17 The Crimson Dominion

As Ddraig's power ascended further and further, I could now understand. Watching as his crimson aura dominated his surroundings and bends them to his will, he is clearly close to it. Close to becoming the embodiment of domination, returning to the element that birthed him.

It may take years, centuries even before he becomes domination itself but Ddraig is without a doubt the closest to that realm. The realm of the dragon gods. Although, Albion must be on a similar level. I should fight him after this, if I get the chance.

Now, though, I must focus on this battle. Since Ddraig is currently blitzing toward me with his amped-up speed, courtesy of an amalgamation of Boost and Transfer. Making him fast, faster than me. Fortunately, I control the air that surrounds him.

So, as he reached me, I infused my aura into the air and instantly commanded the black fog to stop him. Causing it to constrict around his form, it's deadly toxins trying to melt his scales all the while. Ceasing his movement for but a moment. Yet, a moment is all I need.

As Ddraig stopped mid-air, I gathered my power in my right tail before smashing it into his draconic face. Sending him crashing back just as he pulsed his aura and broke free of my fog. Allowing me the opportunity to push forward and send three Red Gravity Beams toward him.

Which connected and instantly caused the ground to shatter under his new weight. Ddraig growled at this. His raging aura flared even further as he flashed green 3 more times. Before that added power was allotted to his strength. Giving him the power to withstand my gravity magic, even as I added more weight.

Surprising me once more with his ability. He truly has mastered it and I can not think of a better combo. Using Boost to increase his aura by burning his stamina and then using Transfer to direct that aura into his body, increasing his physical prowess. And making him quite formidable.

Realizing that the Red Gravity Beams would not be enough, I ceased attacking with my middle head and instead gathered the air into my mouth. Creating the black fog once more before releasing it in a pressurized beam of death that I aimed straight at Ddraig's chest.

Who only continued to push forward, showcasing his durability as the beam merely left scratches on his scales. A testament to his might, any lesser being(Ultimate-Class and below) would have been disintegrated upon contact with it.

Yet, Ddraig only glared at me as a grin slowly split his face. Sending a foreboding chill down my spine, he's planning something. And it was as I tried to teleport away, that I realized that Ddraig had merely been waiting... waiting for space itself to submit to his will.

Ludacris is what I would have thought if I couldn't sense it. Ddraig's aura has infused itself with the space that surrounds us, dominating it much like how I corrupt the air to create the black mist. Making any attempts at teleporting away fruitless.

While Ddraig's booming laughter only made it worse. Drawing my attention back to him as his chest glowed bright orange as he transferred a large amount of aura to his flames. Causing them to spill from his maw as he declared...

"Welsh Dragon Flare!"

Immediately after, Ddraig released a sea of flames toward me. The sheer size of his attack threw me for a loop as it pushed back against my attacks. Forcing me to put more power into them to fight against this force. But it seems that Ddraig has other plans.

"Penetrate!"

He called out once more as his attack broke through mine instantly. Ripping through them as if they are not there. The power to penetrate all defenses and even attacks... I had forgotten about it. After 50 years of being in this world, my memory of these things is fading.

However, I do not have the time to moan about it now.

Flapping my wings, I took to the skies to avoid the attack. Nearly missing the wave of flames that consumed where I once stood. Only for an incredible force to slam into me seconds later. That force being none other than Ddraig himself. Who used his control over space to appear behind me.

"You just don't get it, do you? I am DDRAIG! The Red Dragon Emperor of Domination! I don't lose! I can't be beaten! But you? Your just a parasite!" Ddraig declared as he stomped me into the ground. His power increased every second.

Growling, I struggled to force him off to no avail as he only stomped harder. Sending me right back down. With no other option, I turned to my storms. Condensing them overhead and feeding them with more of my power.

Which Ddraig noticed, causing him to turn his head towards the sky. "So persistent," he muttered with a smirk. Once again converting his aura into flames as he opened his jaws. Preparing to destroy my otherworldly storms.

But I did not allow it. Turning my heads in a full 180, I savagely tore into Ddraig's legs. Making him roar out in pain as I activated the Electric Shock Pulse. Buying me enough time to drop a pillar of yellow lightning on both of us.

An attack that never seemed to end as I feed more and more of my power into it. Increasing Ddraig's roars in tandem. Knowing that this is my only chance, I began siphoning Ddraig's power once more. Causing my own power to skyrocket.

