The horn of battle had sounded.

The towering and violent monster seemed to have some memories stirred by the sound of the Chidori in Leon's hand.

Its initial invasion had the calmness of a leisurely stroll, but the sharp explosive sound suddenly triggered Constantine's frenzy. The massive steel-rock mammoth-like body charged toward Leon and the others like a giant cannonball.

Flames engulfed everything in his path, and the withered, half-decayed dragon head emitted a chilling roar.

Isa took a slight crouching stance, her brow furrowed. Watching the courtyard obliterated by Constantine in the blink of an eye, she gritted her teeth and exclaimed,

"Do you have any idea how much those flowerbeds and lawns cost me, you bastard?!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, the Red Dragon Queen instantly shifted into her dragon form and charged at Constantine.

The two colossal giants collided, shaking the heavens with their roars.

The Red Dragon Clan, with its superior offensive and defensive capabilities compared to the Silver Dragon Clan, could unleash such primal and savage physical collisions.

However, the result of the clash seemed unsatisfactory.

Isa retreated repeatedly. After reverting to her human form, her hands gathered Dragon Flame, which she hurled out one after the other.

The Dragon King's Dragon Flame attack was exponentially stronger than those of the previous guards.

After all, this was a universal offensive method for the Dragon Clan, and its strength depended entirely on the user's base attributes.

Yet even in the face of Isa's attack, Constantine neither dodged nor hesitated. He even accelerated, continuing his assault on the trio.

The Dragon Flames struck his massive body, stirring up thick smoke and dust.

But from the midst of the dust, the heavy, drum-like footsteps continued unabated.

The next second, Constantine burst out of the smoke, arms spread wide.

Up close, Leon finally noticed that Constantine's two arms came from entirely different dangerous beasts.

The left arm was jet black, thick, and muscular, with distinctly dexterous fingers—stitched together from the ultra-S-class humanoid dangerous beast, "Nightfire Colossus."

The right arm was slimmer, but the magical circuits beneath its skin were clearly visible, like molten lava flowing through veins. This also likely originated from a powerful fire-element dangerous beast.

Before Leon could continue his assessment, Constantine launched his attack.

His already-spread arms suddenly clapped together, generating a raging wind.

At the same moment the wind descended upon the battlefield, Constantine's fiery right arm erupted, unleashing a blaze.

The wind fanned the flames, creating an overwhelming inferno.

It was a simple yet highly effective elemental magic combo attack, similar to the “Dragon Fire Annihilation” that Roswitha used in her battle against Star Dragon King Stah.

Dragon Fire Annihilation was indeed a classic combination attack. But ultimately, it was a solo technique of Roswitha's, with limited power and strength that wasn’t exactly top-tier.

And she hadn’t mastered the “wind element” component of the combo very well.

This was a major drawback of most combination techniques: to fully unleash the power of a combo skill, the user must be proficient in at least two different types of Elemental Magic.

However, the wind-fire combo technique Constantine released seemed to have entirely overcome this shortcoming.

Both the wind and fire elements were absurdly strong.

As the flames surged forward, Roswitha and Isa flapped their dragon wings simultaneously, using a powerful wind pressure to resist the firestorm.

Seizing the moment, Leon gripped his Chidori tightly and charged through the now-weakened flames by himself.

He passed through the fiery wall, crouching low and sprinting at full speed, the Chidori in his hand tearing across Isa's expensive lawn.

"Brother-in-law, do you *have* to help me plow my lawn? On behalf of the Melkevi family, thank you so much!"

Isa’s shout was drowned out by the hum of the Chidori.

Leon turned into a streak of blue lightning and, in the blink of an eye, appeared in front of Constantine.

Facing this once-dead but now resurrected "old friend," Leon dared not relax.

After all, he had just witnessed how even Constantine's first move required the combined efforts of Roswitha and Isa, two Dragon Queens, to fend off.

This monster before him was no longer the simple “Crimson Flame Dragon King.” It possessed a much greater and more complex power.

As thoughts raced through his mind, Leon thrust his Chidori forward, striking Constantine's abdomen.

