Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle Chapter 1212: Sparring

Sasha’s laughter rang out, echoing across the desolate plain.

She reached into her robe and pulled out a vial, its contents were glowing like molten ember.

"A potion," she said, holding it up between two fingers.

"Drink. Recover your mana. I want you at your best."

Alex’s jaw dropped. "What? You’re giving them that? Master... Shane... Be careful!"

But Shane and Merlin didn’t hesitate. They inspected the vial in a few seconds. Their senses probed for deceit.

However, they confirmed that the aura was pure... there was no corruption, no poison, only a genuine mana‑restoring potion.

Without another word, they uncorked it and drank.

Alex gasped. "You just... trusted her?"

Shane smirked, wiping his mouth. "We already confirmed it. It’s real."

Merlin’s staff glowed faintly as his mana surged back.

"She’s not here to kill us. Not yet."

The potion worked swiftly.

Mana flowed back into their veins, their reserves filling like rivers after drought.

Shane’s Bio‑Armor even seemed to have been affected as they started repairing themselves.

Merlin also felt more relaxed after that recovery.

Sasha clapped her hands together, delighted at the sight.

"Good," she said, crimson hair flickering like fire. "Now you’re ready. I want a spar."

Shane and Merlin exchanged wry smiles.

They had already guessed this was her intent.

There was no hostility in her aura... only curiosity, the hunger of a predator eager to test prey.

"Two against one," Sasha declared. "I want to see how long I can hold against both of you."

Merlin shook his head, stepping forward.

"No. I’ll face you alone. One on one."

Sasha tilted her head, amused.

"Oh? You think you can handle me by yourself?"

Merlin’s staff hummed. "If I win, I want a couple of your dragon scales. They’ll serve as proof... and material for enchantments."

He was confident when he said this. It was as if he had already defeated a dragon before.

"You’re that confident?"

Sasha blinked, then laughed. "Haha... You’re impressive... But scales? That’s hardly a gamble. Anyway, that’s fine. If that makes it more entertaining..." She paused as she considered what to request...

"Then if I win, I’ll take your staff. That World Tree branch."

Merlin stiffened, shocked. "You... want this staff?"

"Yes," Sasha said, her smile widening. "It has a refreshing vibe on it. It would suit me."

Merlin shook his head. "If you want this staff, you’ll have to add a few more scales to the wager. Otherwise, it’s not fair."

Sasha burst into laughter, the sound echoing across the plain.

"You’re bold, wrinkled human. Very well. More scales it is."

Shane placed a hand on Merlin’s shoulder. "Grandfather... good luck. Show her what you can do."

Merlin nodded. He just accepted that he was Shane’s grandfather for now...

"Yep... I intend to."

The group then quickly prepared a makeshift sparring ground, clearing space among the corpses and ash.

Soon, Sasha stepped into the circle, her aura flaring. Merlin raised his staff as his mana also gathered around him.

Just like that, the air thickened instantly.

Sparks of mana danced between them, the ground trembling under the weight of their power.

Sasha’s crimson eyes gleamed. "Let’s begin."

***

Merlin struck first...

With a wave of his hand, his staff was suddenly blazing with lightning.

Bolts cascaded toward Sasha, but she moved gracefully...

Her body glowed with draconic aura.

She conjured flames in her hands, weaving them into a shield that absorbed the strike.

Bam!

"Not bad," she said with a calm voice.

"But you’ll need more than that."

Merlin’s eyes squinted as he realized the difference in strength...

He shifted his position and started summoning a cyclone of fire and wind!

Whoosh~

The storm came immediately, engulfing Sasha. But she laughed, her body glowing as scales shimmered faintly beneath her human skin. She tore through the storm, her fists blazing with dragonfire.

Merlin raised his staff, blocking her strike. The impact shook the ground!

Boom!

Shane and Alex watched from the edge as they felt quite curious about Merlin’s limit and of course, the dragon’s powers.

It wasn’t every day that they would see a humanoid Dragon after all!

As a matter of fact, it was Alex’s first time seeing such a thing.

Just like that, Sasha pressed forward with her burning Aura...

"Keep it up!" She shouted before she launched a flurry of strikes.

Each one carrying the weight of a dragon might!

"Very well... You truly are a dragon..."

