I Only Tame Dragons

"This can't be!" Ironfist roared, disbelief twisting his features. "I'm supposed to be stronger than you!"

Horizon stood calm and collected, flicking the blood from his blades with a nonchalant grace. "Didn't I tell you? Strength alone won't save you. If you can't figure that out and just rely on your stats, then you'll never defeat me."

Despite their similar stats, Horizon held the edge when it came to innate combat skills—something Ironfist sorely lacked.

Until now, Ironfist had dominated his enemies, players who fell beneath his raw power. But facing a true expert, the glaring disparity between them became painfully clear.

"Stop dodging my attacks, you coward!" Ironfist spat, fury boiling within him.

Horizon's lips curled into a sly grin. "Are you an idiot? Did you think this was a friendly brawl?"Nôv(el)B\\jnn

An intense aura enveloped him, intensifying with lethal intent. The air around them grew heavy, suffused with an undeniable pressure that made Ironfist involuntarily step back, unease creeping into his core as Horizon stepped forward.

"Attacking me alone is a grave mistake," Horizon said, his voice low and menacing. "Do you think that after you attack me, I will just let you go? Looks like Veilborne will enter the competition without you."

Ironfist clenched his teeth, desperately shoving aside the fear that threatened to overwhelm him. But the suffocating aura radiating from Horizon was too much, sending shivers down his spine.

Who was this man?!

What appeared to be a mere mortal transformed before his eyes, revealing a predator cloaked in human skin. Horizon's bloodlust was palpable, an electric charge in the air that paralyzed Ironfist in place.

Every instinct screamed at Ironfist to flee, but the fierce pride to not run away held him firm. He faced Horizon, but deep down, he could feel the dread gnawing at him.

Ironfist had never encountered anyone like this. And for the first time, doubt began to creep into his mind.

"Don't fuck with me!" Ironfist roared and launched over at Horizon.

Ironfist's eyes burned with fury as he unleashed every skill in his arsenal. His body crackled with power as he activated [Titan Strength], veins bulging as his muscles swelled to inhuman proportions. His fists gleamed with the glow of his [Iron Gauntlets], each punch capable of shattering bones and turning stone to dust.

With a thunderous roar, Ironfist also activated [Berserker Rage], doubling his speed and power in exchange for his defense.

His body became a blur as he charged Horizon, fists crashing down like meteors. The air rippled with every swing, the earth trembling beneath his raw power.

He then unleashed [Thunderous Blow], a shockwave blasting from his fist, aiming to crush Horizon under its might.

But Horizon didn't even flinch.

Effortlessly, Horizon stepped aside, moving with a fluid grace that made it seem as if he was dancing through Ironfist's attacks. Not a single skill, not a single counterstrike. He simply weaved through the onslaught like it was child's play.

Ironfist, panting heavily, gritted his teeth and snarled. "Why won't you fight back?!"

Horizon's gaze was cold, almost bored. "You're not worth the effort."

It was painfully obvious—Ironfist's attacks lacked even a trace of strategy or finesse. Every swing, every blow, was pure brute force with no thought behind it.

He was the kind of player who leaned entirely on raw stats and flashy skills to overpower his enemies, much like 90% of the players in Eternia.

He had grown too accustomed to crushing opponents with his stats, relying on his inflated numbers rather than learning the art of combat.

And why wouldn't he? In most cases, it worked. For him, stats were everything. Skills were just the finishing touch.

But here, facing Horizon, it was painfully clear how little that approach truly mattered.

Even the dungeon bosses, the field elites—creatures far less intelligent—had mastered tactics, using devastating combos and coordinated attacks to keep challengers on their toes.

But Ironfist? His attacks were linear, predictable. He fought like someone who never expected to meet an opponent who could truly match him, let alone someone who could completely outclass him without breaking a sweat.

It wasn't strength he lacked. It was the skill of combat.

Enraged, Ironfist activated [Earthquake Stomp], sending massive cracks through the ground beneath them. The very earth split open, jagged rocks shooting upward as the ground trembled violently.

Yet, Horizon stood atop a thin piece of solid ground, unaffected by the chaos.

Without hesitation, Ironfist called upon his final skill, his ace: [Heaven's Fist]. His entire body glowed with golden light as he gathered all his remaining mana into a single, devastating blow. A blow that, in his mind, would end Horizon once and for all. The air grew thick with energy as he launched himself forward, his fist ready to strike.

Horizon didn't move.

Ironfist's fist collided with nothing but air as Horizon calmly sidestepped the attack. The devastating energy from [Heaven's Fist] exploded into the ground, creating a massive crater where Horizon had just stood, but the man himself remained untouched.

As the dust cleared, Ironfist stood, wide-eyed, breathless, and utterly defeated. Every skill he possessed, every ounce of power, had been useless.

"Impossible," Ironfist whispered, his body trembling with exhaustion, his mana depleted. "How . . . how are you still standing?"

Horizon shrugged. "It's because you're simply too weak."

He stepped forward, and for the first time, Ironfist could feel the weight of Horizon's presence bearing down on him like an avalanche.

"I didn't need to use any skills," Horizon continued, his voice as sharp as the blade he hadn't even used yet. "Every one of my skills would have been overkill. Instant death for someone like you."

Ironfist's knees buckled, the reality of his situation crashing down on him. He was outmatched, outclassed in every possible way.

"Now," Horizon said, his gaze locking onto Ironfist's with chilling finality, "Are you ready to face the consequences of your actions?"

Nyx snickered. "For a 2nd rate guild, and a vice captain, you sure are weak."