Yet, before I could continue, Ddraig broke free of the paralysis. His eyes glowed green as he gathered pure aura into his mouth before firing a green ray of energy toward my storms. Piercing through my lightning with ease, the large beam vaporized them. Ending the assault.

Grabbing my first head, Ddraig pried it off and started to apply immense pressure to it with both of his hands. Forcing me to roar in anguish, my skull cracking under his might. Hurriedly, my other heads ceased their absorption and retaliated with two gravity beams to his chest.

Only for him to tank the attacks as he transferred the power of 3 boosts to his arms. Almost instantly ending my resistance and collapsing my skull. Sending indescribable amounts of pain throughout my body.

Only for that pain to transform into a rage.

Gathering my power, I released it in a blast of devouring energy that launched Ddraig back. Finally allowing me to stand. Keeping my eyes on the Emperor, I used my third head to inspect my first. It had already begun healing. I only needed time, thirty seconds at most, for it to finish.

Ddraig's laughter filled the air. "Heh. You know, I take back what I said just a moment ago. You are truly a dragon, an Alien one, and I can respect your will to survive. But we have reached the end now, you and I. It is time for you to die."

He sounded like he didn't want it to be. Like he actually enjoyed this battle, as short as it was. Perhaps, he was glad to fight someone, besides Albion, who could actually put up a challenge. I couldn't tell for sure but it changed nothing. Ddraig is preparing to unleash his ultimate attack.

His dominating aura began to recede into his body through transfer. Empowering him beyond anything else. Then, he converted that aura into his flames, his real flames. Which are stated to be able to burn gods to death and incinerate their souls.

This act caused his chest to glow a crimson hue, the color of the flames bleeding through. I can feel their heat even from inside his lungs. Burning brighter and stronger than any flame I have ever sensed. Sending a feeling of dread through me.

Not even outrage can save me here... but perhaps that can. Thinking back on my time training with Hecate, I had begun to develop my own brand of magic unique to me. One that fits my nature perfectly. Unfortunately, I was never able to finish it. But now I have no choice but to use it.

Slamming his forelegs into the ground, Ddraig flared his wings as his crimson flames spilled into his mouth. Illuminating the area in its terrifying light. With its heat causing the space around Ddraig's maw to burn away.

Invoking the name of this attack, Ddraig barely whispered. "Blazing Inferno of Scorching Flames..."

Then, like a strike from god himself, Ddraig released a soundless, vast torrent of crimson flames that shoot towards me. Disintegrating everything in it's path before it reached me. And when it did, I manifested my magic circle.

The golden heptagon shinned brightly before I commanded it to spin. As it did, I envisioned it's purpose. It must consume all. Devour all and absorb everything. To empower itself with it's feast and withstand this almighty attack. It needs to be... ME.

With these thoughts, Ddraig's flames which were sure to destroy me began to be pulled into my magic circle. Their power became it's own as it protected me from the torrent of flames. Yet, even still, the sure heat from this attack began to incinerate my scales.

My third and first head, already healed, manifested two more magic circles with the same purpose. Alleviating the pressure as best as I could, I cannot die here. I must survive. For my empire. For my hunger. For Hecate!

"ARRRRRRRRRHHHHH!" Pushing myself harder, I roared out as I entrusted everything to the magic circles. But they could only do so much with their incomplete spellwork. At times, fragments of the flames would slip through.

Causing my soul, my lifeforce, to be burned away. As well as my flesh, but the pain I feel from that is incomparable to the feeling of my existence being incinerated. Yet still, I pushed through. Losing track of time in this purgatory of flames.

Finally, after an eternity in my mind, the assault ended and almost instantly, I collapsed. My magic circles breaking into dust and my body, covered in burns, screamed in agony. I could feel entire parts of my body missing. Consumed by the flames.

"... You actually survived..." I heard Ddraig say in awe and excitement. His presence now looming over my downed form.

I tried to move, to not be so weak in front of my enemy, but that only resulted in more pain. I only caught a glimpse of Ddraig's emerald gaze before my eyes began to shut. My consciousness slipping away.

"Rest easy, Gold One. You have proved yourself worthy of the title you claimed. You are now the Gold Dragon Emperor, take pride in it."

No, I couldn't bring myself to feel any sort of pride. In fact, the only thing I had going through my head as exhaustion finally took hold of me was that: I lost...