The Thunderclaw Drake Lizard made the first move.
With a roar that crackled like thunder, it lunged forward, its massive body surging through the air. Its front claws, wreathed in lightning, slashed downward—aiming to tear Aladdin apart in a single strike.
But Aladdin was ready.
"Whirling Saber!" he roared.
In a blur, he spun his saber midair, the blade rotating so fast it howled through the wind, creating a vortex of force. The spinning steel met the beast's charged claws head-on—
BOOM!
A shockwave erupted at the point of collision. Wind howled. Lightning scattered in wild, chaotic arcs.
The Thunderclaw Drake recoiled violently, its massive body thrown back several paces. It slammed into the ground with a guttural snarl, claws tearing deep furrows in the earth to steady itself.
It had struck like a predator… but it had collided with a wall of steel and willpower.
Aladdin landed lightly, saber still humming from the energy it had absorbed. His feet slid back slightly from the impact, but he held his ground, eyes locked on the beast.
And this time, Aladdin didn't wait.
With a fierce war cry, he launched himself into the air, saber still humming from the last clash. "Dragon Fang Fist!" he bellowed, his right arm drawn back, essence flooding into his fist in a sharp, concentrated surge.
His speed blurred—faster than the eye could follow.
Before the Thunderclaw Drake could react, Aladdin's glowing fist slammed directly into its skull.
CRACK!
The beast's head jerked back violently, and the impact sent it hurtling nearly two kilometers, crashing through trees and rocks like a meteor before skidding to a halt in a burst of dirt and thunder.
But it didn't stay down.
The Thunderclaw Drake rose, furious. Its electric-blue scales flickered with chaotic bolts, arcs of lightning dancing over its body like a storm barely contained. It narrowed its eyes, no longer seeing Aladdin as mere prey. Now it was wary—guarded.
Aladdin dashed forward again, determined to press the advantage.
But this time, the beast was ready.
Its massive tail swept sideways like a flash of silver thunder, catching Aladdin mid-air.
WHAM!
The impact was brutal.
Aladdin's body slammed into a boulder with a sickening crunch, shattering stone and sending a wave of dust into the air. Blood spilled from his lips, and pain rippled down his ribs.
Before he could even stabilize his breath, he felt the charged air shift again.
The Thunderclaw Drake was already upon him.
Too fast—! he thought, eyes widening.
Its claws tore forward with a shriek of thunder.
Aladdin twisted, but too late.
One claw raked across his side, sparks flying as its lightning-infused talons grazed his ribs. The pain shot through his body like fire, and he staggered back, clutching his wound, teeth clenched.
But he didn't fall.
He refused to fall.
He spun his saber again, steadying his stance despite the blood.
"Stormbreaker Slash!" he shouted.
Essence surged down his arms into his blade, which now shimmered with wind and light. With a roar, he slashed downward, sending a blade of energy roaring toward the Thunderclaw Drake like a hurricane's edge.
The beast braced, claws crossed. The Stormbreaker Slash crashed into it like a wave breaking on a cliffside, forcing the creature to skid back several meters, thunder crackling around its frame.
Both warrior and beast paused for a heartbeat.
Aladdin was panting, blood dripping from his side and staining his robes. The Thunderclaw Drake's scales had cracks now, faint but visible—proof that it could bleed.
But even so, Aladdin knew the truth.
He was at a disadvantage.
One wrong step, and this fight would end with his body lying cold beneath Kunlun's skies.
And yet… he tightened his grip on the saber.
The Thunderclaw Drake Lizard surged forward again, snarling like a rolling storm.
Aladdin, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, spun his saber—faster and faster—wind roaring in a furious spiral around him.
"Stormbreaker Slash!" he roared.
The air ripped apart as the crescent-shaped energy wave flew forward, slicing through the wind and smashing into the Thunderclaw's chest. The impact rocked the beast back, lightning arcing wildly from its scales. A deep gash tore open across its armored hide, flickering with broken sparks.
But the Thunderclaw didn't slow.
With a thunderous growl, it lashed its massive tail forward in retaliation.
CRACK!
Aladdin raised his saber to block, but the sheer force of the tail strike sent him flying. He crashed into a nearby cliffside, stone shattering around him. His vision blurred. Bones throbbed. Blood soaked his robes.
But he stood again.
He always stood again.
And the battle raged on.
For two relentless hours, man and beast clashed—blades and claws, lightning and wind, will against fury.
Aladdin's body was battered, bruised, and torn. His breath came in ragged gasps. Several cuts burned along his torso, one leg dragged slightly, and his left shoulder had gone numb from a near-miss.
But across the scorched battlefield, the Thunderclaw Drake wasn't faring much better.
