Grace stared at Richard's figure wrapped in flames.

Even with just that fire, Grace knew it was something difficult to face.

"We begin," she said.

Whoosh!

She dashed toward Richard while slashing her sword.

It seemed she wanted a direct frontal clash first.

Richard also drew his sword.

Clang!

He swung it at Grace's sword without being able to hold back.

The two blades collided violently, producing sparks more like thunderbolts.

Grace was pushed back, but Richard also staggered.

He couldn't help being surprised by the result, because he knew his physical body was extremely strong thanks to the Titan Skeleton in him.

Yet Grace only lost by a little.

"I heard your hand can transform into a dragon's hand. Is that the inheritance of the Dragon Knight? Use it," Grace said as she charged again.

Her momentum drastically increased.

Richard even felt an oppressive pressure coming from her, along with a sharp aura that seemed capable of slicing his throat.

He didn't dare underestimate Grace anymore. She was far stronger than he had imagined, so he was forced to transform his right hand—the one holding the sword—into a dragon's hand.

Clang!

Their swords crashed again.

But with her boosted momentum, Grace wasn't pushed back immediately. She could still continue slashing.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Their blades kept clashing fiercely. The sparks only grew more intense.

From three collisions to thirty in less than one minute.

Compared to many Grimoire Realm Magi Richard had fought, Grace was undeniably stronger.

However, although they seemed evenly matched at first, Grace quickly showed signs of exhaustion—her swings weakening—allowing Richard to begin overpowering her.

This showed that throughout the confrontation, Grace had been pushing herself far beyond her limits.

"Grace, if this is all you can do, you'll lose soon," Richard said.

"This is only the beginning. You need to get more serious," Grace replied.

Her single exposed red eye—since the rest was covered by armor—suddenly shone brightly, followed by her entire body radiating light that burst outward through the armor.

It expanded rapidly, forming a massive domain with Grace at its center.

Compared to that enormous light domain, Richard looked like a tiny ant because it was simply too vast.

Grace clearly wasn't cultivating the Moonshadow Clan's inheritance. She was cultivating another inheritance prepared specifically by Rebecca.

Once that colossal light domain formed, it began exerting pressure that targeted Richard, making movement more difficult. Even releasing his power felt heavier.

Meanwhile, Grace seemed like a fish returning to water.

Richard could feel her power rising sharply. As she dashed toward him, she became several times faster and moved with far more agility.

"Richard, you should use that ability of yours—the one you use to weaken others," Grace said as she closed in.

Against opponents in the same realm, Richard usually felt too proud to use Mind Attack, since it felt like bullying the weak.

But what Grace unleashed now, although not a mind-type attack, was still suppressing him.

"I'm afraid you won't be able to use this ability again afterward," Richard replied.

That was the truth. If Grace had to split her focus, she likely wouldn't have enough power left to maintain the red light.

"Just try," Grace insisted.

Since she wanted to experience Mind Attack personally, Richard didn't refuse.

Perhaps Grace wanted to feel it in order to push her strength further.

Richard sent out the Mind Attack, which went straight into Grace's head, causing her eye to widen.

Crack!

The red light instantly shattered, producing a sound like breaking glass.

Grace slowed dramatically, far slower than before.

Whoosh!

Richard stepped in and grabbed the arm holding her sword, easily catching it because her movement was too slow.

He grabbed her other arm, jumped behind her, and twisted both arms back, locking them behind her to immobilize her.

"I already said it, didn't I? You're extremely weak right now," Richard said.

Shua!

Grace's helmet suddenly dissolved, revealing her face as she turned to look back at him.

"This is stronger than I expected," she said. "But…"

Just as she said that, she transformed into red light that split into ten beams.

Each beam formed her figure—each radiating power equal to the original, except the one that was hit by Mind Attack.

Richard couldn't help being shocked, wondering how she did it.

This was not some typical clone technique, but shadows made real. Yet each one possessed strength similar to the original body.

Buzz! Buzz!

The nine unaffected figures released red light that once again formed a massive domain.

When they all pressed down on Richard at once, even moving a finger became difficult for him.

"Can you defeat me now?" Grace asked with a faint smile.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

All of them charged at Richard simultaneously.

Richard narrowed his eyes and released Mind Attack at all the Grace bodies, causing all their eyes to widen.

The red light surrounding them shattered instantly.

"You…?" Grace was stunned.

"I'm not limited to attacking only one person," Richard replied.

"You can attack everyone you see? I know Queen Lilith also mastered it, but she can only attack one person at a time," Grace said.

"Of course not everyone, there's a limit. It depends on how much I've mastered this Arcane Art. If I fully master it someday, I'll be able to create a domain and attack everyone inside it," Richard explained.

"It seems my True Shadows are useless against you," Grace said after hearing his words.

Whoosh!

Her figure merged back into one and her armor vanished.

It seemed she had decided to stop the battle.

Seeing that, Richard sheathed his sword.

"Is that ability called True Shadow?" he asked.

"Yes, it's a power from my innate soul," Grace replied.

"Innate soul?" Richard's expression turned genuinely surprised.

He hadn't expected Grace to possess an innate soul with such an extraordinary ability.

In other words, she was truly someone blessed, born with an extraordinary gift.

"Were you born in this kingdom?" Richard asked.

He couldn't help being curious about her origins.

Did Rebecca find her by coincidence?

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