The teleportation suddenly ended.
BOOM!
Chenwei landed on a narrow rocky platform surrounded by enormous mountains.
He slowly raised his head.
There were mountains everywhere.
Some were so tall that their peaks disappeared into the black clouds above. Lightning flashed between them every few seconds, illuminating the entire region for only an instant before darkness returned.
There was no grass.
No trees.
No rivers.
Nothing.
Only rocks, mountains, and an endless storm.
Chenwei stared at the sky.
A bolt of lightning struck a mountain in the distance.
KRAKOOOM!
Chenwei's face immediately became serious.
Then his expression changed into complete disbelief.
"…Leo."
He looked around.
"Leo!"
Another lightning bolt struck nearby.
BOOOOM!
Chenwei jumped.
"WHAT KIND OF PLACE DID YOU SEND ME TO?!"
He looked toward the mountains with a completely defeated expression.
"Was there seriously no normal battlefield available?!"
Suddenly—
CRACK!
A massive bolt of lightning descended directly in front of him.
Chenwei raised his arms.
"Whoa!"
When the light disappeared, someone was standing there.
A gigantic figure.
The Thunder Temple Guardian.
Raika.
Thunder continuously moved around her body like a living storm, forming a divine armor over her figure. Lightning crawled across the armor with every movement.
In her hand was her weapon—a massive Thunder Spear, its metallic surface surrounded by electric energy.
Raika looked down at Chenwei.
Chenwei stared upward.
There was a long silence.
Then Chenwei smiled awkwardly.
"Ah."
He pointed at her.
"So you're Raika."
Raika's eyes narrowed.
"I have been waiting for you."
Chenwei scratched the back of his head.
"Yeah, well…"
He looked around.
"Here I am."
He suddenly grinned.
"Nice of you to teleport here too."
Raika raised her Thunder Spear.
"Shall we begin?"
Chenwei's smile widened.
"Finally."
He spread both arms.
WHOOM!
Water exploded around his body.
A massive blue aura began swirling around him.
Behind him, the spiritual image of a gigantic Water Dragon slowly emerged.
Chenwei looked at Raika.
Then he looked at his Water Dragon.
Then back at Raika.
His smile disappeared.
"Wait."
He looked at the enormous Guardian.
"Should I really fight her in my basic form?"
Raika's thunder crackled.
Chenwei swallowed.
"She's a Demi-Goddess."
He looked at his own hands.
"She'll crush me."
He immediately shook his head.
"Nope. Definitely Form Two."
The Water Dragon behind him growled.
Chenwei raised one finger.
"But before that…"
He looked toward the sky.
"There's something I need to discuss."
Raika stared at him.
Chenwei suddenly shouted—
"HEY! TIME OUT!"
Raika's eyebrow twitched.
Chenwei closed his eyes.
"I'm going inside for a minute."
WHOOSH!
His consciousness disappeared into his spiritual realm.
Inside was a massive blue space.
The Water Dragon was sitting in the middle of it.
Except…
It wasn't massive anymore.
It was tiny.
Very tiny.
Chenwei stared at it.
The Water Dragon glared at him.
"You."
Chenwei smiled nervously.
"Yes?"
"You!"
The tiny dragon pointed its claw at him.
"You have used me WAY too much!"
Chenwei blinked.
"What?"
The dragon puffed out its cheeks.
"Look at me!"
Chenwei looked.
The Water Dragon had once been an enormous spiritual beast.
Now it looked like a miniature dragon.
The dragon spread its arms dramatically.
"I used to be THIS BIG!"
It stretched its arms as wide as possible.
"AND NOW LOOK!"
It pointed at itself.
"I'M THIS BIG!"
Chenwei covered his mouth.
"Pfft—"
The dragon's eyes widened.
"ARE YOU LAUGHING?!"
Chenwei immediately turned away.
"No."
"You are!"
"I'm sorry!"
"You've drained so much of my spiritual energy that I'm practically a water lizard now!"
Chenwei laughed.
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry!"
The Water Dragon crossed its tiny arms.
"After everything you've done, you think saying sorry will fix it?"
Chenwei nodded.
"Yes."
The dragon stared at him.
"…Fair enough."
Chenwei blinked.
"That worked?"
"No!"
The dragon suddenly pointed toward him.
"But there is one solution."
Chenwei became serious.
"What?"
"Use Form Two."
Chenwei's eyes widened.
"You mean—"
"Merge with me."
Chenwei smiled.
"Okay."
The Water Dragon jumped toward him.
WHOOM!
Blue spiritual energy exploded throughout the entire realm.
The dragon's body transformed into a massive stream of water-like energy and wrapped around Chenwei.
