(CHAPTER 44: GOLDEN HEART)

The golden apple.

An extremely rare relic, granting the user enhanced strength, speed and durability, with a price of their soul as a bet. Though the effect is just temporary, the raw power granted could turn the tide of one's fight almost in an instance. Some is able to survive the aftermath, while some die trying. One human being can only consume a golden apple once in their life, consuming two would be too risky or straight up fatal.

The truth behind the golden apple is that it increases the heartbeat rate of the consumer, giving more oxygen, blood and adrenaline. Thus more strength, speed and faster instinct. And Hero has created his own version of the golden apple through these information through forcing the heart to pump faster and harder, sure it is risky the result is not perfect, but it at least let him able to fight toe to toe against Lucas, at least for now.

The Golden Heart.

"Still able to fight?" Hero stare at Lucas, who was still struggling to get back on his feet. "The hell is that, you just popped a golden apple?" Lucas asked as he lean against the bark of the tree beside him to get up. "Chickened?" Hero gestured him to stand up and fight. "Never." Lucas hold his fist up and dashes across the drawbridge, Hero dashes too as the punches landed together.

For the first time, there is a being on par with a Dragon Slayer.

And even surpassing it.

Lucas's hand reeled back from the punch, he didn't expected his bones to be shattered from that one single impact. Hero took the opportunity and landed a cross on his face, Lucas return his favor with an uppercut in the chin. And the two trades blow, it was like two senseless devils fighting against each other, only by bloodshed they would stop their rampage.

But as time moves on, Lucas is obviously at a disadvantage, every single punch landed on him is like being hit with a cannonball, while every punch he landed on him was like hitting a block of iron, he could fell the bones of his finger snapping, one by one like a twig. The more he hit him, the more damage he was dealt to himself, this cannot continue.

Lucas do a backflip and dodge the incoming side kick as he landed at the other side of the drawbridge. "What, chickened?" Hero asked, "You mess up big time Hero boy." Lucas let out a chuckle. His body aches as the pain make his mind feel numb. His fists were soaked with blood as bone splinter poke out from his flesh, there is no other chance. He need to take thre risk. With his trembling hands, Lucas reaches for his pocket and pulled out a silver needle. This was his bonus equipment, his one and only tool in case things goes wrong.

"Is that a needle?" Hero squinted his eyes for a moment before finally knowing what was on his grasp. "What are you gonna do with it? Spear it at me? Is it coated with poison or something?" Lucas gritted his teeth and raised the needle from his hand. Suddenly he plunges the needles into various part of his arm, as blood splattered out of his arm, he began screaming, his scream echoes inside the arena, sending a spine down to everyone as the scream turns into a howl and into a growl before a roar, a roar of a dragon.

Dragon slayers are undeniably god among the flesh of men, and it was clear that the full potential of their true power haven't been released yet. After years and even decades of research, one of the Hemelton Dragon slayers successfully discover what had been holding back their godly power from it's true potential, themselves. And through it he invented a technique through releasing the blood and lowering the blood pressure of the body. This allow the heart to pump more blood, letting the dragon's blood within their vein overtaking their consciousness, turning them into a beast, a monster of destruction.

Hemelton family tradition: Demigod

Lucas's entire arm is transformed into the claw of a dragon, larger, almost reaching down to his foot. With razor sharp claws the size of the dagger and green, emerald scales poking from the skin of his arm, growing along the left side of his torso, and face too. His cyan blue eyes change jungle green, as his pupil shrunk, giving him a snake like look and covering him with a beast like aurora. "The hell is that thi-" Before Hero could even take a good long look at him he disappear almost out of thin air before reappearing in front of him and slashes towards him. A wound was inflicted on his chest, as blood splatter out, leaving a claw mark on his chest, Hero was completely dumbfounded.

For the first time in a fight, he didn't even see his moves