Planet Master

Tatsumi did not expect that at all.

What he meant was that the Lizardfolk’s God had summoned that being. That being was the cause why the advance of the Cerulean Defense Force stopped.

Not only that, but that being also changed the weather as it pleased, as if that being had mastered the ‘Calling the Wind, Summoning the Rain Magic Spell’ to its full potential.

The magic spell was actually a betrothal gift he had given to Charlene and Ame. It functioned as a weather-controlling spell designed to give advantage to one’s side.

But from what he could observe, that being held dominion over the sky of the Lizardfolk territory. The Cerulean Defense Force managed not to let that being from entering the Rift. But that was all they could do.

“What is that being?” Long Wu as the senior transcendent had to ask his disciple since Tatsumi was the only one with Perfect Connection to the Library of Consciousness and by extension the Father God.

“That is what we call a ‘Dragon’.” Tatsumi uttered with a bit of confusion and more of awe and fear.

“That’s a Dragon?” Long Wu suddenly realized that the story that person had told him turned out to be true.

All this time, he was sure that the being called a Dragon was just that person’s fantasy and that was why he bore the surname Long. For origınal chapters go to N()velFire.net

“Well, a kind of Dragon. With a pair of wings that stretched twenty meters, a body as far as forty meters and as wide as thirty meters, its black scales and body giving it a fierce appearance, it is a king of the sky.” Tatsumi tried to process the new information he had gotten.

Ame knew that her role in this was probably to tie the Dragon from using the thing similar to the Calling the Wind Summoning the Rain Magic Spell so she had a determined gaze as she looked at Tatsumi.

Tatsumi realized Ame’s gaze and he bitterly smiled. Someone had to tie the dragon from using its weather manipulation magic while some of them had to face it, to slay it.

“A king of the sky, that’s apt for that being but we need something to slay it.” Long Wu said after processing the information.

“According to the reports, even the Anti-Material Sniper Rifle failed to injure the Dragon. The current known weaknesses are the wings and the head. But I have a feeling…that we need to find a different-looking scale and break it!” Tatsumi said while clenching his open hand hard.

“Is it just me, or does the report actually describe the different scale as an Inverted Scale?” Ame asked.

“Right. That’s what the report says. But…the action of using that particular weakness will result in the Dragon being enraged. Can we withstand that rage before slaying it with its weakness?” Tatsumi had to pour the cold water over everyone’s mind.

“If it truly is that being’s weakness, then we need to risk it.” Long Wu had no choice but to say this.

The transcendent strike group was currently discussing this matter vehemently. To turn the tide of battle, they needed to slay the Dragon before dealing with the Lizardfolk.

“Really, the Dragon is just a powerful flying lizard. I kind of get something from watching it attacking and withstanding the assault. So I need to seclude myself for some time. I believe the others are also in need of some rest. Teacher, why don’t we recuperate or seclude ourselves before launching our attack on the Dragon?” Tatsumi suggested.

Long Wu also had some idea that he needed to incorporate into his fighting style so he nodded.

“I agree. Everyone, rest or seclude yourself for three days. After that, we move!”

-

“Hmm, that’s quite an expensive card you have there.” Dian commented in his Planet Master Space, sitting on his throne.

The information on the enemy’s active card revealed itself in front of Dian as a string of information.

[Name: Summoning Dragon

Rank: E

Type: Auxiliary Ability Card (Active)

Effect: When your Core Race does a summoning ritual, which involves sacrificing blood essence, you can summon a dragon to the ritual field. The dragon will regard the summoner and its member as an ally and the rest as enemies.

Note: Dragons are the apex living beings one could aspire to. The strongest state of the dragon is equal that of the Transcendent Tree’s highest of the enemy, encompassing their entire Transcendent Tree.]

Dian tapped the armrest of the throne with his index finger as he realized that the moment the Star Battle started, his opponent Planet Master, immediately initiated the ritual, making the first move to let out a deadly card right off the bat.

Even Dian knew that Tatsumi and Long Wu were no match for the Dragon, even if they were increased in number by a hundred.

What I need is for the two of them to reach a state where they can cut down even the scale of the Dragon.

Dian had to admit that he had read so much material regarding a dragon. It was extensive and covered many things about the dragon. Even though nowadays, it was so rare to find a dragon, as rare as finding a phoenix and a qilin’s horn.

That was why He was so surprised to see a method of calling a dragon with the Auxiliary Ability Card. But Dian knew that to buy such a card required a large number of energy points.

“This is the necessary move to make sure of my victory.” The Lizardfolk Planet Master said while carefully looking at Dian.

He had detected the worry and concern Dian had before but he did not detect any fear from Dian’s expression.

“A bit unexpected but let’s see how far they can go before I send them reinforcement.” Dian said while blinking at the scene shown in the system panels in front of him.

He referred to Tatsumi and Long Wu. As for his own newest active Auxiliary Ability Card, he still had not activated it.

