Chapter 1426: Eccar’s Turn
Nyssara remained motionless in the middle of the frozen ground while dark crimson liquid slowly dripped from the various wounds scattered across her body.
The cuts burned and the bruises ached. Also, the lingering cold from Aesa’s attacks continued biting into her flesh. Under normal circumstances, none of those things would have any effect. They would have healed before she even noticed them. They would have been too insignificant for her attention.
But the oath changed everything.
For perhaps the first time in ages, she could actually feel the damage.
A slow smile spread across her face. Then the smile widened, and widened even more.
Until suddenly she threw her head back and laughed.
"Hehehe... Hahahahaha!" The laughter echoed across the dead world and rolled over the frozen wasteland.
The joy within her voice was genuine.
For a long time after her ascension, Nyssara had stood among the strongest cosmic entities in existence. Entire worlds disappeared beneath her shadow. Civilizations feared her name. Countless beings considered her an unstoppable force of nature rather than a living creature.
Yet strength came with an unexpected price.
The few beings capable of challenging her belonged to the same cosmic realm she occupied. They were entities whose existence had transcended ordinary worlds long ago. However, those beings almost never fought one another.
Not because they were afraid but because they were practical.
A battle between cosmic entities rarely has true winners. Even when they win, the victory carries devastating consequences.
The winner might lose vast portions of their accumulated essence. Some lost ancient memories gathered over millions of years or sacrificed tremendous amounts of power. Some even lost fragments of their own existence and lifespan.
Recovering from such losses could require thousands or even millions of years.
Because of that, most cosmic beings preferred avoiding unnecessary conflicts.
Nyssara understood those realities perfectly.
Despite loving combat more than most of her peers, she never deliberately provoked another cosmic entity. The cost simply outweighed the satisfaction.
As the ages passed, meaningful battles became increasingly rare.
Now, however, things were different.
The Dragonborn had unknowingly given her something she had not experienced in an extraordinarily long time. A genuine fight.
Not a battle she could end with a casual gesture or an execution disguised as combat. This was a real struggle where she could actually feel pain.
The wounds covering her body throbbed pleasantly. The cold lingering beneath her skin, the ache in her muscles, and the blood running down her arms, every sensation reminded her that she was fighting under restrictions that were severe enough to make the battle important.
And she loved it. Her glowing yellow eyes moved toward Aesa.
The Ice Dragon remained lying across the ground several dozen meters away. Blood stained the surrounding ice while mist of frost continued spreading from her wounded body.
Nyssara’s grin softened slightly.
"Don’t tell me you’re already dead," she said while sounding disappointed. "I haven’t had nearly enough fun yet."
She began walking toward Aesa while casually spinning the black sword in her hand. Her footsteps crunched against the icy ground and echoed through the unnatural silence surrounding them.
When she finally reached the fallen Dragonborn, she stopped beside her and lowered her gaze.
For several seconds she simply observed Aesa’s condition while the wind carried fragments of snow and death energy around them.
Eventually, Nyssara sighed. "Hah..."
The disappointment in her voice sounded completely genuine. She lifted the black sword and examined its dark surface.
"It appears this sword was simply too much for you," she said. "I failed to consider that a lower being like yourself wouldn’t be capable of enduring a direct strike from it. That was my mistake. What a shame. It seems our fun has already come to an end."
Her eyes returned to Aesa, then she shook her head before turning away.
She left the wounded Dragonborn behind and calmly walked toward the remaining Dragonborn waiting in the distance.
Erend and Eccar stood silently while watching her approach.
Neither of them looked relaxed or believed the battle had revealed enough.
Nyssara stopped several dozen meters away and flashed them a wide grin.
"So," she said. "Which one of you wishes to entertain me next?"
"I’ll go." Eccar answered immediately.
The response came so quickly that Erend never even had the opportunity to speak. But he didn’t stop him.
Without waiting for permission or discussion, Eccar stepped forward.
Then he vanished.
The ground beneath him exploded apart as golden and black power erupted around his body. Earth rumbled in that dead world while his figure transformed into a streak of crackling golden and black light racing directly toward Nyssara.
The cosmic being’s grin immediately widened. Before she could say another word, Eccar arrived and his fist shot forward. The punch carried enough force to shatter mountains.
Nyssara raised her sword.
The collision unleashed a tremendous shockwave that blasted in every direction and shattered nearby glaciers into countless fragments.
Eccar didn’t stop. The moment the first attack was blocked, he launched another attack and more attacks.
Not like Aesa, Eccar had no interest in elaborate techniques or overwhelming Magical bombardments. His body itself was his weapon. Every punch carried Dragonborn strength reinforced by violent earth Magic. His movements generated rumbling sounds and his every strike sought to overwhelm his opponent through relentless pressure.
The battlefield instantly transformed into a storm of fists, kicks, and black steel.
Nyssara laughed the entire time.
Her sword moved repeatedly to intercept the barrage while sparks of darkness and blackened earth exploded around them.
"Yes! I like that spirit!"
Another punch slammed into her guard. A second impact sent a shockwave across the frozen ground.
"That’s it!"
Eccar’s third attack followed immediately afterward.
"Come on!"
The excitement in her voice continued growing.
Nyssara looked completely immersed in the battle. The smile on her face no longer resembled the amused expression of a predator toying with prey.
It looked like the smile of someone who had finally found a game worth playing.
Then at that moment, ice spread through her body in the blink of an eye, making her stop moving.
A punch from Eccar hit her face, destroying half of it.
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