"Take pride in yourself, Kenley." Having uttered these words, a peculiar Domain, akin to a barrier, emanated from Roland and instantaneously permeated the entire arena. Guinevere, Daina, and Tia instinctively took a step backward.

  At that precise moment, Mimir let out a soft shout and promptly activated his own Domain, safeguarding the three of them within its protective embrace. Guinevere immediately felt a sense of relief as the oppressive pressure vanished.

  "Thank you, Lord Mimir."

  "You are most welcome, Your Highness."

  Subsequently, everyone's gaze swiftly converged back onto the arena, and a palpable sense of tension filled the air. They were eager to discover how Kenley would respond next.

  "Normani!" Kenley called out in a loud voice.

  "Master, here I am!" With these words, Normani dashed into the Domain. In an instant, her body transformed into a blinding white light and began to expand rapidly.

  "What in the world is this..." Roland exclaimed in surprise as she beheld Normani's transformation.

  "This young subhuman girl is actually a dragon?!" Mimir was equally astounded. From the very beginning, he had sensed something familiar about Normani, and it was only when she transformed that the realization dawned upon him.(Note: Mimir had sealed his dragon within a subspace, which was why his dragon had not alerted him to Normani's true identity.)

  Dragons were at the very least creatures of the Silver rank or higher. With Normani by his side, Kenley was able to nullify the adverse effects brought about by the power of the Domain.

  "I now understand why you brought this young lady along," Roland couldn't help but remark. It must be said that Kenley's achievements were truly astonishing. At an age under twenty and possessing the strength of the fifth rank, he already had a Silver-rank dragon as his mount, a stroke of luck that countless others could only dream of attaining.

  "Well, teacher, let us commence."

  As soon as the words left his lips, Kenley immediately commanded,"Normani, unleash your flame breath!"

  The enormous pink dragon opened its massive maw, lined with dagger-like fangs, and a searingly hot flame began to coalesce within.

  "If you believe that having a dragon at your disposal will enable you to defeat me with ease, then Kenley, you are bound to be disappointed," Roland said. She closed her eyes, gripping the hilt of her sword firmly with one hand and gently pressing the tip of the sword with the other, as if preparing to unleash a powerful attack.

  "Here it comes, Roland's Flower Language Celestial Slash," Mimir announced.

  "Flower Language Slash?" Although Guinevere had witnessed Roland in combat before, this was the first time she had seen the Flower Language Slash.

  "Yes, this is an extremely potent long-range martial technique. By harnessing the power of the elements, it can project sword qi an astonishing distance of two hundred meters. This move is equivalent in lethality to the Celestial Flames' Descent, a spell cast by a Seventh Rank mage. Moreover, it is impossible to evade or counter this move; it is guaranteed to strike its target," Mimir explained with a furrowed brow.

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  "The Celestial Flames' Descent, a Seventh Rank magic spell?" As a mage herself, Guinevere was all too aware of the devastating power of this spell. Given Kenley's current strength, if he were to be struck by it, it was highly likely that he would be defeated in a single blow.

  Upon hearing this, Daina and Tia's expressions also changed."The Celestial Flames' Descent. Even a Sixth Rank paladin, if caught off guard, would likely be severely wounded or maimed by this spell."

  Mimir nodded."That's not all. Roland's skills are not limited to the Flower Language Celestial Slash. She has even more power hidden within her."

  Everyone's attention now shifted to Kenley's side. Even with the assistance of Normani, who was of the Sixth rank, they still did not believe that Kenley had the ability to turn the tide of the battle and emerge victorious.

  What will you do, Kenley? Guinevere and Daina pondered.

  ...

  In the face of Normani's charging flame breath, Roland exhaled softly, and an invisible wind began to swirl around her body, causing the grass blades to dance wildly. Everyone present could sense the terrifying might that Roland was amassing.

  In an instant, Normani moved! Roland also sprang into action!

  The crimson flames surged forward like a ferocious tide of fire, hurtling towards Roland!

  Simultaneously, Roland swung her sword, and a blinding white sword light, as massive as a small hill, cleaved through the air towards Kenley. It was like a mighty ship breaking through the waves in a tempestuous sea, splitting the crimson tide in two!

  In an instant, the ground trembled violently, and the sword light descended with a powerful slash. A fierce gust of wind immediately swept away all the snow and ice, and a terrifying chasm opened up before their eyes.

  Tia held down her skirt, Guinevere shielded her face from the strong wind with her hand, Daina fastened her helmet and stared intently at the battlefield, while only Mimir remained motionless.

  Billowing smoke engulfed the entire battlefield, rendering it impossible for anyone to discern what was happening at its center.

  "Magic perception!" A purple glow immediately flashed in Guinevere's eyes as she scanned the battlefield with great care.

  "Blood perception!" Tia followed suit. Everyone employed their respective methods, searching the battlefield ceaselessly in an attempt to locate the figures of Kenley and Normani.

  Only Mimir stared at the magical puppet, his eyes gradually widening in shock, the astonishment clearly evident on his face.

  Because...

  The magical puppet representing Kenley remained completely unscathed.

  Roland sheathed her sword and stood outside the enormous chasm, her gaze fixed on the direction of her sword strike as the smoke slowly dissipated.

  As the smoke cleared, the figures of a man and a dragon stood firmly in place, neither of them having fallen.

  "He actually withstood it!" Daina exclaimed, her mouth agape. Even now, she could scarcely believe it.

  "This is a sword technique equivalent to Seventh Rank magic..." Guinevere stared at Kenley, who stood as steady as a mountain, momentarily rendered speechless.

  "Master, you have always been remarkable." Tia couldn't help but shed tears. Kenley's formidable strength had deeply stirred her emotions.

  "I see. Your ability to withstand my Flower Language Celestial Slash is indeed a result of your exceptional talent," Roland said. Naturally, she had discerned something.

  At that moment, Kenley, standing on the back of the dragon, held his sword downward with one hand, as if he had just completed an action and assumed this posture.

  "Mimir, did you notice anything?" Guinevere couldn't help but inquire. She was certain that Mimir had observed something significant.

  At that moment, Mimir seemed to be lost in thought. Had it not been for Guinevere's question, he would likely have remained in a state of distraction for a while longer.

  "It is Lord Wilk's sword technique," Mimir said, his voice betraying a hint of difficulty as he uttered the name.

  "Lord Wilk?" All three of them were taken aback.

  "Lord Mimir, do you mean Lord Wilk, the Sword Saint of the Reverse Scale?" Tia seemed to have recalled something. She was familiar with Wilk.

  "Precisely," Mimir affirmed with conviction.

  "Master knows Lord Wilk's sword technique..." Tia seemed to have realized something and turned her gaze back to Kenley, her hands involuntarily clenching into fists.

  "Lord Wilk's sword technique?" Guinevere and Daina exchanged a glance before also directing their gazes towards Kenley.