Leander hovered mid-air as his calm gaze locked onto the two interlopers. His eyes betrayed nothing, seemingly fathomless.Halia and Khaedor's eyes flickered. While they were shocked, they also had enough of their wits to speculate about Leander's identity.The Deepcoil Dragon he'd fought was the size of a small villa. Although it'd been smashed into the mountainside, it was definitely alive... and very, very angry. His aura was so oppressive that even they had to be careful when dealing with magical beasts of his caliber.noveldramaYet, this young man had managed to send a Deepcoil Dragon flying with just one punch. He'd even managed to leave a dent in the dragon's scales. This alone proved that he was a monster of his own right.A fighter of his caliber could easily leave a mark on the International Combat Units list. However, they'd seen anyone worth seeing and had never seen him before.Suddenly, a name popped up in their minds.Among the top 20 ranked worldwide, the only one they hadn't encountered was the Astrian genius—Jeff Ashcroft."Jeff Ashcroft?"Halia licked her lips in interest, her gaze a mix of curiosity and seduction.However, one should never judge a book by its cover. Although she boasted unblemished skin and youthful looks, she was already 60 when she first made the list. Now, she was approaching 80.Back then, she'd been known as the youngest top ranker worldwide.Now, it seemed that this young fellow was about to take that title from her.Nonetheless, she was intrigued by this mysterious figure. He was now ranked fifth despite not even being in his 20s.Khaedor's aura flickered in black pulses, his aura betraying his disbelief as he gaped at Leander.He and Halia ranked first and second on the International Combat Units list. Even they wouldn't dare to provoke a Deepcoil Dragon unless they really had to. Yet, Leander, who came in fifth, had subdued the Deepcoil Dragon effortlessly.That could only mean one thing his true power was way above his ranking.Leander shot them a glance, but wasn't surprised by their appearance. After all, the appearance of an unknown relic would always attract several powerhouses.Suddenly, they heard a thunderous roar that sent the remaining half of the cliff into chunks.Sure enough, chunks of earth fell to the ground in deafening thumps. The black dragon had gotten himself free from the mountainside, and he had soared into the sky once more.His nostrils flared as he glared at Leander murderously. There was no mistaking his look for anything else but the intent to kill."You insolent human, how dare you strike me!"Wrath burned in his eyes, his scales bristling as an ominous energy rippled outward. Soon, cracks appeared in the space beneath its claws."I'm not done. You're dead once I'm done with you," Leander replied calmly as he raised his hand, blue energy swirling in his palm."You? Kill me? Hah!"The black dragon didn't even spare Halia and Khaedor a glance. To him, Leander was his true enemy."The Dragon Core is the culmination of my cultivation! Yet, you want it for yourself! You only have yourself to blame for dying. I will use the Deepcoil Dragons' legacy to end your life. Neither you nor that Formshift Pill you have will ever leave this valley alive."The dragon then slammed his claws against the ground, sending dirt and debris everywhere.Just then, a strange black energy surged into the ground, resonating with the springs and causing the waters to roil in protest.The spring bubbled and frothed. Leander narrowed his eyes slightly in surprise.The black energy shot countless threads from the springs, covering hundreds of feetof the ground. Shortly after, a black, ominous light surged to life.Leander never left his spot despite being the center of it all. Soon, stones erupted from the springs, more specifically, 12 bronze dragon statues.These 12 statues rose into the air, forming a perfect circle around him. Each statue flashed as threads,glowing a faint black, connected netthem together Thread upon thread intersected with each other, creating a sealed net that trapped Leander. "An array?"A flicker of surprise appeared in his eyes, but that was it.He finally understood just what the dangerous aura he'd been feeling in the springs was. It turned out that it wasn't the black dragon. Instead, the statues were the culprit.Although they'd been submerged underwater, these statues showed no signs of rusting. They looked to be in mint condition. Thus, they were definitely made from special materials.Even if he hadn't known whether they had been forged with special materials, the fact that they were floating midair was enough to make them fantastical.The black dragon let out a chortle."You fool! I had to admit that I am no match for you when it comes to raw strength. Still, I bet you didn't see this coming! The very ground you're standing on is the Deepcoil Dragons' ancestral land!"Our bloodline might not be numerous, but every single powerhouse who was on the brink of death would forge their flesh and blood into statues to anchor this array and guard our sacred home!""You are now facing the strongestarray created by my ancestorsthemselves: Behold, theverDragonbound Array! This array could slay those stronger than theTranscendent Realm. Although it now only has 80 percent of itspower, it's still more than enough tokill you!" His laughter thundered above them all. "Cherish your last moments while you stillcan, foolish human!"This was his ace in the hole.Although he wasn't able to manifestthe array's full power due to hiscultivation, he felt confident with hi chances. After all, they were on his turf and playing by his rules.Even 10 Infernal Crown Transcendents could only watch helplessly as they died to this array."Sovereign Ashcroft!" Carla screamed.Halia and Khaedor tensed upon hearing the dragon's explanation, their eyes falling on the 12 bronze statues. Although they were the best of the best, the destructive power radiating from it screamed danger.Still, they felt a guilty sort of relief when Leander was the one trapped in the array.Judging by the black dragon's words, the Deepcoil Dragons had been living here for a long, long time. This was their territory.So, it was highly likely that the unknown relic was tied to them. It was possible that the black dragon was its guardian.Thus, they would be the ones facing the array and its disastrous power if Leander hadn't gotten here first."Dragonbound Array, huh?"Leander's eyes glinted dangerously as a disdainful smirk played on his lips."Do you really think an array like that is enough to stop me? Watch. I'll shatter it right before your eyes, reptile."Then, he balled his hands into fists as blue energy shot out from above his head, splitting into 12 beams before striking each bronze statue one after another.