-

“Fire at its wings!” Several anti-air guns pointed their muzzles at the Dragon in the sky and fired their ammunition.

The Dragon was hindered by the explosive ammo as well as the ones trying to hurt its wing.

The Dragon simply controlled the weather to be cloudy to the point that it became a rain that carpeted the battlefield. For the Dragon, that was as easy as swiping its front limbs.

But the Dragon faced some resistance in controlling the weather. All his knowledge came from the supposedly enemies so he could realize that the enemy transcendents were interfering in his weather control.

Its golden vertical pupils focused on the source of disturbance as it flapped its wings. But before it could act against the disturbance, a crescent sword energy came from the ground and hit its eyes.

“Ha, even that is barely effective at injuring the eye.” Tatsumi sheathed the blade. It was his quickdraw technique that could serve as a long-range attack.

Combining mind power with his transcendent energy, he shaped the attack and released it. Although there was some distance between him and the Dragon, he still managed to injure the Dragon.

The Dragon roared in anger. The puny being below had managed to injure its left eye and something strange started to form in the deepest of his consciousness.

‘Strange, it is as if I have faced this situation before.’ The Dragon thought.

But he could not recall anything as if that particular memory was hazy and prevented from being recalled.

One thing was for sure, the beings below had provoked its wrath. It was time for them to taste the wrath of the apex being.

Even if his power was only at the peak First Rank, it could might as well contend with the peak of the Second Rank. But to think that the being below could injure him indicated that they too possessed similar power to him.

Then another attack came and scratched its scale. But it did nothing to the Dragon as that kind of attack only made him feel like a tickle.

Long Wu realized that the scale was the biggest obstacle in slaying the Dragon. He attacked using the enhanced Anti-Material Sniper Rifle with the undead element but all it did was limited to that.

The weather only became cloudy but did not turn into a downpour. But lightning and thunder echoed incessantly as the king of the sky started to gather the transcendent energy in its mouth.

On the other hand, Ame and the transcendents around her were trying to wrest control of the weather from the Dragon.

They used the formation to enhance the effect of the magic spell but the Dragon could contend with even the combined effort of dozens of transcendents.

Tatsumi started running to the highest ground near the Dragon at high speed. He had noticed where the Inverted Scale was and intended to make a wound there.

“The Inverted Scale is the only weak point that we can use. Damn the consequences, I will do it even if it means causing the Dragon to be enraged!” Tatsumi grabbed the hilt of the blade he had sheathed at his waist.

He prepared to unleash a powerful attack. This time, he even intended to use something that he had thought would enhance his blade. It was something that was born through his dedication to the blade.

‘But the last time I grasped it, my body will feel excruciating pain as if countless needles stabbed inside my body. I need a way for this thing to be compatible with me.’ Tatsumi thought while Long Wu saw what he had done and knew that the Inverse Scale was the only way out for them.

Otherwise, they would be haunted by the Dragon for the rest of the Star Battle.

‘Alright, my disciple. Since you are prepared to do that, I too will prepare myself.’ Long Wu thought as he replaced the clips of the Anti-Material Sniper Rifle with the full magazine.

Just as the Dragon wanted to use its Breath attack, Tatsumi jumped high from the vantage point, reaching the Dragon that had already dived down for the Breath attack.

“Now!” Tatsumi shouted as Long Wu shot the Inverted Scale consecutively, causing it to crack.

Tatsumi then unsheathed his blade, channeling his mind power along with the transcendent energy. Jade-colored energy flowed through the blade. Then Tatsumi added the thing he called blade intent and the sharpness of the blade increased further.

‘Painful!’ But he needed to endure an unimaginable pain just to use a sliver of the blade's intent.

He also opened the Gate of Opening, making the transcendent energy go berserk while increasing his foundational power.

With them, he then executed a slash that could even cut the Inverted Scale and causing it to shatter and injure the flesh behind it.

Blood splashed out as the Breath attack was surprisingly interrupted. The transcendent energy in the Dragon’s mouth exploded inside, causing secondary damage. But the damage to its Inverted Scale was enormous.

“You…Dare…Touch…it!” The Dragon let out a mental transmission to all the enemies he could perceive.

Tatsumi’s expression turned serious along with the others.

The Dragon was injured as blood could be seen flowing down from its snout. But its right eye showed just how much destroying the Inverted Scale had enraged him. Blood also flowed in the place where the Inverted Scale had been, even flesh could be seen but the Dragon was too enraged to care.

All it cared about was to eliminate anyone who had destroyed the Inverted Scale as well as the entire group of enemies in his range.

Tatsumi, in the air, was coughing up blood. He felt excruciating pain in his chest and the fingertip since he needed to channel the intent to the blade. He did not expect the side effect to be so severe.

When he landed, he had no choice but to reinforce his body with the transcendent energy as he kneeled.

