The Draconic System: Rise of To Ascendance

Raizen barely had time to process the new quest before the murmurs in the crowd turned into full-blown chatter. His fight with Selene had drawn more attention than he realized, and not everyone was thrilled by his performance.

A tall, broad-shouldered figure pushed through the gathered spectators, his dark-red combat uniform signifying his elite status. Darius Valen, a top-ranked student and the son of a prominent aristocratic family, glared at Raizen with unmasked disdain.

"You must think you're something special now," Darius sneered, stepping onto the combat platform. "Deflecting a couple of Selene's moves doesn't make you her equal."

Raizen wiped the sweat from his brow, his body still buzzing from the fight with Selene. He smirked. "I don't recall asking for your opinion."

The audience stirred. Darius wasn't just any student—he was considered one of the strongest among the E-tier fighters, a step above the average students. He had E1-tier cultivation techniques, the kind only the elite could afford.

The system chimed.

[New Quest Acquired: Defeat Darius Valen]Objective: Withstand a duel against Darius for five minutes or defeat him.

Reward: Physical Attribute Boost - Strength Enhancement.

Selene turned her gaze toward Darius, her usual calm demeanor unreadable. "Darius, this fight isn't necessary."

"Oh, but it is," Darius shot back. "This commoner thinks he can climb where he doesn't belong." He turned his gaze toward Raizen. "I'll teach you what real power looks like."

The system chimed again.

[Combat Initiated.]

Darius moved like a blur, his E-tier technique enhancing his agility far beyond what Raizen had encountered before. The moment he moved, Raizen barely had time to react before a powerful right hook smashed into his guard, sending him skidding across the floor.

The impact reverberated through his bones. The power gap was immediately evident.

[Damage Sustained: 12%]

Raizen shook off the pain, his system already processing the fight. His previous reflex boost had saved him from a worse hit, but Darius wasn't giving him time to recover. The noble fighter charged again, aiming a spinning kick toward Raizen's midsection.

Raizen twisted his body, dodging at the last second, barely avoiding another heavy blow. But even dodging was draining—Darius was faster and stronger.

"You're just a lucky rat," Darius scoffed, adjusting his stance. "I'll end this in three moves."

Raizen exhaled sharply, his mind racing. He didn't have the luxury of overwhelming strength, but he had something Darius didn't—the system.

[Analyzing Opponent's Patterns…]

As Darius lunged forward again, Raizen's vision sharpened. The system's analysis kicked in, outlining his enemy's movements before they happened.

Darius threw a straight punch toward Raizen's face, but this time, Raizen saw it coming. He tilted his head at the last moment, dodging by a fraction of an inch, and retaliated with a counterstrike—his palm slamming into Darius's ribs with surprising force.

Darius stumbled back, eyes wide. He hadn't expected that.

Raizen grinned. "Three moves, huh?"

The crowd gasped.

Darius growled, his pride wounded. "You'll regret that."

The fight wasn't over yet.

[Time Remaining: 3:42]