Draak returned to the royal box after conferring with both Da and Emperor Takeshi, he landed with a swift clap of his wings as he knelt to both Rei and the Elder of the Sun-Touched who attended the summonings for the duel.
"What is the conclusion of the talks little Draak?"
He looked up at Lady Iwatani and began speaking in the tongue of Sun-Touched. Raphtalia caught about every other word but it still wasn't enough to understand what Draak was saying. However, this was no issue for Lady Iwatani and the Elder beside who turned to her and spoke something softly. She in turn chuckled and spoke in a slightly louder voice.
"Who can fathom the wit of my eldest child? He's always been an anomaly, but it's because of that he achieves extraordinary feats."
Raphtalia looked to the two seated and began to inquire about the conditions for the remainder of the duel when Draak bellowed out.
"The conditions for the finale of the duel have been set and are as follows: Should Lord Naofumi win, he will assume absolute rulership over all of the Dragonkin who reside here and all matters that pertain to them, in this world alone. Should Emperor Iwatani be victorious, Lord Naofumi will forfeit his life in place of the two fallen royal blood of this nation."
Mirella's eyes weren't the only ones to widen in alarm as Draak proclaimed that, only Lady Iwatani and the Elder remained strangely calm. Before anything could be said about it, he continued.
"Both shall first fight in their Human skins if no victor is determined after the allotted time, then each will be free to use their strongest skill to either subdue or slay their opponent."
All eyes turned to the arena as Emperor Iwatani glowed for just a minute and there stood the Father of the Shield Hero in all his glory. He removed his cape and began to remove the upper portions of his armor and robes, Naofumi did the same until both stood across from each other with only their trousers and boots on.
Many a noblewoman swooned slightly as they withdrew fans from their sleeves at the sight of the Emperor. One could tell he had endured many a conflict and strife if the countless scars and muscles across his upper body were any indication. Many compared him to a statue whose crafter had seen fit to leave alone in the elements without any protection as they worked on it. His back and chest showed not one ounce of fat and only revealed the flat broad planes of his bronze skin.
Naofumi drew attention as well from several onlookers as well. While not quite as powerful as his father, his body showed the definition only a warrior could achieve through the rigors of training from the sun's rising to its setting. His pale skin was not flawless, many saw clear scars that had healed smoothly but still were visible enough to be seen by the untrained eye.
Even the most ignorant of onlookers could understand what was about to take place. This was no longer a duel, it was about to explode into an all-out brawl between two seasoned champions.
Draak spoke as the two took stances across from the other.
"The time agreed upon is nine minutes."
He channeled a portion of his magic and produced a small hourglass.
"Begin."
He turned the hourglass over, and just like that, the father and son launched at each other full force.
Motoyasu was making his way to the Royal box, closely followed by the Sword and Bow Heroes. He couldn't believe any of this, it had been too much for one day. Naofumi hiding that he was a dragon had been the last straw. It figured he had a cheat like that, no way was that Shield strong.
He made it to the Royal box just as the duo in the arena launched at each other. The minute they collided, a shockwave shook the arena as the two tried to twist the other into a vulnerable position.
Motoyasu could only pick himself slowly off the floor and growled himself.
'That damn CHEATER!'
"And what makes you think my son is?"
He turned and flinched at the cold glare from the white-haired beautiful Banshee that had introduced herself as Naofumi's mother. He wasn't sure which part of that he disliked more. Schooling his features as she continued to glare at him, clearly awaiting his answer.
"How did you know I said that? Can you read minds or something?"
Her glare only intensified at his tone while she increased the gravity of her own.
"I know the lives of those who have expired and passed on. You and the others were summoned upon death, I know of all of your actions as well as your stupidity in conducting them. Now answer my question idiot!"
Motoyasu gulped as he unconsciously took a step back from her seat.
"H-He must be cheating! Naofumi is nothing but a useless Shielder, everyone knows that class is worthless!"
Her response was only to snort and turn to the arena, and the hourglass.
'Three minutes, forty seconds. That leaves five minutes, twenty seconds for either of them to finish this.'
"Foolish child."
She muttered to Motoyasu as she resumed focusing on the fight below.
"My son had his honor stolen by the former King of this land and yet he continued to act as he had when he was a Knight."
Raphtalia looked over at Lady Iwatani in surprise.
"Master is a Knight?"
Lady Iwatani nodded absently as her mate and son charged each other again, entering into another fierce arm lock.
Takeshi swiped at Naofumi's feet and moved to deliver an elbow to his chin. Naofumi twisted his torso into a mid-air spin and connected his left foot with his Father's chin instead. It didn't do much other than cause the older Iwatani to stumble back a few paces in a daze as he rubbed at the fresh blow to his jaw.
If this had been another time and place, Rei knew Tak would have been smiling with pride at his eldest son and his improved prowess. Rei brought an anxious finger to her lips as she continued to track the battle.
"Naofumi earned the Third degree of a foreign Knighthood order and was made a Vice-Commander of a small troop of sixty soldiers. So where you say he's cheated, I say he has put in more time than any of you three put together refining his craft. If you think I am being prejudiced towards my child then let this duel wipe away any doubts that you may have."