“I…am…Smagenrog, the Dragon of Ruin. I…will…kill…you…all!” Smagenrog the Dragon was so enraged but he still managed to tell his enemies his identity.

Before he was summoned, he was just an Infant Dragon. An adult Dragon was capable of changing the star system, if not the galaxy. That was why he was still incomplete and his scale was weaker in comparison to the adult Dragon.

Ame searched for Tatsumi’s figure and was concerned when she saw him bleeding not only through his mouth but also through the other orifices.

“Please hold on with the formation, everyone. I need to do something.” Ame said decisively.

“Miss Mikazuki, we need you to enhance the power of the Calling the Wind, Summoning the Rain magic spell formation. If you leave, the formation will weaken.” This time, Sora was the one who reminded her.

“Even so, I trust that you can hold on. Just focus on stalling the weather-controlling effect from the Dragon.” Ame looked at Sora with a serious expression before she turned her back.

“I will support him!” Ame said as she left the formation.

Tatsumi stabbed the blade into the ground as he kneeled. Then he coughed up blood once again. Opening the gate and using the blade intent caused his internal injury.

Then he felt someone place her hand on his back. The Ether from her healed some of his lighter injuries.

“Don’t be reckless.” Ame said with a worried tone.

“If it is necessary to defeat the Dragon, I will do it.” Tatsumi replied with a steely resolve.

Actually, he more than anyone believed that the help of the Father God was near but He needed to see that all the races were doing their best in this Star Battle.

Otherwise, the humans and the other races would not develop in accordance with the will of the Gods.

While he thought about that, Tatsumi felt a familiar softness pressing from behind. He closed his eyes for a moment as he used his mind power to perceive what Smagenrog did in the air while he recovered.

Ame hugged him as she placed her hand on his waist, she did this to accelerate the healing rate by using her body’s surface. Other than that, she also did not want to see Tatsumi like this.

“Do you have a sure way to defeat the Dragon?” Ame asked, whispering right into his ear.

“I saw the injury from the Inverted Scale. The blood that poured from that part is unusually a lot more than normal. I have a strong feeling that is where the heart is located. If this is true, then that is the biggest weakness of the Dragon.” Tatsumi used mind power transmission to relay information to Ame.

He did not want the Dragon to realize this fact. Ame became thoughtful as she looked at Tatsumi, wiping the blood trails from his mouth and nose.

“Anyway, this is a good opportunity since the Lizardfolk will not be present wherever the Dragon is ready to attack us.” Tatsumi said while grabbing the hilt of his blade and raising it from its previous position.

He patted Ame’s hand with his free hand, signaling her that it was enough. Ame released him from her hug as she used her Myriad Manifestation Umbrella and changed it into the form that would help with supporting Tatsumi in slaying the Dragon.

‘Using the blade intent slowly erodes me from my emotions. I felt like someone who treats things indifferently when I use it. That’s why I don’t care about injuries at all. It was thanks to Ame that she reminded me.’ Tatsumi thought, weighing his chance.

But to slay the Dragon, he had no choice but to use it. The other option was far harder, opening the second gate. That was something harder because the energy needed was enormous for even him, the rest would treat it as almost impossible.

“If you keep using it, wouldn’t your emotions be stripped from you? Are you sure this is the only way?” Ame asked while grabbing her Anti-Material Sniper Rifle-form of the Myriad Manifestation Umbrella.

She looked at Tatsumi right into his eyes, as if peering into the depths of his resolve. Tatsumi was certain that without the interference from the Father God, this was the only way.

Just as Tatsumi wanted to reply to her about this, a familiar voice came as if granting the salvation he needed.

‘Proceed with your thought, my Star Child.’

‘Father God!’

Tatsumi was stunned for a moment but turned into delight. He decided to use the blade intent he had recently developed into the sharpest tool to penetrate the injury behind the Inverse Scale, despite the risk.

But with the word from Dian, Tatsumi became so determined to do it. It meant that his action was supported by Dian.

“Well, looks like we need to proceed with my plan after all.” Tatsumi let out a sheepish smile at Ame. He knew that his plan was risky but he needed to make sure that the Dragon was properly slain.

“You…” Ame saw that behind the smile, there was an unyielding resolve as if his decision was the most correct one from various choices. She closed her eyes as if strengthening her resolve for herself and for him.

“Alright. I’ll help you.” Ame opened her eyes and said with a trembling tone.

“That’s more than enough.” Tatsumi nodded gratefully. He knew that if she were to object, not even he would be enough to stop her from what she would do to him. That was why he was a bit hesitant to tell her.

Now that she agreed with his plan, he could free his heart from worry. But he felt like he was indebted to this wife of his, he could not repay it through just coaxing her or giving her his warmth.

‘This is something that I cannot repay even if I want to.’ Tatsumi thought while strengthening the grip on the blade’s hilt.

Then he looked up and saw the Dragon flying around and using its own body to cause chaos and destruction to the Cerulean Defense Force’s Divisions. He needed to do this!