Three figures could be seen flying through the Wasteland, one looked like a bolt of man-shaped lightning, the other was like a small sun and the third had beautiful crystal-dark wings on her back.
It's rare to see people flying in the Underground due to the possibility of being noticed by some powerful race or creature. But everyone that saw them hid immediately. No need to speak about attacking, even the rank 1 beings did not dare to fight with them.
Zatiel was using Sunlight Speed.
As for Ezequiel and Sophia, the first one used a combination between Lightning Transformation and Lightning Armor, which was now a Rank Spell, reaching such a high level of manipulation over the natural energies that he was able to move through the air as if he was lightning itself.
The other one used a spell that was given to her by Zatiel known as Dragon Wings that allowed the user to generate wings that not only help reach a great speed at flying but also can shield them. This spell is very complex to use and utilize, but due to her talent as a Neo-Demon and emperor bloodline, using the spell and manipulating her wings was as easy as moving her arms.
Apart from the three, there was another figure that was on Zatiel's shoulder. It was a little dog and despite the great speed, it was resting calmly and the wind just managed to move his fur and nothing else.
The direction that they were heading to was the lair of the kobolds. It had been more than two years since the last time Zatiel saw them and he wanted to know how much they had accomplished with the Path Technique.
But when they were reaching their destination, Zatiel's eyes started to get cold.
Ezequiel and Sophia realized it and after using their Primal Chaos Consciousness, they understand the reason.
Surrounding the territory of the kobolds, there were several scout teams from diverse races.
It was obvious that they were not keeping an eye on the kobolds but watching for anyone that approached them.
They would only do something like this if they were waiting for someone important to come to this place.
"Zatiel do you think they are waiting for you?"
The only reason Sophia could think that could make all these races send teams was the temptation of a Path Technique.
"We will know very soon..."
Zatiel could have hidden the moment he detected them but didn't. After flying to where the kobolds cave was, he just stood in the air along with his companions.
Thanks to his consciousness. he was able to detect some of the scouts leaving, possibly to inform their leaders but he just let them go.
The second a kobold saw him, he immediately went inside of the cave and it didn't take long for a group of kobolds to come out and meet him.
These kobolds were different from the rest. Their bodies were taller and they had draconic characteristics, this was the result of using the Path Technique.
Zatiel was able to identify one of them, it was Rax. But even though the old kobold had become stronger, he was essentially the weakest of the group.
This was no surprise for him. The technique that he gave them was called Burning Blood, and the principles behind the technique were simple.
It identifies the most ancient part of the bloodline in the creature and burns the rest of their blood to use as a power source for the ancient part. So it consumes a great amount of vitality making it difficult to be used by someone like Rax who was very old.
What attracted most of the attention of Zatiel was the small child beside Rax. He looked exactly like a humanoid dragon with white eyes, dark scales, and almost none of his kobold characteristics were present.
If he didn't know, he would have thought the child was a Dragonborn.
When Rax saw Zatiel, he roared and the rest of the kobolds began to leave the cave and stood behind Rax and the rest.
This could be considered a call to arms, but Zatiel just stood floating and did not do anything. He even had another surprise, most of the children had Dragonborn traits.
Although they had not reached a level so high as the child beside Rax, most of their kobold characteristics were replaced by draconic characteristics.
It didn't take long before all the kobolds were out, and when Rax saw them he came closer to Zatiel until he was right under him, he spoke.
"The kobolds race humbly greets the Mighty One!"
The moment he finished speaking, he kneeled and the rest of the kobolds did the same.
Zatiel kept looking at Rax and the rest of the kobolds and the coldness in his eyes started to diminish. By what he could see, almost every kobold sees him as some type of savior or benefactor, most likely due to the work of the old kobold.
"Rax did you do as I told you with the technique?"
Rax was a little confused by the question but he continued kneeling and answered.
"Yes, Mighty One. We have put great focus on our young and channeled most of the resources we got in them."
Zatiel could see this already, and it surprised him. Normally when someone finds a way to gain power, they keep it for themself or their close ones, but the old kobold was thinking about his race and focusing on the next generation.
This made the image he had of Rax improve greatly, but it was not what he was searching for.
"Forget it, it will be faster if I do it my way. Rax tells all the ones that are trained in the technique to relax their mind and do not resist."
Rax made a troubled face not knowing what would happen, but he knew that the person in front of him was the greatest benefactor of their race but also a death god who should not be offended, so he instructed the rest of the kobolds.
Although most had some reservations, the prestige of Rax was great and it didn't take long before all did what he told them.
Zatiel sent his Primal Chaos Consciousness and entered the mind of every single kobold that trained in the Path Technique. Immediately scenes started to appear in his mind, this was the memories of every kobold since the moment they started to use the technique.
Reading the mind of someone else usually generates great damage in the target's consciousness but in the technique, Zatiel had left a backdoor that worked as a recorder and using this, he saw their memories and since they were not resisting, he didn't damage them at all and they didn't even realize what was occurring.