"Let's do this!"
BOOOOOOM!
Back in the real world—
Raika watched Chenwei standing completely still.
Then—
WHOOSH!
A powerful blue aura erupted from his body.
Water spiraled around him.
His clothing remained beneath the transformation while a layer of water-based armor formed over one side of his body.
A half-dragon mask appeared over his face.
Blue energy flowed from his shoulders and arms like constantly moving water.
Behind him, the Water Dragon's roar echoed across the mountains.
ROOOOOOOAR!
Chenwei opened his eyes.
They were glowing blue.
He raised his fist.
"Form Two."
He grinned.
"Now I'm ready."
Raika smiled.
"Good."
She lifted her Thunder Spear.
Lightning gathered around the weapon.
"Then fight."
BOOOOM!
Raika vanished.
Chenwei's eyes widened.
"Fast—!"
CRACK!
The Thunder Spear came down.
Chenwei twisted his body sideways.
The spear passed beside his face and struck the ground.
KRAAAASH!
The entire mountain shook.
Chenwei jumped backward.
"Okay!"
He looked at the crater.
"Definitely not touching that spear."
Raika swung again.
WHOOSH!
Chenwei ducked.
A lightning blade passed above his head.
He rolled across the ground.
"Too close!"
Raika pointed the spear toward him.
"Thunder Arrow."
ZAAAAAP!
Several arrows of concentrated lightning shot forward.
Chenwei raised both hands.
"Water Wall!"
SHHHHHH!
A massive wall of water appeared.
The Thunder Arrows slammed into it.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Steam exploded everywhere.
Chenwei rushed through the mist.
"Got you!"
He pulled his fist backward.
"Water Dragon—"
Raika suddenly appeared beside him.
"Thunder Ball."
A sphere of lightning formed directly beside Chenwei's face.
His expression froze.
"…Oh."
BOOOOM!
Chenwei was blasted across the rocky ground.
He rolled several times before crashing into a stone.
"AGH!"
He slowly stood.
Smoke rose from his body.
His hair was standing up.
His face was blackened from the electrical shock.
Chenwei stared at the sky.
"Leo…"
His voice trembled.
"YOU SENT ME HERE TO DIE!"
Raika attacked again.
Chenwei barely dodged.
CRACK!
Lightning struck the ground behind him.
He jumped onto a rock.
"Wait!"
Raika raised her spear.
"Thunder Storm."
The entire sky suddenly lit up.
Chenwei's eyes widened.
"That's not an attack!"
He looked around.
"THAT'S THE WHOLE WEATHER!"
Lightning began raining down across the battlefield.
BOOM!
Chenwei jumped.
CRACK!
He twisted sideways.
KRAK!
He ducked.
BOOM!
He rolled.
Another bolt struck right beside him.
Chenwei screamed.
"STOP AIMING AT ME!"
Raika calmly answered.
"I am."
Chenwei froze.
"What?"
Raika pointed the spear at him.
"Every strike is aimed at you."
Chenwei's face went blank.
"That's worse!"
He thrust both hands forward.
"Water Bullet Barrage!"
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Dozens of compressed water spheres shot from his palms like a water-based flamethrower.
Raika swung her spear.
Lightning formed a shield around her.
The water bullets exploded against it.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Chenwei suddenly appeared above her.
"Then take this!"
He slammed both hands downward.
"Water Hammer!"
A gigantic mass of water crashed toward Raika.
SHHHHHHBOOOOM!
The mountain trembled.
But Raika stepped through the falling water.
Her lightning armor was glowing brighter.
Chenwei's smile disappeared.
"You're kidding."
Raika raised her spear.
"Thunder Beam."
ZAAAAAAAAAAP!
A gigantic beam of lightning erupted from the spear.
Chenwei crossed both arms.
"Water Dragon Shield!"
A giant dragon-shaped shield formed in front of him.
The Thunder Beam collided with it.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
Water and lightning exploded in every direction.
Chenwei was pushed backward.
His feet carved two deep lines through the ground.
His arms trembled.
"She's… insanely strong."
The Water Dragon's voice echoed inside his mind.
"You wanted Form Two."
Chenwei gritted his teeth.
"Yeah."
"Then stop complaining."
Chenwei smiled.
"Fair."
He lowered his arms.
Blue energy exploded around him.
"Okay, Raika."
He clenched his fists.
"Let's see which one of us controls this battlefield."
Raika raised her Thunder Spear.
Lightning gathered across the mountains.
Chenwei's Water Dragon aura surged.
Thunder met water.
The storm grew darker.
And then—
Both fighters disappeared.
BOOOOOOM!
Their battle continued beneath the raging sky of the Thunder Temple.