Chapter 137 The Juggernaut
Chapter 137 The Juggernaut
Elsewhere in the Dark City, chaos reigned as buildings and streets were torn apart by a relentless series of explosions.
Moments later, police arrived to assist the civilians and identify the source of the blasts. Diane reached the scene and immediately ordered her subordinates to prioritize rescuing the citizens.
"Hurry! Get the people out of this area!" she shouted.
As Diane rushed to assist, she sensed an incoming attack. "Get down!"
BOOM.
The blast struck their location, devastating the area. A massive man clad in white armor, resembling an Irish knight, descended from the sky. He was enveloped in a surge of powerful energy, which fueled the violet flames dancing around the tail behind him.
"I can sense that you possess the strongest presence here," he remarked.
As the smoke cleared, Diane lunged forward. "Yahhh!"
She attempted to punch him, but the man caught her fist effortlessly with his bare hand.
"What?"
The enemy simply yanked her toward him and hurled her away. As she was sent flying, wings sprouted from Diane’s back, allowing her to take flight. She circled back and landed on the ground to confront him.
"You have a lot of nerve attacking the Dark City."
The man was impressed to realize he was facing a Dragonaire. "Well, this is the first time I’ve fought a Dragonaire. How lucky for me—especially if I can bring your head back to the Irish Kingdom."
"Ha! You’re too arrogant. Do you really think it will be that easy?" Diane retorted, unleashing a fierce aura.
Her opponent grew more excited, radiating an even more intense energy. "I am Jugga, one of the Knights of the Cross. I am known as Juggernaut throughout the Irish Kingdom."
He raised his hand slightly, beckoning her. "I don’t like fighting women, but this is a rare opportunity."
Jugga’s body gradually expanded as he continued to emit a massive surge of power.
Diane sighed, tying back her hair. "For years, I haven't had to fight seriously because the city I protect has been peaceful. If it’s a fight you want, I’ll grant it."
With her hair tied back, she braced herself. The ground cracked beneath her feet as she launched herself forward. She threw a punch, which Jugga met with one of his own. The force of their collision created a shockwave that sent debris flying in all directions.
"Yahhh!"
They began exchanging blows, each strike creating shockwaves that made the ground tremble. Diane managed to get close and delivered a punch to Jugga’s gut, nearly lifting him off his feet. She didn't give him a chance to recover, following up with a powerful kick that sent him flying over a hundred meters.
Diane’s wings flared as she dove after him. But as she descended, Jugga suddenly emerged from the smoke, ready to grab her.
"Got you!"
He was too fast for her to evade. Seizing her arms, he slammed her into the ground and threw her through a building.
"Hahahaha! You’re strong, but you can’t break my armor with simple attacks," Jugga boasted.
His body continued to grow as he wrapped himself in his own energy. A moment later, he generated a sphere of energy and hurled it like a ball at Diane.
"Jugger Bomb!"
Diane tried to block it with a punch, but upon contact, it exploded with tremendous force.
BOOM.
Diane was sent tumbling across the ground until she crashed into a wall. Jugga’s aura remained blazing as he bragged that no one could match his strength in hand-to-hand combat. "The person who can defeat me in a melee fight hasn't been born yet."
Suddenly, Diane emerged from the dust, charging once more. "Don't be so arrogant; we've only just begun."
She traded blows with him again, matching his intensity. However, she could feel that even when her strikes landed, Jugga seemed to ignore the damage. She kicked him in the side of the head, but it didn't even knock him off balance. She was shocked when Jugga just smiled at her, clearly mocking her efforts.
She leaped back to create distance and formed a fireball to throw at him. "Fireball!"
Though it hit him directly, Jugga’s energy simply nullified the flames.
"His magic barrier is incredibly strong," she realized. She knew she couldn't break through without matching his raw power. "I have to take this fight seriously."
She released a massive surge of aura, and her form began to shift into that of a Dragonaire. Scales appeared on her arms and legs, and her eyes and hands underwent a transformation.
"Hahaha! Finally, you show your true form. Now we can begin the real fight," Jugga said smugly.
As both unleashed their full power, they lunged at each other once more, clashing with pure physical force. Every punch and kick shook the earth, and the surroundings began to crumble under the weight of their battle.
Diane breathed out a torrent of flames, forcing Jugga into the air. She seized the opportunity and delivered a full-force strike. "Dragon Blow!"
The sheer force of the attack nearly tore the area apart, sending Jugga flying to the very edge of the city. Diane looked at the destruction she had caused and scratched her head.
"Tch... will the Emperor ever forgive me for this?"
She looked toward where Jugga had landed and felt his powerful presence. She knew he was strong, but she hadn't expected him to shrug off one of her strongest attacks.
"He's incredibly resilient, but I can't stop attacking."
She took to the skies again, charging toward her opponent while gathering fireballs in both hands. "Yahh!"
She plummeted down and slammed the fireballs into Jugga, engulfing him in a massive explosion. Diane smirked as the fire spread to nearby houses. "I can't fight in the middle of the city, or I'll be the one to destroy the Dark City."
Suddenly, she was stunned as a powerful aura blew the flames away. Jugga had emerged unscathed.
"Fire can't hurt me—my power originates from a flame much hotter than that." Fire ignited on the tail behind him.
Jugga raised his hands, warning her. "If you’re done showing off your strength, it’s time for me to show mine."
With his hands raised, he clapped them together with all his might, creating a devastating shockwave. "Shockwave!"
The blast obliterated everything in its path until it hit Diane directly. She couldn't defend herself in time.
"He’s too strong," she gasped.
The impact slammed her into the wall of a building, and she fell to her knees. She hadn't expected this, especially since it was a sound-based attack that was impossible to block.
"His abilities are monstrous. I need to think of a plan."
As she struggled to stand, she was startled to see Jugga appear right in front of her, arm cocked back to punch.
"I’ve got you now."
"No way..."
She tried to block, but it was too fast. Jugga struck her, sending her flying backward. Before she could stop, Jugga dropped from the sky and kicked her down.
"Ahh!"
The ground shattered, and stone slabs erupted from the force. "I’m not done yet," Jugga declared.
He grabbed Diane by the head, slammed her into the ground three times, and hurled her away again. "Hahahaha! What’s the matter? Is that all a Dragonaire can do?"
Diane released a furious aura as she slowly forced herself to stand, her hands crackling with fire. Jugga dismissed her resolve, reminding her that fire could not burn him. "You’re just wasting your energy with that attack."
Diane knew he was right, and she couldn't risk unleashing a massive fireball in the middle of the city. Because she hesitated, Jugga raised his hands and clapped again to generate another shockwave.
"Shockwave."
Diane knew that punching or dodging was futile. Her eyes widened, realizing she would be hit again if she didn't act. No, I'll be hit if I don't move, she thought.
But just before the shockwave struck, a massive wall of ice erupted from the ground, intercepting Jugga’s attack.
BOOM.
Although the wall was shattered, it was three meters thick and fifteen meters high, absorbing the impact and keeping Diane safe.
"What happened?"
"Where did this ice come from?"
While Diane was still in shock, a wolf-man encased in ice descended from the sky and landed beside her. The ice faded, revealing his human form, and Diane recognized him.
"Wait, Eula? Is that you?"
Eula immediately helped her stand and warned her not to lose focus. "His power is no joke. I can feel that the energy in his body is nearly double mine."
"I don't know if I can defeat him alone, but we have to lure him away from the city to prevent further destruction."
Eula pulled Diane along, and they dashed away to find a more open area far from the buildings.