The blow did cause Constantine to halt his charge.

But Leon's expression darkened.

The instant the Chidori struck Constantine's body, the electricity in his hand completely extinguished.

It vanished as if fire had been doused with water—leaving no trace behind.

“How... how is this possible...?”

“Le...on...!!”

The creature’s hoarse and menacing voice tore through the air as it unleashed a burst of energy, sending Leon hurtling backward.

After retreating a safe distance, Leon steadied himself and slowly stood upright.

“Turned into a monster... and you still recognize me. So... just how much do you hate me?”

Roswitha and Isa joined him, standing on either side.

“Did you figure anything out?” Roswitha asked.

“His defense is far stronger than I anticipated,” Leon rumbled forth. “My full-power Chidori had zero effect on him.”

Hearing this, Isa raised her eyebrows slightly and glanced at her brother-in-law. She scrutinized the man carefully but ultimately said nothing.

“This time, we’ll try together,” Roswitha said.

Leon nodded. “Alright.”

The three assumed attack stances and charged at Constantine once more.

Meanwhile, in the distant mountains, Scott, the Empire’s overseer of the battle, stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

“Well, that was unexpectedly convenient.”

Fael, standing beside him, glanced over. “What do you mean by that?”

“At first, we intended to use Constantine to attack the Red Dragon Clan, thus luring Leon out of his advantageous home ground.”

Scott smirked. “But as luck would have it, he just so happened to be here tonight. Saves us the trouble of waiting.”

Fael’s eyes shifted slightly as he murmured, “The Dragon Clans rarely intermingle. Your Empire has quite a knack for good fortune, Mr. Scott.”

Scott chuckled, tilting his chin up slightly.

“Look, Fael. See how perfect the ‘Ultimate Lifeform’ the Empire created is. Even under simultaneous assault from Leon and two Dragon Queens, it still holds the upper hand. Such formidable power... isn't it exactly the kind of strength your Dragon Clan desires?”

Fael silently listened without immediately responding.

Narrowing his gaze, he watched Constantine, the “reborn” creature before his eyes.

Holding its own against Leon Casmode and the twin queens of the Silver and Red Dragons was, indeed, no small feat. Few Dragon Kings could claim such an achievement.

From the current situation, the mad Crimson Flame Dragon King had indeed gained the power and body he had longed for.

But it cost him freedom.

No thoughts. No will. Not even the most basic act of breathing was his own.

Was power obtained at the expense of freedom... really worth yearning for?

Fael smiled faintly. “It is indeed powerful, Mr. Scott. I hope you’ll keep a tight grip on it.”

“Not just this power,” Scott sneered, “but in the future, the Empire will control even more—much greater—power.”

The larger the appetite, the larger the bowl. Any bigger, and you'll choke, little human. I hope you understand that basic fact.

Fael glanced at Scott but said nothing, continuing to observe the battle.

Outside the Red Dragon Temple, Leon was sent crashing into a pavilion, which promptly collapsed into rubble.

“Brother-in-law! That pavilion was expensive too!!” Isa raged.

General Leon emerged from the rubble, dusting himself off and wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. “Relax, Sis. My wife will pay you back.”

Roswitha: ???

He sauntered back to the sisters, taking a worried look at the still-standing patchwork monstrosity.

“I genuinely have no idea how to hurt that thing...”

After several exchanges, none of their magical attacks had any effect on Constantine.

The body of the steel-rock mammoth provided unimaginable defensive capabilities, far surpassing any of their expectations.

“Do you still have enough magic reserves?” Roswitha asked.

Leon clutched his chest and shook his head slightly. “Not much left.”

It had been only a little over a month since his legendary feat of taking down six dragons in mere seconds. He hadn’t yet recovered much of his magic reserves.

Additionally, the aftereffects of the Nine Hells Gate technique hadn’t entirely faded. Leon's body still suffered faint discomfort.

“What is it? Brother-in-law, is your body a battery?” Isa teased.

“Sis… I’m not in the mood for jokes right now.”

Leon rarely found dragon-slaying to be a troublesome endeavor.

