Chapter 213 The Kingdoms Move

[The Royal Throne Room | Yinlong Capital]

"Yahui has fallen, you say?"

Sitting on a throne forged of immaculate steel, shaped like the wings of a mighty dragon, a man sat, possessing the fair, blemish-free face of a prince.

Around the royal chamber, which was decorated with the statues of divine dragons, looming high in their perfect, quartz material, imposing sentinels stood as guards for the man sitting on the throne.

"Yes, Emperor Jiao-Long."

Delivering this news was a man dressed head-to-toe in black gear that seemed specialized for espionage and reconnaissance.

Emperor Jiao-Long possessed a complexion as pale as snow, dressed in snow-white scales and lavish armor to match; cascading down his shoulders were flowing locks of a jet-black shade, standing in opposition to his powerful eyes that shined of a platinum glow.

"I see," Emperor Jiao-Long said calmly, "So, it's begun. God's prophecy has rung true–the champions of another world have arrived."

"--" The messenger remained bowed down on the floor.

The Emperor raised his hand to give a command, "Gather the other eleven Winged Generals to the capital. We're to prepare for a full-scale war; the time for games is over."

Such a command shifted the atmosphere within the divine chamber, causing the messenger to sweat profusely as he nodded vigorously returning to his feet before rushing off, "As you wish, Great Emperor!"

Sitting on his throne, the emperor thought to himself, resting his cheek against his hand.

[It is time. The Twelve Winged Generals–the most powerful warriors in this world–will be unleashed in full. How will you respond, Scalyue?]

"...You really want to catch this lizard, huh? Didn't you say it was big?" He asked.

He was following behind the outdoors-dressed youthful man with golden hair, who marched through the mud with his resistant boots.

I didn't have any choice but to agree, honestly. I don't know the first thing about tracking down people, and this guy certainly fits the bill of somebody familiar with a setting like this. Though I feel like I've just agreed to a wild journey…He thought.

Archie laughed, "Oh yeah! This one definitely isn't an ankle biter, that's for sure!"

"Then how do you plan to catch it…? Why do you want to capture it, anyway?" He asked.

No matter how many questions he asked, it seemed Archie was never annoyed or reluctant to answer as the bubbly man kept looking forward.

"Why? It's pretty simple, really! I want to create a reservation for every creature!" Archie explained.

"Reservation? How do you plan to do that?"

Archie chuckled, "I'll show you that once we find this big fella again!"

He didn't know what to expect, but somehow, the bubbly, fearless nature of his newfound companion left him feeling somewhat hopeful for the future.

Delving into the heart of the forest, he followed behind Archie as the man took more quiet steps, sneaking through the tall foliage. Of course, the act of stealthiness was something he was proficient at as none of his steps made any sound, no matter how much he brushed through the shrubs.

Archie's eyes shone, "...There she is, mate!"

As he sat beside the golden-haired man, he saw it as well: the so-called "big lizard"--but even such a description didn't do it justice.

It dwarfed the size of any elephant, covered in obsidian scales as it feasted on the carcasses of fawn that seemed minuscule to the large creature. There was a large, moss-veiled cave that seemed to be the abode of the humongous reptile.

…Lizard? That's a freaking dragon! He thought.

"How the hell are you planning on capturing something that big…?!" He asked in a sharp whisper.

"Just leave the capturing part to me, mate! I just need ya to wear it down for me!" Archie told him.

"Wait, what?" He let out.

Before he could get a proper answer, being left with this realization, Archie revealed himself from the tall grass, shouting out as he cupped his hands around his mouth–

"Over here, ya bloody chook!"

Just like that, the massive, scaled lizard of Jurassic proportions looked up with its vertical, yellow eyes, roaring out with such force that the trees swayed as if in the midst of a storm.

"You're crazy!" He yelled out.

"Aha-ha! Gettem, mate!" Archie said, holding his hat to keep it on his head.

It began to stomp towards them, moving like a massively scaled-up komodo dragon as each of its steps rumbled the forest.

He was forced to rush out, meeting it in the secluded clearing as he drew his daggers.

[Enemy Identified: "Onyx Ground Dragon" | Level 28]

Level twenty-eight?! That's way higher than what I've encountered here so far! He thought.

Still, there was no room for doubts as he jumped up, avoiding a clamp of its jaws that could no doubt swallow him whole.

He spun his body around, placing his hands against its snout as he hopped onto its head, catching his footing as the lizard began to spin around to shake him off.

…Wear it out?! This thing is insane! He thought.

"Keep it up, mate! The bloody thing can't catch ya!" Archie cheered him on.

