Chapter 212 — THE DRAGON THAT WOULD NOT FALL
The sky above the hospital district had turned into a battlefield of storms.
Erald light and black-gold void energy collided again and again in violent bursts that rippled across the clouds like thunderheads clashing in midair. Each impact rolled outward in shockwaves that rattled the windows of buildings across the city.
The Jade Dragon’s enormous wings carved arcs through the sky as it circled its opponent.
Opposite it—
Long Hao hovered calmly.
Dark energy swirled faintly around his body like drifting smoke, the eclipse-shaped sigil on his chest glowing softly beneath his coat.
Below them, the Eight regrouped on the rooftop of a damaged hospital tower.
General Han Dae-Woo leaned against a cracked ventilation unit, breathing heavily.
"Tell I’m not the only one seeing this," he muttered.
Commander Rafael Ibarra wiped sweat and dust from his brow.
"No."
He stared upward.
"You’re definitely seeing it."
Above them, Long Hao moved.
The Jade Dragon lunged first.
Its massive claw descended toward him like a falling mountain.
The air howled as the attack tore through the sky.
Long Hao stepped forward.
Not away.
Forward.
Void energy surged around his fist.
"Void Breaker."
His punch collided with the dragon’s claw.
The impact detonated across the clouds.
A shockwave blasted outward, flattening several helicopters that had been hovering too close to the battlefield.
The dragon’s claw shifted.
Just a little.
But it moved.
The Jade Dragon’s erald eyes narrowed.
"You have grown."
Long Hao shook his hand slightly.
"Still working on it."
The dragon’s tail lashed across the sky.
The strike moved too fast for most eyes to follow.
Long Hao leaned sideways at the last possible second.
The tail passed within centiters of his chest before smashing into a nearby skyscraper.
The entire upper half of the building collapsed.
Concrete dust erupted across several city blocks.
Long Hao glanced down briefly.
"Sorry about that."
The dragon attacked again.
This ti with its jaws.
Erald energy gathered inside its throat.
Long Hao vanished.
Not through teleportation.
Not through space manipulation.
He simply stepped out of the dragon’s line of attack.
The erald beam fired.
But it struck only empty sky.
The beam tore through the clouds and vanished into the upper atmosphere.
The Jade Dragon turned imdiately.
Its enormous wings beat once.
The resulting windstorm ripped several rooftop antennas from nearby buildings.
"You evade."
Long Hao shrugged.
"You aim slow."
The dragon lunged again.
This ti it ca straight for him.
Claws.
Jaws.
Tail.
All moving in perfect sequence.
Long Hao t the assault head-on.
His body twisted through the air with calm precision as he dodged the first claw strike.
He kicked off the dragon’s forearm.
Spun upward.
Then drove his fist downward.
"Eclipse Impact."
The punch landed on the dragon’s shoulder.
The strike cracked three erald scales instantly.
Fragnts of crystal rained down across the skyline.
The Jade Dragon roared.
Not in pain.
But in recognition.
"You rember."
Long Hao’s expression darkened slightly.
"Not enough."
The dragon’s tail swept sideways.
Long Hao blocked this ti.
Void energy surged around his forearms as the tail slamd into him.
The impact launched him across the sky.
He skidded backward through the clouds before stabilizing himself again.
Below, Han whistled.
"Okay."
"That was a hit."
Nyx floated beside him.
Her eyes followed the battle carefully.
"He let that one land."
Han blinked.
"...Why?"
Nyx didn’t answer imdiately.
Because at that mont—
Long Hao attacked again.
He shot forward through the sky like a black cot.
His fist slamd into the dragon’s chest wound.
"Void Impact."
The blow shattered several fractured scales.
Erald crystal fragnts scattered through the air.
The Jade Dragon’s wings flared violently as it fought to stabilize itself.
For the first ti since the battle began—
The dragon lost altitude.
Just a little.
But enough for everyone to notice.
Below, Ibarra grinned.
"Now we’re talking."
The dragon recovered instantly.
Its erald aura expanded across the sky.
"You strike harder."
Long Hao rolled his shoulder.
"You’re easier to hit."
The Jade Dragon roared.
Its entire body began glowing.
Erald light surged across its scales like lightning traveling through crystal veins.
The clouds above the battlefield spiraled outward.
Dr. Kovács’ voice burst through the comm channel.
"Energy spike detected!"
Han frowned.
"What kind of spike?"
Her answer ca imdiately.
"Adaptive response."
Nyx’s eyes narrowed.
"That’s bad."
Above them—
The Jade Dragon’s wounded scales hardened.
Cracks sealed.
Fractures transford into darker jade armor.
The creature’s body expanded slightly as new ridges of crystal ford along its spine.
The dragon inhaled slowly.
Then spoke.
"You adapt."
Its erald eyes burned brighter.
"So do I."
Long Hao’s expression remained calm.
But the void energy around his body grew denser.
The dragon lunged again.
This ti—
Faster.
Much faster.
Its claw strike ca with brutal speed.
Long Hao raised his arm to block.
The impact slamd him backward through the sky.
He caught himself midair.
But the difference was obvious.
The dragon had beco stronger.
Below them, Rao frowned.
"The creature is evolving mid-combat."
Han groaned.
"Of course it is."
The Jade Dragon attacked again.
Claw.
Tail.
Wing.
Each strike ca faster than the last.
Long Hao dodged the first.
Blocked the second.
But the third strike caught him across the side.
The impact hurled him through a cluster of clouds.
For a mont—
He vanished from sight.
The dragon hovered there.
Watching.
Then Long Hao erged again.
He looked slightly bruised.
But otherwise fine.
The dragon tilted its head.
"You endure."
Long Hao wiped a small line of blood from his lip.
"You’re getting better."
The dragon’s aura expanded again.
"You cannot win."
Long Hao cracked his knuckles.
"Yeah."
"I noticed."
The Jade Dragon’s wings spread wide.
Its erald aura surged across the sky.
"Because this battle is not ant to be won."
The dragon’s voice deepened.
"It is ant to end."
The clouds above the battlefield split apart.
Erald light surged across the heavens.
The Eight stared upward.
Even from their distance—
They could feel it.
The dragon was preparing sothing bigger.
Much bigger.
Long Hao looked up at the sky.
Then back at the dragon.
For the first ti—
His expression beca serious.
"Alright."
Void energy surged around him again.
"Let’s see what you’ve got."
The Jade Dragon roared.
The sky trembled.
And the battle between Sovereigns entered its next phase.
[Chapter ENDS]
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