But today was one of those rare times.

Isa smiled faintly before turning to Roswitha.

“Let’s use *that* move.”

Roswitha nodded. “Alright.”

Leon froze. “Wait, what move? It isn’t one of those that injures you as much as the enemy, is it?”

“Oh, it’s far worse, Brother-in-law. When Little Roswitha and I execute this move, the mild result is total severance of our meridians. The worst? Instant double fatality.”

“...No way, Sis! Things may look tough right now, but they’re not *that* dire. Believe me, I've still got a trump card up my sleeve.”

Hearing that his wife was considering a suicidal move, Leon absolutely couldn’t agree.

All for the sake of a resurrected has-been? That's just not worth it!

“Stop scaring him, Sis.”

Watching Leon express this level of concern for her, Roswitha couldn’t help but feel elated.

This was really not the time to admire his words. Such thoughts would have to wait until everything is resolved.

"It’s just a coordinated skill. My sister and I practiced it before, but this is the first time we use it in a battle. Hopefully, it’ll work," said Roswitha.

"Oh..."

Tsk, have I walked into a trap again? Leon pondered silently.

"Let’s go, little Roswitha," Isa called out.

"Alright!"

The Silver and Red Dragon Queens stepped forward, spreading their dragon wings. In the blink of an eye, they transformed into their dragon forms and soared high into the night sky.

Under the full moon, the two dragons spiraled upward. Their acceleration grew with each passing moment, and their massive forms soon became streaks of silver and red light.

The luminous trails intertwined, spiraling together in a synchronized motion.

The high-speed rotation even generated a forceful airflow.

Leon had to crouch and brace himself to avoid being blown away by the gale.

Squinting slightly, he gazed at the dazzling silhouette of silver and red in the night sky.

They streaked through the darkness like two piercing blades, aimed directly at Constantine.

**S-Class Martial Magic · Combo Skill · Galactic Crimson Impact**

A technique combined the speed of the Silver Dragon Clan and the physical strength of the Red Dragon Clan. As they spin at high velocity toward the target, the Dragon King body was enshrouded in a blazing Dragon Flame.

It possesses both the destructive power of magical attacks and the piercing force of a close-combat strike.

It’s an effective way to address the usual flaws of combination techniques.

Below, Constantine remained motionless, showing no sign of evading the attack.

Low growls escaped from his throat as his savage dragon eyes locked onto the gleaming silver-red blade.

The turbulent air roared like a feral beast, with the wind pressure reducing the surrounding structures to rubble.

With a sudden roar, Constantine spread his arms wide.

Leon’s heart skipped a beat. "Is this guy seriously planning to tank that attack with his body...? That’s insane."

His suspicion was spot-on.

The silver-red blade struck Constantine head-on. The ensuing shockwaves and magical energy burst outward in all directions.

Leon braced himself with great effort, but his feet were still forced to slide back, leaving two short "skid marks" on the ground.

Even Scott and Fael, monitoring the battle from a distance, felt the residual energy rippling through the air.

"Mr. Scott, do you think Constantine can withstand an attack like that?" Fael asked, his tone tinged with unease.

"Just wait and see, Fael. He’s about to show you something that’ll blow your mind," Scott replied confidently.

The waves of energy continued to dissipate across the battlefield.

Even Noa, safely hidden in an underground bunker, could feel the overwhelming power.

Gripping the hands of her younger sisters, Noa tilted her head upward, staring at the dark reinforced ceiling of the shelter.

"Mom, Dad, Auntie... Please, please be safe," she murmured.

Back on the surface, the impact subsided.

The two sisters created some distance from Constantine and reverted to their human forms.

"So? Did it work?" Leon asked.

Isa rubbed her aching shoulders, her gaze fixed on the fiery chaos ahead.

"The situation... doesn’t look good," she muttered grimly.

"Roar!!—"

A piercing dragon roar shattered the lingering flames. The oppressive might of the dragon's presence swept across the field like a plague.

And the reborn crimson flames, far from being extinguished, burned with even greater ferocity.