Kong's massive battle axe shimmered as he infused it with Earth Ki, the blade reshaping mid-swing into a jagged, obsidian-like edge.
With a roar, he leapt into the air, swinging the colossal weapon toward Agni Igris with earth-shattering force.
Agni sidestepped with casual grace, his crimson aura swirling protectively around him.
His counter was immediate: a sharp, tendril-like lash of blood Ki that struck Kong's shoulder with brutal precision, leaving a deep, searing gash. The beast king growled in pain but didn't falter.
"Is that all, Kong?" Agni asked, his voice laced with disdain. "You wield power without understanding its limits."
Furious, Kong slammed his axe into the ground, channeling his Ki into the earth. Spires of solid metal erupted, glinting in the dim light as they spiraled toward Agni like massive, serrated claws.
Agni met them head-on, his blood Ki forming a pulsating barrier that absorbed the impact before shattering the spires into shards.
Kong's eyes blazed with anger. He slammed his massive fists into the ground, and a surge of Ki rippled through the earth.
Massive stone spikes erupted, shooting toward Agni Igris in a calculated arc, each one brimming with destructive power.
Agni Igris narrowed his eyes as he moved with practiced precision.
The instant the spikes surged toward him, he stepped forward, his movements fluid and deliberate, like water flowing around obstacles.
With a sharp exhale, his hands began to glow faintly with a crimson hue—his blood Ki flaring to life.
Kong roared, raising his massive battle axe with sharpened and enforced earthen Ki.
The weapon was an extension of his Ki, and with each swing, it pulsed with devastating force.
He brought it down toward Agni Igris in a powerful arc, the sheer weight of it splitting the ground beneath its path.
Agni Igris didn't flinch. Nor did he blink as he watched the attack come towards him.
His sharp, predatory eyes locked onto Kong's attack, and with a single step, he sidestepped the axe, his movements deceptively smooth for someone of his size.
As the axe struck the ground, a shockwave rippled outward, sending debris flying throughout the entire area.
Aura used her Ki to shield the kids from the impact.
Agni Igris leaped into the air, spinning gracefully before landing behind Kong. His hands moved in a series of intricate gestures, and the crimson glow around them intensified.
"Blood Cascade," Agni Igris murmured, his voice low but commanding.
From his hands, streams of crimson energy shot forth, slicing through the debris and striking the stone spikes that Kong had summoned.
The spikes shattered into dust, the energy dispersing with an almost eerie elegance.
The smoke dissipated as the battlefield was cleared momentarily, revealing Agni standing tall, unscathed, while Kong turned to face him again.
Kong snarled, slamming his fists together. The ground beneath Agni Igris trembled violently, and massive stone hands erupted from the earth, reaching out to grab him.
Kong grinned, his confidence returning. "You can't dance forever, Agni Igris!"
But Agni Igris didn't waver.
As the stone hands closed in, he twisted his body, his movements a seamless blend of martial arts and Ki manipulation.
With a sharp, downward strike of his glowing hand, he severed the stone hands at their base, sending them crumbling to the ground.
"Is that all?" Agni asked his voice cold and taunting. "You're as predictable as ever, Kong. Relying on brute strength without understanding the essence of Ki."
Kong growled, his frustration mounting. He raised his battle axe again, pouring more Ki into it.
The weapon glowed with an intense, earthen light, the air around it crackling with raw energy.
Aura glanced at the children, her expression amused but firm. "Pay attention," she said. "This is what it means to be a ruler. Strength isn't just about power—it's about control, precision, and the ability to command respect."
Rudra nodded slowly, his fists still clenched.
As Kong charged forward, his battle axe raised high, Agni took a single step forward, his hands glowing brighter.
His stance shifted, his movements slow and deliberate as he prepared to counter.
"Let this be your lesson, Kong," Agni said, his voice low but resonating with authority. "Strength without control is nothing but chaos. And chaos has no place in my kingdom."
With that, Agni surged forward, his crimson Ki exploding outward in a controlled burst.
The energy swirled around him, forming tendrils of blood-like energy that lashed out toward Kong's axe.
