Read Novel Full Chapter 1229: Defeating Vale's Disciple!
Chapter 1229: Defeating Vale's Disciple!
As the competition got closer, more and more students were being informed about the participants…
Among the chosen for the Combat Arts Path, three names stood out.
Rice, whose connection to Vale had already spread, Tracy, a fierce fighter with unmatched speed, and finally Sora, the quiet but determined boy who had been secretly taken in by Chad, the Dragon Immortal and Vale's trusted friend.
Sora was not the loudest, nor the most celebrated.
He did not carry the rumors of being Vale's disciple like Rice, nor did he have Tracy's reputation for agility and cunning. But he carried something else, something far rarer. He carried the blessing of Chad, who had once been human but had ascended through dragon blood and will.
Every week, Sora met Chad in the secluded training grounds beyond the academy walls. The place was hidden, a valley where a Formation Array with draconic energy was arranged.
Chad's presence alone was not as overwhelming as some others imagined… However, whenever it was training time, he would always pressure Sora with his Draconic Aura to get used to him.
"Your body is still weak," Chad told him during their first month. "Aura comes from the soul, but the soul cannot shine if the vessel is fragile. Strengthen your physique. Harden your bones. Tense your muscles. Only then will the dragon's blood take root."
And so Sora trained relentlessly. His mornings began before dawn, running across the academy's stone courtyards…
He lifted weights forged from enchanted iron, sparred against dummies reinforced with arcane wards, and consumed tonics Chad prepared. They were bitter concoctions that burned his throat but filled his veins with vitality.
By the end of the first month, Chad gave him a single drop of dragon's blood. It was not his blood but Orden's blood.
It glowed faintly in a vial, crimson with streaks of gold.
"Do not rush," Chad warned. "You will be absorbing this slowly…"
It took Sora two months to fully absorb that single drop. His nights were filled with fever, his body trembled as scales flickered across his skin before fading.
His dreams were haunted by roars and wings, even visions of fire and sky.
However, this was all necessary… Thankfully, he endured it!
He held on, and when the third month ended, he became slightly taller, and his Combat Aura manifested!
Indeed! Chad's training was a success! He had obtained his own Combat Aura, the Draconic Aura.
Unlike the other Paths, Combat Arts did not rely on Arcane Energy. Arcane Energy came from within the body, flowing like a river through veins and meridians.
Aura was different. Aura came from the soul. It was the raw manifestation of will, sharpened by discipline, hardened by battle.
"I really did it, master!" Sora couldn't help but celebrate.
His daily life had, of course, become even more tiring…
Mornings were spent in the academy's Combat Arts classes, where instructors drilled them in weapon mastery, footwork, and tactical formations.
Rice dominated every sparring match, during these times… His aura was already refined through Vale's secret training.
Tracy was quick like lightning, and her aura remained sharp as well.
Sora, however, kept his strength hidden. He fought with restraint, never revealing the full blaze of his Draconic Aura.
Because of that, no one expected that he'd be able to compete in the upcoming Competition!
During the afternoons, he joined the Combat Arts Club, where students practiced duels and tested their endurance.
He trained quietly, often pairing with weaker students, helping him improve his stance and form while concealing his own growth. He did not want Rice or Tracy to suspect the depth of his power just yet…
Still, evenings belonged to Chad, or Chad's training exercises if he was not available.
Nonetheless, the Dragon Immortal pushed him harder each week they met…
They sparred for at least 2 or 3 hours every night!
Furthermore, Chad's Draconic Aura would always increase its intensity as Sora got used to it.
"You're doing well, but do not fear me," Chad said...
"Fear is weakness. Dragons do not bow. They rise! You have to start having that kind of attitude."
Sora wryly smiled and nodded.
But thanks to his teachings, he learned to channel his aura into strikes…
He learned to harden his skin, his aura forming scales that deflected blows. He learned to roar, his voice infused with soul power, shaking the ground, and if he had weaker opponents, he knew that he could stun them.
Each lesson carved him deeper into the path of Combat Arts.
Two more months passed, and Sora's confidence grew.
He knew Rice was strong, perhaps stronger than anyone expected, but he also knew Rice had never faced a true Draconic Aura.
Tracy's speed was dangerous, but speed will not be enough against overwhelming presence.
Sora planned to surprise them both when the competition began. He would hold back until the right moment, then unleash the full blaze of his aura, revealing the dragon within.
He dreamed of the arena, of Rice's shocked expression when his strikes were deflected, of Tracy's eyes widening as her speed failed against his roar.
He dreamed of victory, of proving that Chad's teachings were not wasted.
But it seemed that it would happen pretty soon, and not during the Academy Competition!
Three weeks before the competition, Chad summoned him to the valley.
"You have grown," Chad said. "Your Draconic Aura is finally acceptable…"
Sora bowed his head. "I will continue to train."
Chad smiled. "Well, not for now. Before the competition begins, you must fight against Rice."
Sora froze. "Rice?"
"Yes," Chad said. "Vale's disciple. Or candidate. It matters little. He is strong and stronger than Tracy. And you must face him... and win against him."
Sora's heart pounded.
"You have to win," Chad said, heavily emphasizing the importance of winning
"Do not think of this as a spar. Think of it as survival. You cannot lose with the Dragon Blood flowing within your veins... If you win, you will prove yourself worthy, not just to me, but to Vale, and to the entire academy."