Chapter 279: Hanes vs Kaelth
"What are those two idiots doing?" Aurelius muttered, his voice almost a whisper, but the astonishment in his tone was unmistakable.
Kaelth, a large man with a fierce face, frowned deeply. He cast a sidelong glance at Aurelius, as if seeking validation. His gaze conveyed the same disbelief. However, instead of remaining silent, Kaelth spoke up in a loud, mocking tone.
"What are you doing? Bowing like that? Are you afraid just because he\'s a Guardian like us?"
His voice echoed, laced with scorn clearly intended to humiliate Hanes and Lyra in front of the other Guardians still lurking in the shadows.
Before Kaelth\'s ridicule could continue, Hanes had already moved. His body shot forward so quickly that it almost appeared as a blur, leaving a gust of air that shook the void. In an instant, he was right in front of Kaelth. A seemingly casual punch flew from Hanes\' hand, but the speed and precision of the attack caused the surrounding air to vibrate.
"Puk!"
The energy released from the punch erupted violently, creating a shockwave that tore through the empty space. Kaelth\'s body was hurled far away, smashing into several large floating rocks. The sound of explosions and shattering stones echoed around, shaking the battlefield.
Kaelth staggered momentarily before standing firm. Scales resembling those of a dragon began to emerge on his body, radiating glowing patterns that covered his skin like armor. The patterns shimmered, signifying the immense power hidden within him.
He brushed the dust off his chest with a casual motion, as if he had merely faced a gentle breeze rather than a lethal attack.
In the blink of an eye, Kaelth vanished from his position. His speed was almost impossible to track with the naked eye. Suddenly, he was standing right in front of Hanes, his gaze burning with seething anger.
"Do you want to start a war, Hanes?" Kaelth growled, his aura erupting uncontrollably. The void around him trembled violently, as if being forced to submit to his power.
Hanes remained unfazed. He released his own aura, radiating an equally powerful pressure. The air around them grew heavy, as if breathing had become impossible. Hanes stepped forward, his eyes locked onto Kaelth\'s without a hint of hesitation.
"You won\'t leave here without losing a limb," Hanes said flatly, but his words ignited a burst of fury in Kaelth.
Kaelth roared loudly, his body beginning to transform into a half-dragon form. Large, luminous wings appeared on his back, adding to his majesty and power. The energy he emitted multiplied thousands of times over, shaking the void to the point of nearly cracking.
"Dear, you…" Lyra said softly, not far away. She stared at her husband in confusion. Her expression seemed to indicate that this was not part of their original plan.
On Kaelth\'s warships, chaos was breaking out. The fleet captains, who had been waiting for further instructions, now acted without awaiting orders from above.
"Mission canceled! Fleet, retreat immediately!" one captain commanded firmly.
"Activate shields! Move away at full speed!" another added.
The engines of the warships roared to life simultaneously, propelling the vessels away from the battlefield at maximum speed. The crew members stared at the monitors showing the energy explosions from Hanes and Kaelth, their faces tense.
Meanwhile, on Hanes\' ships, a different conversation was taking place.
"Our Guardian won\'t lose," said one soldier confidently, his tone reflecting absolute belief. "Hanes is the protector chosen by destiny. He will surely win."
On the other hand, Kaelth\'s soldiers harbored the same faith in their Guardian. "With the bloodline of the great dragon, Guardian Kaelth is the strongest! No one can defeat him," declared a red-horned soldier.
However, on the neutral ships, whose crews were merely there to observe, a different kind of discussion unfolded. They didn\'t care who emerged victorious; they were only eager to witness the conclusion of this epic battle.
Back on the battlefield, Hanes\' and Kaelth\'s auras continued to clash, creating waves of pressure that destroyed everything in their vicinity. Yet, amidst the chaos, a large, transparent bubble appeared, shielding two nearly forgotten spectators—Aurora and an old cultivator.
Aurora stared at the bubble in confusion. Her hand touched its surface, which reflected a soft light, strong enough to withstand the pressure from the two Guardians.
"Where did this thing come from?" she murmured. The old man beside her simply shook his head, equally perplexed. The bubble not only protected them but also created a perfect barrier, allowing them to observe the battle without being affected.
They looked around, and their gazes eventually settled on Lein. His figure stood poised, his attentive eyes fixed on Kaelth and Hanes. Lein\'s face remained calm, yet there was a faint hint of interest in his eyes, like a researcher observing a fascinating experiment.
Without saying a word, Aurora and the old man bowed deeply in gratitude, even though Lein didn\'t look their way. To Aurora and the old man, the bubble was a blessing that saved their lives from the deadly pressure of the two Guardians\' auras, which were almost obliterating everything around them.
Aurora and the old man hadn\'t come to this area seeking death. They were here to participate in the scramble for a newly emerged realm in the Divine Sky, just like many other races. Typically, Grandmaster-level Guardians dominated such events.
But this time, the situation was different. King-level Guardians, legendary figures with extraordinary power, were taking over this contest. This change had caused many, including Aurora, to worry about the safety of their fleets.
Aurora, clad in a beautiful dress that clung to her like a shimmering mist, stood with a worried expression. She kept thinking about the fate of her race\'s fleet. "Have they gotten far enough away?" she wondered, clenching her fists at her sides.