How about you do something, too?! He thought.

He had to run along its back as the lizard continued to wriggle vigorously, beating its hands and feet into the mud below as it stirred up a storm of mud in the air.

It was definitely a new type of opponent, unlike any he had faced as he could feel the odd texture of its scales beneath his boots. Something akin to steel, but somehow flexible and rough like sandpaper; that was its hide.

He was forced to jump up once again as the behemoth rolled around to finally get him off, finding himself having to act quickly as the wingless dragon began spinning around, using its massive tail as a weapon.

If that hits, it's going to hurt! He thought.

To his side, he cut down a branch as he was falling, grabbing it and tossing it under him as he used it as a momentary foothold, activating his instantaneous step as he vanished from the cyclone of mud and death forged by the ground dragon.

"...Close," he mumbled, exhaling.

All that met his ears was rumbling as the building-sized reptile trampled the foliage to charge him.

Here it comes…! He thought.

Though he was nearly caught off-guard as he watched its lips part, finding something propelling out towards him like a whip. It was a pale, pink whip; thicker than his body and longer than the nearby trees.

A tongue?! He realized.

He managed to dodge it with a sidestep, but found the ground dragon closing in swiftly as he countered its stampede by jumping up and kicking it right in its massive nose.

THWAM.

The impact sounded out, causing the reptile to recoil as it hissed out–but the kick did halt its rush, leaving it stunned momentarily.

"Crikey! That's one bloody kick ya have there, mate!" Archie called out from the bushes.

Though it didn't last long as the behemoth reptile quickly came to, angrier than ever as it roared out with its ear-piercing volume, causing him to freeze for a second.

In that second, the beast spun around with incredible agility, building momentum on its scale-clad, massive tail.

Oh no…! I can't move–it seems like that yell has some sort of stunning effect when you're within range of it! That tail–it'll do some heavy damage if it hits! He thought.

"C'mon out, End Shielder!"

–It was Archie's voice, but the words that met his ears provided little information before something appeared in front of him.

A tall, broad figure possessing pale-white skin like snowy armor, wielding two, giant shields on both arms that it held forward–blocking the tail strike for him.

A Defect…? Huh? It's…protecting me? He thought.

As the stunning effect wore off, he glanced back towards Archie, seeing that the eccentric man held a big smile, revealing himself from the bushes as there was a magical mark shining on the man's palm.

It resembled the silhouette of the Earth itself, glowing green.

Did he…? He began to piece together.

"Focus up, mate!" Archie called out.

"...Right!" He nodded.

Though it was perplexing, the shield-bearing Defect seemed to be on his side, blocking the repeated, spinning tail strikes with its shields that resembled massive doors that would protect the entrance to an illustrious kingdom.

I'll ask him after this is over! He decided.

As he leapt towards the ground dragon, he sheathed his daggers and instead opted for his martial arts side, unleashing a barrage of blows against it.

My job is just to wear it down, right? I don't need to slay it, then! He thought.

Martial arts definitely wasn't structured with the intent of fighting such massive, inhuman creatures, but that wasn't much of a restriction when the concept of superhuman physicality was in the picture.

With a spinning kick executed seamlessly and with a vibrant energy around his leg, he delivered a massive impact right to its side, knocking it to the left.

Launching the creature had its own downsides as it rolled over, crushing the neighboring trees beneath its weight.

"...Oops," he mumbled.

The ground dragon got up with a wrath burning in its eyes, stomping its hands down, digging its claws into the mud as it parted its maw wide, revealing a glowing, orange light being born in its throat.

…Fire?! He realized.

Before he could even think to dodge, the shield-possessing Defect slid in front of him, slamming its hulking shields down and stabilizing them in the ground as it protected him from the flame breath that poured from the lizard's mouth.

It was an odd sensation to be protected by a Defect, the very sort of entity that had persecuted humanity, but for now, he was happy it was so as the rampant flames didn't reach him.

After the tunnel of swirling inferno died down, a straight section of the forest floor had been desecrated—the grass was turned to ash and the soil was black like obsidian; the smell of fire burned the air as the ground dragon continued forward.

"You seriously want to capture this thing?! It's violent!"

He spoke while dodging the snapping jaws of the beast and its swiping claws, flipping around them and countering with powerful kicks.

Archie called out in response, "I don't discriminate! A mean cranker like 'im will fit right in, anyway!"

There was obviously no dissuading the eccentric man from his wish to capture the giant reptile, so he decided to oblige.

Urgh…Whatever! I've come this far–! I'll knock it out right now! He thought.