As the axe came down, Agni met it with a precise strike of his glowing hand, the clash of their energies creating a shockwave that echoed across the field.
Rudra, Iris, and Thor shielded their faces from the debris, their hearts pounding as they watched the clash.
The air was thick with tension, the battle far from over. But in that moment, one thing was clear: Agni Igris was not just an emperor—he was a force of nature.
Kong's massive frame moved with surprising agility as he leapt back into a defensive stance, slamming his battle axe into the ground.
The earth beneath Agni Igris split open in a jagged fissure, shards of rock erupting upward with deadly speed.
Kong's Ki surged through the terrain, shaping it into razor-sharp spires that threatened to impale the Dragon King from every angle.
Agni Igris didn't move at first, his golden eyes highlighted with crimson were unblinking as he assessed the attack.
With a calm flick of his wrist, crimson tendrils of blood Ki materialized around him, swirling like liquid fire.
As the spires closed in, the tendrils expanded outward, slicing through the stone with surgical precision. Shattered rock rained down, harmlessly deflected by his aura.
"Is this the extent of your creativity, Kong?" Agni's voice was cold, almost bored. "You'll have to do better."
The insult stung, but Kong snarled, refusing to be cowed. With a powerful stomp, he sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield, creating a maze of trenches and walls to limit Agni's movement.
The ground shifted beneath Agni's feet, seeking to destabilize him, but the Dragon King merely hovered slightly, his control over his blood Ki lifting him effortlessly above the chaos.
Kong clicked his tongue in annoyance but he knew brute force wouldn't win against Agni Igris.
He only had earth Ki that he could use as Agni Igris was a Ki stage above him in strength.
All the skills and tactics that he would use on an enemy of lower or equal strength would be entirely useless.
This limited his move-set to his heavy hitters, which Agni Igris has easily dealt with like they were nothing.
He had heard tales of the Dragon King's mastery over blood Ki, how it allowed him to manipulate not only his own life force but that of his enemies.
The only path to victory was outmaneuvering him, using the battlefield itself as a weapon!
Kong roared, channeling his Ki into his axe. The weapon absorbed the energy, glowing with an earthy golden hue.
With a powerful swing, he sent a wave of seismic force toward Agni, the ground surging forward like a tidal wave.
At the same time, Kong launched himself to Agni's flank, aiming to strike while the Dragon King was occupied.
Agni's response was chillingly precise.
Without looking, he extended a single hand toward Kong's approach.
The blood Ki around him coalesced into a sharp spear, striking with the speed of a serpent.
Kong twisted mid-air, narrowly avoiding the attack, but the distraction gave Agni enough time to dismantle the oncoming seismic wave with a flick of his crimson aura.
Rudra, watching from the sidelines, clenched his fists. "Kong's attacks… they're incredible," he muttered. "How is Agni countering them so easily?"
"He's not just countering," Aura said, her tone calm but sharp. "He's playing with him.
Kong wasn't finished.
He raised both hands, veins bulging as he activated a secondary layer of his elemental power: gravity!
The battlefield seemed to shift as a crushing weight descended upon Agni Igris.
The air itself felt heavier, pressing down on everything within Kong's sphere of influence. Even the crimson aura surrounding Agni flickered momentarily under the intense pressure.
"Let's see you mock me now!" Kong roared, pouring every ounce of his will into maintaining the gravitational field. Around them, the ground cracked and buckled, unable to withstand the force.
Agni staggered slightly, the first sign of effort visible in his expression. But his golden eyes burned with unshaken resolve. "You rely too much on theatrics," he said, his voice steady despite the pressure. "True power doesn't scream for attention."
With a sharp exhale, Agni unleashed a wave of blood Ki that radiated outward in a crimson pulse.
The gravitational field faltered under the sheer intensity of the attack, and Kong stumbled backward. Before he could recover, Agni lunged forward, his movements impossibly fast. A sharp strike from his clawed hand severed Kong's left arm at the elbow, blood spraying across the battlefield.
Kong's aura wavered as he staggered back and dropped to one knee.
"ARGGHH", He screamed, clutching his shoulder, his expression twisted into one of agony!
*****
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