Merlin countered with elemental mastery, moving fire and lightning together to create a strong barrier of elemental force...

The battlefield lit up... The clash of dragon and mage continued...

"Haa!"

Merlin thrust his staff into the ground and soon, an array spread outward.

Then, Vines erupted, twisting into barriers and also an attempt to capture Sasha!.

Sasha grinned with her fists igniting.

Boom!

She smashed through the vines with brute force, and soon, flames consumed the greenery.

"You’re clever," she said, circling him. "But cleverness won’t save you. Those vines, even if they’re from the World Tree’s Staff, they weren’t vines of the World Tree itself. It can’t stop a dragon..."

"Alright..."

Merlin’s staff pulsed, summoning a wall of lightning this time...

This time, Sasha just darted forward, slipping through the barrier with draconic speed.

She appeared behind him, her fist raised.

Merlin spun to evade the strike...

However, Sasha changed her direction, so Merlin had no choice but to use his staff to intercept the blow. The clash sent shockwaves rippling across the plain.

***

Realizing that Merlin could still continue, Sasha’s aura burned brighter...

Soon, the true weight of her dragon presence pressed down.

Alex staggered, clutching his chest, but Shane steadied him.

"This is just her normal combat aura. Imagine if she fought seriously."

Merlin’s eyes narrowed. "You’re holding back."

Sasha smirked. "Of course. If I unleashed everything, you’d be ash already. But this is more fun."

Merlin raised his staff, channeling deeper.

The runes on the staff were triggered, and this time, he summoned a storm of fireflies made of mana. They swirled around him, but each one was a spark of elemental energy.

Sasha’s eyes widened, intrigued. "That’s a beautiful Spell... Interesting trick."

However, the fireflies detonated as soon as they got closer!

These bursts of flame and lightning were converging on her.

"What a dangerous Spell..."

She then crossed her arms, and soon, scales appeared on her body as they started glowing, helping her absorb the blasts.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Smoke billowed, but when it cleared, she was still standing, smiling.

"Better," she admitted. "You’re starting to entertain me."

Merlin’s staff hummed, the World Tree branch glowing with ancient power.

"Since you can take that Grave of Fireflies spell... Then I guess I can just unleash all my spells against you."

Sasha laughed... "Show it to me..."

Merlin’s grip tightened. "Then..."

He paused for a moment and looked at Shane and Alex.

"Watch this carefully, and you two might learn something. This is a spell that should only be used against opponents several times stronger than you."

As Merlin said this, his aura changed.

The sky darkened and the air felt cold...

At this time, even Sasha froze. She felt danger for the first time!

Merlin’s aura thickened until the air itself seemed to shiver.

The runes on his staff blazed brighter than before, and the sky above began to ripple unnaturally.

Clouds moved, and soon, even the heavens split open, and a colossal eye appeared in the rift... It was vast, unblinking, and radiating pure elemental force.

"W-what the..." Alex muttered while Shane was just speechless.

Even Shane’s A.I. Assistant, Cloud, was unable to comprehend what they were seeing.

Sasha’s smile faltered for the first time.

The eye glared down at her, its gaze was filled with destructive intent.

Soon, a beam of searing energy shot forth, crashing toward her like judgment itself.

"Hey! We’re just sparring!" Sasha shouted, her voice tinged with both amusement and alarm.

She raised her arms and soon dragon scales spread across her skin, but the beam burned against her body, forcing her to brace....

The heat was overwhelming, her robe scorched, her aura pressed to its limit.

Then, just as the attack threatened to consume her, she transformed into a Dragon!

Roooaaaar!

At this time, as she thought that the eye would continue, it suddenly blinked once and vanished.

The sky stitched itself closed, the rift dissolving into silence.

Merlin lowered his staff, his expression calm.

"I had no intention of killing you," he said evenly. "That spell was meant to remind you what true danger feels like. I only wanted to test your reaction."

Sasha laughed at this and confirmed that she wasn’t injured. It just hurt for a bit...

Just like that, she transformed back to human form...

Sasha then flicked her crimson hair and looked at Merlin with excitement...

She laughed again, though this time it was edged with respect. "You old human... You almost burned me alive. That was no ordinary spell."

"Hohoho... It’s just a small trick..." Merlin replied with a laugh as he looked at Sasha coldly as if he was giving her a warning.