Book 1, Chapter 15 – The Battle in the Sky (part 2)
Black Dragons were ranked amongst the most powerful magical beasts in the world. The Black Dragon race were generally at least magical beasts of the ninth ranks. Powerful members of this race could even reach the stage of being Saint-level combatants. But regardless of whether a Black Dragon was of the ninth rank or Saint-level, it would indubitably be incomparably more powerful than the Velocidragon.
At present, the group of children and the three instructors were about several hundred meters away from the Black Dragon. To see a hundred-meter long Black Dragon from such a close distance is an awe-inspiring experience which simply can’t be explained with words.
The most terrifying thing of all?
On top of the head of the Black Dragon, a gray-robed man stood, arrogant in demeanor. The wind howled about him, but although the man’s gray robes fluttered a bit, he himself maintained a ramrod straight posture, as though he were a carved sculpture. His gaze was focused on a middle-aged, green-robed man who hovered in the middle of the air in front of him. The green-robed man wore a sword behind his back.
The gray-robed man mounted on the Black Dragon and the sword-bearing green-robed man were staring at each other.
Hovering in the sky!
Aside from wind-type magi who were able to use the seventh-ranked spell, ‘Soaring Technique’, only Saint-level combatants were able to stand and hover in the sky. The sword this green-robed middle-aged man bore on his back gave testament to his true status.
Warrior. A Saint-level warrior.
“A man in gray who was able to subdue a Black Dragon? And a Saint-level combatant who can fly?” The eight year old Linley was totally stunned, even after having witnessed the previous day’s amazing battle. Not only him; even Hillman, a warrior of the sixth rank, was totally flabbergasted.
“Saint-level combatants. Actual Saint-level combatants.” Hillman was mumbling, his entire body trembling.
Hillman, being a man who had been tested in trials of blood and death, was the first to recover and clear his mind. But even after recovering, Hillman still felt as though he were in a dream. “Yesterday, a dual-element magus of the eighth rank came. Today, something even more amazing; two Saint-level combatants, and a Black Dragon! In my entire life, I’ve never seen anything so amazing.”
Hillman felt slightly dizzy.
Black Dragons were amongst the most powerful of magical beasts, at least ninth-rank in power. Someone who was able to subdue one was almost certainly a Saint-level combatant. And from the looks of it, the person facing off against him was also a Saint-level combatant.
This was ample proof that the gray-robed man was a Saint-level combatant as well.
Hillman and the others were hundreds of meters away from the Black Dragon. No matter how sharp their ears were, there was no way for them to hear the words being exchanged by the two parties.
Not knowing what was being said, they just watched, until suddenly...
“Roaaaaaaaaaaar.”
Suddenly, the enormous Black Dragon let out a furious roar as its two huge wings began to flap vigorously. It emanated a terrifying pressure, causing everyone, Hillman included, to feel their legs grow soft and to feel as though they couldn’t breathe.
“Is this dragonsfear?” Linley also felt as though his heart was being squeezed by a huge stone, making it impossible for him to breathe, but nonetheless, Linley felt extremely excited, and his blood was beginning to boil.
The Black Dragon was simply too powerful.
“Rudi [Lu’di]! Don’t go overboard!” That green-robed man suddenly let out a powerful shout. The explosive sound of his words reverberated in the air as though it were thunder. Not only did Hillman hear these words clearly; every single person in Wushan township heard the words clearly.
Hillman paused. He mumbled the words, “Rudi? Rudi?”
But Hillman quickly realized what was going on. Rapidly turning around, he shouted fiercely at all the children, “Everyone, go home right now! Go home and hide! NOW!” Hillman’s loud roar and his urgent expression stunned every child present.
Hillman’s thought processes were very clear.
These two Saint-level combatants obviously were engaged in some sort of dispute. Apparently, they were about to come to blows.
When Saint-level combatants were about to engage in a fight, the children standing there watching the fight would not be able to protected whatsoever. The slightest side reverberations could kill all the children present. Saint-level combatants were reputed to have the power to shatter the heavens and obliterate the earth.
Even if that reputation was slightly exaggerated, they definitely did have the power to obliterate a city or a tall mountain.
“Quick, let’s move. Don’t stand there in a daze, move!” Hillman shouted loudly while shoving some children away.
Only now did the rest of the children awaken from their stupor. Although they didn’t understand why Hillman was pushing them to go back to their homes and wanted to continue watching the Saint-level combatants, Hillman’s awe-inspiring presence was still enough to send all of the children running speedily for their homes.
“Lorry, Roger, quick, take the six and seven year olds back home. Quickly! If Saint-level combatants clash, when the side-effects of their struggle reach us, the aftermath will be....”
Hillman’s face was filled with urgency.
“Understood, Captain!” Lorry and Roger totally understood what their captain was thinking.
Lorry and Roger immediately turned around and lifted up the children who were slow runners. They carried two in each arm and two on their backs as well. Hillman joined them as well, quickly beginning to pick up child after child.
“Linley, go home, quick!” Hillman, still carrying several children, shouted towards Linley, who was also running.
“I know, Uncle Hillman!” Linley replied loudly.
Although Linley was only eight years old, his running speed was on par with fourteen year olds. While running, Linley would often turn back to stare at the sky. That huge coiled Black Dragon and those two Saint-level combatants had fully captured his attention.
“Captain, Lord Hogg ordered us to come assist you!” Twelve warriors had come flying out of the Baruch clan manor. As soon as they saw Hillman, they shouted at him.
“Quick, take these children home!” Hillman immediately ordered.
“Yes, Captain!” The warriors hastily replied, and quickly began sending the six and seven year olds to their homes.
“All of you, go home! Go home and hide! Protect yourselves!” Hillman shouted again in a loud voice.
Hillman possessed a great deal of authority in Wushan township. Upon hearing his words, many of the villagers who had been terrified at the sight of a Black Dragon knew immediately what to do. Right now, the entire Wushan township had turned into a frenzy of activity. All of the children and all of the workers fled to their homes. At this point in time, the only thing which could protect them was the sturdy stone of their houses.
Linley directly charged into his own residence.
“Quick, hide in the cellar beneath the storage room.” Hogg was standing in the middle of the courtyard. Upon seeing Linley, he immediately ordered him in. The cellar beneath the storage room was the largest, most sturdy cellar within the Baruch clan’s manor. Anyone hiding there definitely would be able to survive.
“Yes, father!” Linley repeatedly nodded, and immediately ran in the direction of the storage room.
While running as fast as he could, Linley’s mind returned to the Black Dragon, its gray-robed rider, and the green-robed man. He couldn’t help but turn once again and look back at the eastern sky. Since all the buildings in the small town were fairly low in height, he could clearly see for hundreds of meters.
Right now, the Black Dragon was growling in a low voice nonstop.
“Dillon [Di’long], if you are going to be so stubborn about this, then don’t blame me for my actions.” A cold voice emanated from the sky. Immediately afterwards, the Black Dragon began to let out a series of angry roars and belching forth smoky black fire from its mouth.
“Rudi, today I’m going to see exactly how powerful of a Saint-level magus you are!” The green-robed man shouted angrily.