I Only Tame Dragons

Horizon could either keep his summons in the fight and protect his team—or recall them and recover.

But if he summoned them back now, Lydia, Silphie, and Frigid would be in serious trouble.

And that wasn't an option.

"Getting tired, Horizon?" Grimm sneered, swinging his greatsword down again.

Horizon raised his blade, barely deflecting the force of the attack. His arms shook from the sheer weight of it.

Grimm's Blood Reaver aura was growing stronger, his attacks becoming more vicious the longer the fight dragged on.

Horizon gritted his teeth. He couldn't use any of his skills and spells right now because he needed his mana to keep the Dracolich and the Hawk up in the air.

Horizon's breathing grew heavier, his vision blurring at the edges. His mana reserves were dangerously low, and every second his summons remained active, the drain worsened.

He couldn't use the Giant Apple to recover, as items were prohibited in the competition. That left him with only his equipment and passive skills to restore his mana—but the process was slow. If he wasn't careful, he'd drain it completely before he had a chance to recover.

Grimm's smirk widened. "You can't keep this up forever." He took a step forward, his greatsword dragging against the cracked earth, molten embers rising in its wake. "Sooner or later, you'll freeze due to mana depletion and I will cut you down."

Horizon didn't respond. He couldn't afford to waste energy on words. Instead, he adjusted his stance, shifting his weight as he watched Grimm's movements carefully. The Brotherhood Legion's top fighter wasn't just strong—he was patient. Every attack pushed Horizon closer to exhaustion, and he knew it.

A low growl rumbled through the battlefield.

Above them, the Dracolich and the Lava Titan clashed once more. The Titan's molten fist crashed into the Dracolich's ribcage, sending cracks spiderwebbing through its enchanted bones. But the undead dragon retaliated instantly, its spectral flames wrapping around the Titan's arm and sapping its energy.

The Giant Hawk swooped down again, slashing at the Titan's exposed head. The lava creature reeled back, its molten body struggling to reform under the relentless assault. Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire

Horizon clenched his jaw. He had to hold out. Just a little longer.

Grimm lunged.

Horizon reacted, barely twisting out of the way as the greatsword came crashing down. The force of the impact split the ground beneath them, sending molten rock spraying into the air. Horizon stumbled, his limbs sluggish.

Grimm noticed.

He grinned savagely and swung again.

Horizon blocked the strike, but the force sent him skidding backward, his boots barely finding purchase on the charred ground.

Then—his heart clenched.

A notification flickered at the corner of his vision.

[Warning: Mana at Critical Levels. Summons Will Begin to Deteriorate]

Horizon's eyes darted upward.

The Dracolich's flames had weakened. Its spectral energy flickered like a candle in the wind. The Giant Hawk's movements grew sluggish, its once razor-sharp talons missing their mark.

If his summons faltered now—

"Shit," he muttered.

Grimm chuckled. "Looks like you've hit your limit."

Horizon exhaled, forcing himself to stay calm. His body was screaming for relief, his mind teetering on the edge of collapse, but he refused to yield.

He needed a plan.

Fast.

=== ===

From the plateau, Lydia watched as Horizon fought below. Her grip tightened on the hilt of her daggers.

He was barely holding on.

Silphie's worried gaze flickered between the battle in the sky and Horizon's fight on the ground. "He won't last much longer," she murmured. "His summons are fading."

Lydia gritted her teeth. "Then we need to help him."

She turned to Frigid, who was still recovering from his brutal fight against Gorak. His ice had saved him once, but against the raw heat of this battlefield, he was nearly drained.

"Can you still fight?" she asked.

Frigid cracked his knuckles. "I can fight. But I won't last long in this heat."

Lydia's mind raced. The Lava Titan was too strong for them. The Dracolich and the Giant Hawk were barely keeping it contained. If Horizon fell before the Titan was dealt with, the entire battlefield would collapse.

They needed a distraction.

A high-risk move.

Lydia inhaled sharply. "Silphie, I need you to boost me."

The healer's eyes widened. "What?! Lydia, that's suicide!"

"Not if I do it right." She smirked. "I just need to buy Horizon a little more time."

Frigid frowned. "What are you thinking?"

Lydia pointed at the Lava Titan. "We hit it where it hurts."

The battlefield rumbled as the Lava Titan swung again, its molten fist crashing against the Dracolich's withering form. The impact sent the undead dragon spiraling downward, its wings struggling to keep it afloat.

The audience gasped.

The Elven Elders watched from their high chamber, their expressions turning to one with glee. As long as those summons were gone, the battle was theirs.

"This is dragging on longer than expected," one of them muttered.

"Do not worry," another said, voice cold. "The Lava Titan will finish them off soon."

But then—

A streak of silver shot through the sky.

Lydia.

Using the last of her agility buffs, she sprinted across the battlefield, leaping from crumbling rock to crumbling rock. Silphie's magic surged around her, boosting her speed beyond normal limits.

The Lava Titan barely registered her approach.

Until she was right on top of it.

With a fierce battle cry, Lydia plunged both of her enchanted daggers into the Titan's molten core.

The result was instant.

A violent explosion of energy blasted outward, sending shockwaves across the battlefield.

The Titan let out an ear-splitting roar as cracks spread through its body, molten chunks of rock falling away.

Lydia barely had time to leap away before a surge of magma erupted from its chest, narrowly missing her.

From above, the Giant Hawk screeched, diving down to snatch her just in time.

The audience held their breath.

Had it worked?

The Lava Titan staggered.

For the first time, the Lava Titan looked . . . unstable. Cracks spread across its molten form, but it was still standing.

"What the—?! It didn't work?" Lydia gasped, her breaths ragged. "I attacked its core!"

"It has more than one core!" Silphie shouted.

The Lava Titan's fury ignited, its burning gaze locking onto Lydia and the Giant Hawk.

Great! Lydia thought.