Motoyasu still couldn't believe it and took a step towards her chair.
"But then how could he lose to me?"
His answer was another glare to make him step back. Surprisingly, the Queen spoke next as she held up her palm with a smooth scar that went down the center of her palm from the joining of her fingers to the base of her palm.
"Because I asked him to Sir Spear Hero."
Motoyasu and the others blinked at her in surprise, except for the Elder and Lady Iwatani.
"I see, so that's why my son wasn't exercising his full power."
Raphtalia blinked and turned to Lady Iwatani in shock. At her look, Lady Iwatani only smiled and said.
"Come now Raphtalia, did you think that shackle on my son's wrist would hamper ALL of his power?"
It took a moment for Raphtalia to realize that she meant the Legendary Shield when Draak suddenly announced from behind her.
"TIME!"
Both males were panting and sported bruises along their skin as the call came. Easing out of their fighting stances and turning up to the stands as Draak spoke.
"Since Naofumi is the Challenger, Emperor Iwatani will strike first with his strongest ability."
There was a faint glow as both assumed their Dragon forms.
"So it begins."
Lady Iwatani muttered softly as she leaned closer. Raphtalia turned to her in concern and looked down at the two snarling dragons below. She didn't know what was going to take place, but a small worry tried to plant itself in her mind. She forced it out as she cradled Master's Heart in her hands and gave it a soft kiss.
Naofumi froze as he felt a surge of power flow out from his soul into every scale along his body. He didn't have to ponder where it came from. Even as his Father's tail collided with his chest scales, he knew without a doubt that he had won. He smiled as he picked himself out of the wall he had been thrown into. Was this what it was like to have your other half? To feel so complete? This was Raphtalia's gift and he was going to give his maximum power to protect it.
"Time to end this."
Naofumi planted his claws into the earth.
"Here it comes."
Lady Iwatani muttered softly as she covered her ears, the others with her following suit as they peered confusedly at her.
"What's coming?"
Itsuki asked before a sudden roar exploded from down below. It lasted only for several seconds, but to those who hadn't covered their ears, it was an eternity.
"That."
Lady Iwatani eased her hands down as the others tried to make sense of what had just happened while the ringing of their ears persisted.
"Naofumi has Banshee blood within him, it's only natural he would inherit certain abilities of my kin. That, in particular, is a unique skill only to the Huntresses of my people. Among us, it is called a Banshee Wail. It's a scream imbued with magic that paralyzes a soul weaker than us with absolute fear, no matter how brave they are. It is meant to immobilize the souls of robbers, murders, and worse who try and escape their departure from the mortal world. Naofumi's is naturally more amplified, to him it is a Banshee Roar. That increases the reaction to his power."
She leaned forward and resumed rubbing her chin with an anxious finger.
"But even so, that shouldn't be enough to subdue Takeshi, Naofumi should know that."
Everyone looked to the Emperor to see him standing still...
...before falling forward unconscious.
Everyone in the stadium shared one thought in that instant;
'How?'
Naofumi grinned to himself as he looked down at the Shield attached to his arm, though it was now the size of one of his scales, it still provided him with what he needed; skills that helped tip the fight into his favor. Using the Mirror Shield, he had absorbed the energy from his Father's first attack and then used it to amplify his Banshee Roar. In short, he had taken his Father's strength, amplified it, then hurled it right back at him.
He was worried if he would survive the strike from his Father, but Raphtalia's kiss and her pure energy mixing so finely with his ironed his will and helped him see the duel through to its end.
He looked up to the Royal box after he had assumed his half-Human, half-Dragon shape. As though on cue, Draak announced in a clear voice.
"The duel is over, the victor is Naofumi Iwatani!"
Naofumi turned as he felt a presence behind him. He turned and looked at his Father. There was a brief, silent exchange between the two. Then Takeshi held out his right hand, Naofumi smiled and gripped it tightly with his left. He looked up into the sapphire eyes of his hero and saw pride and love reflected in their depths.
They nodded to each other and stepped back as they became Dragons once more.
"Kneel as my son."
Naofumi bowed down as, Takeshi, reached behind his neck and with a 'SNAP' broke off the second horn under his main one. Naofumi knew he wouldn't be given the main one as it was the actual crown of the Emperor, but he would be given the one just below it so he would still be recognized as the true Emperor of this domain.
He grunted as the horn was jabbed just below his neck and through the magic grew into his body until it became one with him as though it had been growing there his whole life.
"Arise as, Emperor Iwatani."
Slowly from the rooftop surrounding the arena, the Dragons descended and shifted into Human form. One by one, from the eldest female to the youngest male they knelt before Naofumi and chanted as one.
"Avete draco imperator!"
Up in the Royal box, Draak was chanting with those below as the Elder and Lady Iwatani chanted next to him.
"Raphtalia, do you know what they're saying?"
Raphtalia blinked and looked down at Melty, before smiling softly to ease away her worries.
"All Hail the Dragon Emperor."
