I’m actually being pushed back in pure strength? The woman thought.0

Being the elder dragon, she felt a flicker of disbelief. Her body was leagues beyond any mere adult dragon who had just achieved maturity. Even attacks from the highest-level Transcendents couldn’t scratch her flesh. She had faced countless enemies wielding nothing but her pure physical strength, relying on raw power, and few, if any, had ever managed to overwhelm her by force alone.0

Yet, in just a single clash, the bones in her fist had been shattered. Even her wrist, where Ketal had blocked her, felt like it was about to crack. She had to rely on magic to heal herself in an instant, but the message was clear: there was a gap in their strength, and it favored him.0

This is absurd, she thought.0

However, she was a dragon, a being whose true talent lay in magic, not brute force. She gave a faint, almost embarrassed shake of her wrist, then shifted her approach.0

“A simple contest of strength won’t work on you, it seems. Let’s try this instead,” she said, voice smooth and almost playful.0

A blazing spear of fire appeared in her hand. The flames that danced along its length were hotter, more intense, and more potent than the dragon’s...0