ran cold. "What... is this?"

Caelum’s lips curved into a slow, terrible smile. His golden eyes blazed with a light that was no longer just his own, but the collective pride of every soldier who had ever sworn fealty to him.

"This is the true power of Pride," he said, his voice layered, echoing. "Every follower, every subordinate, every soldier who believes in me—their faith becomes my strength."

He raised the Lance of Pride, and the golden light surrounding him intensified until it was nearly blinding.

"You’ve been feeding on the weak to recover your strength. But I... I have been feeding on the devotion of my army. And there are far more of them than there are of you."

Adam’s expression hardened. His internal voice was sharp, assessing.

’A hundred and forty-seven followers... a 735% boost? That’s not just an increase. That’s...’ His eyes narrowed. ’That’s enough to crush me if I’m not careful.’

Behind him, Lilith’s voice cut through the chaos, sharp with alarm.

"Adam! His power is still rising!"

Ignis’s flames flared as she dispatched another soldier, her golden eyes fixed on the glowing figure of Prince Caelum.

"What is that?! He’s glowing like a second sun!" 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Isolde’s pale face went even paler beneath her hood. Her voice was barely a whisper.

"The Legion of Arrogance... it’s a forbidden technique. I’ve heard rumors, but I never thought..." She swallowed. "Adam, we need to retreat. Now."

Adam didn’t move. His crimson eyes remained fixed on Caelum, on the golden lion’s mane that now seemed to extend to every soldier on the battlefield.

"Retreat?" His voice was quiet, almost thoughtful. "And go where?"

Isolde’s voice rose, desperate. "Anywhere! We can’t fight him like this! His power—"

"Will crush us if we run." Adam’s voice hardened. "And catch us before we get far."

He stepped forward, his hands rising, dark energy gathering in his palms.

"We end this here."

Caelum’s golden eyes gleamed.

"Finally," he breathed. "A monster with spine."

He raised the Lance of Pride, and the golden light along its edge condensed, sharpened, became a blade of pure confidence.

"Lion’s Roar: Cataclysm!"

The lance swept down, and the light exploded outward in a focused beam that tore through the street, through the rain, through the air itself.

Adam’s arms crossed before his face.

[Monarch’s Aegis].

The barrier snapped into place, shimmering with defensive energy. The golden beam struck it, and for a moment, they held—the light pressing against the shield, the shield straining against the light.

Then the Aegis cracked.

Adam’s eyes widened.

The barrier shattered.

The golden light slammed into him, lifting him off his feet, hurling him backward. He crashed through a wooden cart, through a stack of barrels, through the stone wall of a building.

Adam pushed himself up from the debris, blood streaming from a dozen wounds. His regeneration was already working, but slower now, the accumulated damage taking its toll.

Caelum walked toward him, the Lance of Pride blazing in his grip. His golden eyes were cold and prideful.

"Still alive?" He tilted his head. "Impressive. Most would have been turned to ash."

Adam spat blood onto the stone. His voice was rough, but steady.

"I don’t burn that easily."

Caelum’s smile widened. "No. You’re not." He raised the lance. "That’s why I’m going to enjoy killing you."