Hero’s Oath was essentially a universal ability for Heroes. By swearing an oath mid-battle, they could draw upon the Hero’s Power stored within their Hero Bracelet to strengthen themselves—a core skill alongside Hero Skills. But this ability required training. Neither the new Dragon Slayer Hero nor Zhang Yong had mastered it yet.
A crucial detail: each titled Hero channeled a unique variant of Hero’s Power. Even without actively invoking it, traces of this power naturally lingered around them as a mark of their status. That’s why Richard’s skills carried a dragon’s roar and aura.
Strictly speaking, only the rightful bearer of a title could wield its corresponding Hero’s Power. For instance, only the current Dragon Slayer Hero could access the Dragon Slayer’s Power—since inheriting the title meant the previous holder had fallen.
One exception existed: if a title was inherited while the predecessor still lived, both could possess Hero Bracelets and titles simultaneously. Cases like "Twin Heroes" weren’t unheard of, allowing both to borrow the Power.
But the Dragon Slayer title was typically singular, preserving the Power’s integrity. Before the new Dragon Slayer learned Hero’s Oath, a loophole emerged in the flawed Hero system. This let Alice—who’d already mastered the Dragon Slayer’s Power—use it before Richard could.
If not for the immediate threat, Richard would’ve stormed over to demand why Alice wielded *his* exclusive power. Seeing it now, right after becoming a Hero himself, was deeply unsettling.
Lulu witnessed Hero’s Power for the first time—and realized no one had ever mentioned its existence. *Why didn’t anyone tell me?* she fumed. *And why didn’t this stupid Hero Bracelet warn me? Is it just broken? Seriously, can we even play properly?*
Evelyn’s words made Alice uneasy. Though she’d just one-shot a ferocious beast, that explosive burst could only be pulled off once. Afterward, her power would stabilize—still several times stronger than before, explaining how Heroes tapped into strength beyond their limits. But Hero’s Power had a major flaw, one she’d previously explained to Lulu:
Since she channeled the *Dragon Slayer’s* Power, it only amplified damage against dragons. Against other foes like this beast, she gained mere physical enhancement and a faint dragon’s aura—her attacks otherwise ordinary.
Evelyn hadn’t finished speaking when she retreated behind the beast, intent on letting it duel Alice. Meanwhile, Lulu and Richard clashed with Zhang Yong. Fighting a two-on-one battle against a genius Hero clad in full Hero gear felt like free-to-play players versus a whale with maxed-out legendary equipment. Every strike failed to land meaningfully; instead, they seemed to feed his growth—granting him experience and skill proficiency.
"Dragon Slayer Art: Dragon Pierce Modified—Dragon Breaker!" Richard roared, unleashing his signature move. Though lacking Hero’s Power, his Battle Aura flared gold like Alice’s. A draconic roar echoed as a dragon-headed aura surged from his sword.
He stood close to Zhang Yong—close enough that even after shouting his skill’s name, Richard caught him off-guard. Zhang Yong instinctively stepped back, but the dragon aura slammed into his chest.
*Again.* Richard felt no triumph as his attack connected. He knew it wouldn’t work.
A rainbow-hued shield flared across Zhang Yong’s armor the moment the aura struck. The dragon dissipated harmlessly, merely forcing him back a few steps. Only a trickle of blood from his lip proved any effect.
"Hundred Styles: Fist!" Lulu had been waiting. The moment Richard called his skill, she’d circled behind Zhang Yong, ready to strike as he stumbled.
They underestimated his combat instincts. He’d tracked Lulu’s movements all along. As he retreated, he pivoted, meeting her punch with a crushing elbow strike.
CLANG!
Lulu’s fist smashed against the armored vambrace—a deep metallic ring echoed. She staggered back several steps; Zhang Yong barely budged. The gap in strength was glaring.
"*Hah!*" Lulu hissed, shaking her stinging hand. "This armor’s insane. My full-power punch didn’t even scratch it—I think I broke my bones." She glared at Richard. "He’s too geared up. Your skill barely scratched him either."
"I didn’t expect gear this good," Richard admitted. "It even deflects Battle Aura. If not divine-tier, it’s definitely saint-grade."
"Like you’d win if I wore rags?" Zhang Yong chuckled dryly. "Okay, fine—gear *is* most of it." He knew his strength alone wouldn’t have brought him this far.
