Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 1626 Like a Predator

Balthazarʼs pupils shrank in surprise.

He had not expected the young dragon to attack him so recklessly. Given that they were in the royal palace, in a banquet hosted by the Emperor himself, he had not anticipated such a turn of events.

But what was even more shocking was how quickly Valerian overcame his terror. Balthazar saw the exact moment the young dragon shifted from paralyzing fear to pure bloodlust.

It was an instinct as old as the wild itself.

An extreme animalistic response!

It was as if Valerianʼs pride refused to allow him to cower before an enemy. Instead of retreating from the source of his fear, the young dragon chose to confront it head-on.

To destroy it. To crush it. To strangle the fear within his own heart through violence.

In that instant, Valerian did not behave like a frightened creature.

He behaved like a predator!

His sharp claw, augmented by mana, came sweeping down toward Balthazarʼs face with relentless fury.

Blackfire was startled for only a brief moment before he quickly gathered his senses. He calmly raised his left arm to block the strike.

BAM!

The young dragonʼs blow landed with explosive force. The impact traveled through Balthazarʼs body and dispersed into the ground beneath his feet, causing thin cracks to spider across the marble floor.

Balthazarʼs eyes flickered with genuine surprise.

He hadnʼt expected a beast at the Mana Vortex Rank to display strength that neared... the Mana Core Rank!

But Valerian was no simple beast.

ROAR!!

He let out a deafening roar as he released Dragon Breath.

In the next instant, Balthazar felt something strange happen to him.

His thoughts ground to a halt. His mind turned sluggish, as if thick mud had filled it. The world around him began to drag as though time itself had thickened.

It was only a fleeting moment.

But that moment was enough.

Valerianʼs topaz eyes flashed with savage violence. His thick tail whipped through the air with terrifying speed, the sharpened edge slicing forward like a blade as it shot straight toward Balthazarʼs throat.

Blackfire felt intense warning bells scream inside his mind.

He was certain that if he failed to react in time, the sharp edge of the dragonʼs tail would pierce straight through his neck.

His back drenched in cold sweat, he gritted his teeth and violently forced his sluggish mind to obey him.

Slash!

At the very last moment, he leaned his body just enough.

The tail brushed past the side of his neck instead of driving straight through it. A line of hot blood sprayed from the wound, the sudden sting snapping Balthazar fully back to his senses.

Valerianʼs eyes widened in shock. He hadnʼt expected Balthazar to react so quickly.

His Dragon Breath was unlike that of other dragons.

As a Mind Dragon, he did not breathe fire. Instead, he released invisible waves of psychic energy that seeped directly into the targetʼs mind. The attack dulled their thoughts, slowed their actions, and turned their consciousness sluggish. That brief moment of mental paralysis was just enough for Valerian to kill his enemies.

”No matter!” The young dragon growled as he circled the stunned Balthazar. ”One way or another, I shall feast upon your corpse tonight, despicable human!”

That brief exchange had lasted only a few seconds.

Only now did the rest of the guests inside the banquet hall realize that

something terrible was happening on the balcony.

Alarm spread through the chamber as people rushed toward the doors. Curious and frightened, they poured outside to see who would dare fight within the

grounds of the royal palace.

When they came to the balcony, they were shocked to see a giant, armored panther circling Balthazar, who was bleeding profusely from the neck.

They were beyond shocked!

This was Blackfire Balthazar, one of the strongest Magi to walk this continent. And yet, in mere moments, he had already been pushed into such a state by what the people could only assume was Adamʼs dragon.

Balthazar inhaled deeply and steadied his emotions. He cauterized the wound on his neck with a flicker of black flame, stopping the bleeding.

Then he calmly looked at the armored panther and said:

”I do not wish to fight you. I came here to apologise.”

However, Valerian seemed to have been completely overcome by bloodlust and fury.

In his mind, there was only one thought... to butcher Balthazar, the man who had once inflicted so much pain and agony upon him and upon his beloved

brother.

”Your death will suffice as an apology,” Valerian coldly said as he prepared to

attack once more.

But right at that moment, Anna appeared beside him and tightly hugged his neck. Her voice echoed in his ears and slowly eased his raging emotions.

”Calm down, Little Val,” she murmured. ”Breathe...”

Valerianʼs vertical pupils slowly expanded.

”Let go, Anna.”

”No.” The crimson-haired princess shook her head. ”Listen to me. Calm down.”

Valerian took several deep breaths.

He turned his gaze back to the middle-aged man, who remained standing calmly in place. Then he glanced around and noticed the banquet guests staring

at him in shock and horror.

Many royal guards had also arrived by now, their hands clenched tightly around their weapons. Yet none of them dared to step forward.

The young dragon finally turned his attention back to Balthazar. His eyes narrowed, and he spat in hatred, ”How dare you show yourself before me!”

Balthazar deeply looked at the armored panther, then at the crimson-haired young woman who had managed to rein him in.

”As I said,” he began. ”Iʼm here to apologize for what happened that day.”

Before Valerian could respond, a towering figure with broad shoulders suddenly appeared before Balthazar. He wore loose silk robes and radiated an

oppressive and dignified aura.

Lucian Acadia first glanced at the wound on Balthazarʼs neck and scoffed in

amusement.

Finally, he turned to Anna and Valerian. He was intrigued by the young dragonʼs new transformation, but figured this wasnʼt the right time to ask him about it.

”Valerian, is it?” He asked with a faint smile.

The young dragon growled softly. Even he knew he couldnʼt act disrespectfully toward the Emperor of these lands. And so, he slowly nodded.

Lucianʼs smile deepened. ”My friend here only wishes to speak with you,” he

said, gesturing toward Balthazar.

”Wonʼt you give him that chance, young dragon?”