Its once-pristine electric-blue scales were now cracked and scorched. Deep wounds laced its sides, one eye swollen shut from a vicious strike. It panted, its core sparking erratically—its power faltering.
Neither could afford another mistake.
They stood apart now, circling. The air between them was thick with smoke, energy, and tension. The battlefield was scarred—trees fallen, earth split, the scent of blood and lightning everywhere.
Aladdin tightened his grip on the saber.
He couldn't stop now.
He wouldn't stop now.
His body was breaking—but his spirit burned brighter than ever.
---
Now it's time, Aladdin thought, his chest heaving with every breath. His body was bruised, bloodied, and worn thin from the relentless assault, but his eyes still burned with resolve.
He reached into his spatial ring and took out a small jade bottle—the same one he had used to preserve the Frost-tail Basilisk's venom. The icy, viscous liquid shimmered faintly inside, radiating a chilling aura that stung even through the glass.
Uncorking it carefully, Aladdin tilted the bottle and poured the venom along the blade of his saber. The silver metal hissed as the venom coated it, quickly bonding with the edge. A cold mist curled from the weapon, and for a moment, even the air around him seemed to freeze.
His grip tightened. "Let's end this."
The Thunderclaw Drake Lizard growled and lunged again, claws lighting up as thunder cracked in the sky above. It was still fierce, still dangerous, but now... Aladdin had a silent, deadly advantage.
He met the beast head-on.
Their battle resumed in a storm of steel and lightning. Aladdin's saber clashed with crackling claws, each collision spraying sparks and thunderous echoes through the forest. But with every wound Aladdin managed to land—a cut across the leg, a graze along its side—the venom seeped deeper into the Drake's bloodstream.
And the effects began to show.
Its movements, once blindingly fast, started to slow. Its strikes became less precise. The silver-blue sheen of its scales began to dull, and the low hum of lightning that once resonated from its core faltered like a dying current.
Aladdin, though battered, pushed harder.
He spun, ducked under a tail swipe, and slashed upward with Whirling Saber, carving across the beast's chest where he had struck earlier. The venom flooded in again.
The Thunderclaw roared in frustration, staggering back. Its breath grew shallow, each exhale laced with sparks that failed to ignite. Its legs trembled beneath its bulk.
Aladdin didn't stop.
"Dragon Fang Fist!" he shouted, essence surging through his body.
He lunged forward, fist blazing, and struck the Thunderclaw across the jaw. The beast reeled, stumbling sideways, barely keeping balance.
Then, with a deep breath and a final cry, Aladdin raised his saber—now misted with venom and blood—and unleashed Stormbreaker Slash one last time. The arc of energy split the air and thundered toward the weakened drake.
CRACK!
The blade tore into its chest, splitting it open as lightning burst wildly from the wound. The creature shrieked in agony—then collapsed with a heavy thud, dust and wind rippling out from its fall.
The forest went silent.
Aladdin stood still, panting, saber lowered but still in hand. His knees threatened to give out, but he remained upright, watching as the Thunderclaw Drake Lizard's final sparks flickered and faded into nothing.
The venom had done its job.
And Aladdin… had won.
-----
Aladdin didn't waste a second. The forest had grown eerily quiet after the clash, but he could already sense distant ripples—other beasts drawn by the chaos. He was injured, bleeding, barely holding himself together.
But there was no time to rest.
He moved toward the Thunderroot Camellia, breathing heavily. As he approached, he halted, eyes narrowing in surprise.
It wasn't just a single flower.
There were five. And in the center, nestled among them, was a small, electric-blue fruit pulsing faintly with condensed thunder essence.
Thunderheart Pod Fruit.
Aladdin gritted his teeth and moved quickly. No hesitation. He gathered the flowers and the fruit, storing them carefully into his spatial ring.
Then he turned to the fallen Thunderclaw Drake Lizard.
Its colossal body twitched faintly. The venom still coursed through its veins, paralyzing, weakening. Without pause, Aladdin began the harvest—tail, scales, claws, fangs, eyes, core, heart, and blood. Every piece was taken with swift, practiced cuts. There was no room for mistakes.
Done.
His aura was still flaring from the battle. He couldn't risk being tracked now—not in his state.
He focused inward.
With a thought, he activated the magic lamp within him. Instantly, a soft shimmer rippled across his body, suppressing his presence, veiling him from the wild instincts of nearby beasts.
Then he moved.
Pain stabbed with every step, but he endured it. He didn't stop until he reached the hidden cave by the riverbank. Without a sound, he slipped inside, collapsed to his knees, and finally allowed his body to rest.
There would be time to heal now.
But first… survival.