Heretic Trainer: The Gym Is My Cultivation Method-Chapter 478: That Confidence Backfired

Darius stared at Dahlia, his eyes locked on her current dragon form.

For a moment, he said nothing.

His claws tightened slowly, the muscles in his arms tensing as he processed what he was seeing. "...How...?"

His voice came out lower than expected. "How can you transform too?"

He took a step forward, his gaze sharpening. "Even I had to change my path... even I had to fuse with a dragon just to reach this form."

There was frustration in his tone now, mixed with disbelief. "And you..."

He narrowed his eyes. "You did it so easily?"

Dahlia laughed.

It wasn’t forced. It came out naturally, almost amused. "Because I’m just better than you."

She rolled her shoulder once, her dragon form shifting slightly as the wind around her moved with it. "I’m a genius, remember?"

She tilted her head, her eyes locking onto his.

Then her smile changed. It didn’t disappear, but it sharpened. "So... do you regret it now?"

There was a short pause. "Killing my mother."

Her voice dropped slightly. "Forcing me to leave."

Darius didn’t answer.

Dahlia lifted her hand and pointed at herself. "If not for you, the Draconia Clan would still have me."

She let out a short breath, her expression steady. "A real genius."

Her eyes hardened. "But even if you kneel today..."

She lowered her hand slowly. "I won’t forgive you."

Darius’ expression darkened. "Who said I would ask for forgiveness?"

His voice turned colder. He pointed at himself. "Now that I’ve reached this level..."

A faint pressure spread from his body. "I don’t need someone like you anymore."

He crossed his arms, his gaze fixed on her. "And no matter what you’ve become..."

His tone sharpened. "You’re still a stain on the Draconia Clan. So die!"

[Infernal Dragon Tyranny]

The domain erupted instantly.

Demonic flames burst outward, spreading across the entire hall in a single wave.

The temperature rose sharply.

A heavy dragon pressure filled the space, pressing down on everything within range.

The ground beneath them cracked slightly under the weight. The air itself felt heavier.

Dahlia didn’t move. She didn’t step back.

Instead, she smirked. "Do you really think you’re the only one who has that?"

She lifted her hand.

[Sky Dragon Domain]

Wind burst outward the moment the domain formed.

It cut through the flames below, forcing them to split apart.

The fire didn’t disappear, but it couldn’t move freely anymore. It was pushed back.

Above them, thunderclouds began to gather rapidly.

The sky darkened. A bolt of lightning struck the ground with a sharp crack.

At the same time, a second dragon pressure rose. It met Darius’ pressure head-on.

The two forces clashed in the center of the hall. For a moment, the air trembled.

Neither side overpowered the other and in the end... they cancelled each other.

Darius frowned, his claws tightening again. "...How is this possible?"

Dahlia’s smile returned, small but clear. "It looks like..." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

She tilted her head slightly. "I’m stronger than you thought, Father."

Darius clicked his tongue. "So what?"

His voice turned dismissive. "That’s just your dragon pressure."

He shifted his stance slightly, lowering his arms. "That doesn’t prove anything."

Dahlia let out a short laugh. "If that’s what you think..."

She stepped forward. "...then let’s test it."

[Sky Dragon Claws]

Her claws were immediately wrapped in wind and thunder.

The currents around them moved rapidly, unstable but controlled.

The air around her distorted slightly under the pressure of the energy.

Darius didn’t hesitate. He activated his own skill.

[Infernal Dragon Claws]

Flames condensed around his claws, burning brighter and heavier than before.

The heat intensified around him, the ground beneath his feet darkening.

Both of them stood facing each other.

For a brief moment, neither moved.

Then without hesitation, Darius moved first.

He surged forward, closing the distance in an instant.

His body leaned forward, speed bursting out as his claw aimed straight at Dahlia’s shoulder.

Dahlia smiled.

She shifted her weight slightly to the side, her body turning just enough to let the claw pass by her by a narrow margin.

The attack missed, but she didn’t stop there.

The moment she dodged, her hand shot out and caught Darius’ wrist mid-motion.

At the same time, her other claw came up, striking directly toward his arm.

Darius reacted immediately.

He twisted his body and brought up his other claw, blocking her strike before it could land cleanly.

The impact pushed both of them slightly apart.

"Damn it," Darius snapped, his expression tightening. "How dare you attack me... your own father?"

Dahlia let out a short laugh. "Then how dare you attack me... your own daughter?"

Her tone carried a hint of amusement, but her eyes stayed sharp.

Darius frowned, but he didn’t waste time arguing.

Before he could say anything else, Dahlia moved again.

She twisted her wrist, redirecting his arm and throwing his balance off slightly.

At the same time, she stepped in closer. Her knee drove toward his side.

Darius pulled back just in time, avoiding a direct hit, though the movement forced him to retreat half a step.

He immediately countered. His arm came down sharply, aiming toward her head.

Dahlia ducked under it without hesitation.

Then her mouth opened slightly, energy gathering as if she were about to release a breath attack.

Darius saw it. "Damn it..."

He raised both arms, crossing them in front of his face in preparation.

But Dahlia smirked. At the last moment, she closed her mouth.

The energy shifted.

Her legs became wrapped in condensed storm energy instead.

Before Darius could react... she spun.

Her body rotated sharply, and her leg came around in a clean arc, striking straight toward his stomach.

[Dragon Tempest Kick]

The impact landed solidly.

Darius’ body bent slightly from the force, his expression tightening.

"...A kick?" he muttered, clearly caught off guard. "Goddammit."

Dahlia smirked. "Don’t believe everything you see."

She straightened slightly, her gaze locking onto him again. "And now... I’ll give you what you actually expected."

This time, she didn’t fake it. She opened her mouth again.

[Sky Dragon Breath]

A blast of wind and thunder erupted forward instantly.

The attack hit Darius before he could fully recover from the previous strike.

The force lifted him off the ground and sent him flying backward.

"Damn you, Dahlia!" His voice echoed as his body shot upward.

A moment later... He crashed hard into the ceiling.