After a couple of minutes, Zatiel's consciousness left their minds and understood what was happening with the scouts.
Zatiel's body glowed and Rax saw him disappear only to return a moment later, but now his hand was choking the neck of the strongest of the kobolds, although this one tried to resist, he could do nothing to free himself.
The moment the rest of the kobolds saw this, they were startled and some started to prepare to fight but a huge roar sounded, giving the signal to remain still.
The one who roared was Rax, he knew that although they are more powerful now, they are still ants before the person in front of him. The old kobold put his forehead on the floor and kowtowed to Zatiel.
"Mighty One, please tell us what we have done to anger you. If this old one had made a mistake please, just punish me and do not harm my race."
"Don't you dare hurt my father!"
The small Dragonborn-like child came running and put himself in front of Rax and looked directly at Zatiel.
Rax was terrified and tried to stop the child but an immense pressure descended on every single kobold freezing them all.
Zatiel released the pressure of his magnetic force field on the rest of the kobolds but on the child, instead of physical pressure, he released his Primal Chaos Consciousness.
The child started to feel immense pain in his mind and fear began to engulf his heart, but he remained still and kept looking at Zatiel.
'Not only his physical traits but even his personality also had the characteristics of a Dragonborn.'
Zatiel continued looking at the child and increased the pressure he was releasing, always careful not to make permanent damage.
The child felt immense pain and his will was about to break, but instead of looking away, he roared and from his mouth, a great ball of pale-red flames was fired.
The ball of flames headed for Zatiel's head, but he didn't make any attempt to block it. Even if it was at point-blank range, this attack could not possibly harm him.
'A breath attack, and so young, this child is immensely talented. But still, he is too young and his attacks too weak, in a couple of yea... Wait!'
The flames exploded in his face. But even though the red flames were not able to do anything, in the attack was a very small white flame that crashed on his left cheek, and an almost invisible and unbelievable tiny burn mark was made, and it was erased immediately by his golden flames.
Zatiel was shocked. His body was so strong that he could even swim in lava for a little time and not be hurt but this small flame fired by a child not older than 2 years old and that was barely in the middle of rank 0 was able to harm him.
Even if breath attacks are the most powerful attacks a draconic being can make and are known for their destructive capacities, this should be impossible.
Of the white flames, he was able to feel the same thing he felt from his golden ones, a connection with the laws, and although a much weaker one, it was still present. Zatiel knew that there is only one way this small child could do such a thing.
"Hahahahaha!"
Zatiel started to laugh and the kobolds began to tremble with fear. With the demonstration that he did just now, they knew that they could not resist at all.
"That little dragon baby got lucky!"
"Master has always had a soft spot for loyal and strong-willed people."
Unlike the kobolds, Sophia and Ezequiel know that Zatiel wasn't angry at all. Actually, he was very happy.
"Rax you have an excellent child, and answering your question, neither you nor the rest of your race did something wrong. Actually, you have done everything right, focusing on your children, being cautious, and never overestimating your abilities.
"But this person has contacted other races and they planned to attack me and force me to reveal all my secrets."
Zatiel kept looking at the small child that passed out from the exhaustion and contracted his magnetic force field.
Rax's worries decreased greatly when he heard Zatiel. Knowing that they had not made him angry and when he saw the kobold that was hardly breathing due to the choking, he just sighed in disappointment.
He trusted Zatiel's word. In one part because there was no reason to lie to them. After all, if he wanted to kill one of them, he could just do it and they would not be able to do anything, and he also had a question about this kobold.
He was the most powerful of the race but also the greediest one, and on more than one occasion, he implied to use force to obtain the rest of the technique. But Rax always reprimanded him when he brought that idea, but it looks like he didn't listen and tried to use external help.
"I'm sorry, Mighty One, I should have watched him closer."
"Just make sure that this doesn't happen again," When Zatiel finished speaking, the strength in his grasp grew and broke the neck of the kobold and he threw him on the ground, dead.
"You should take your kobolds inside. This place will soon be full of warriors from other races. That stupid traitor thought that they will share with him what they would find, but I am sure that they also plan to eliminate your race."
"Mighty One, should we escape?"
Rax knew that they had no chance of surviving a fight against some of the most powerful races in the Wasteland, so their only way to survive was to escape.
"I will handle them. But if your race doesn't hide, I can't say that they will not be influenced by the collateral damage."
"Thank you, Mighty One! Thank you! We will make sure not to be a burden," Rax was incredibly happy when he heard those words.
Although escaping was an option, if they do it, they will have to be on the run for the rest of their life since those races will hunt them down.
"Take this one with you as well," Zatiel descended from the sky and handed Tao to Rax.
Rax took him very carefully, but the small dog started to bark immediately. Although his intelligence was like one of a small child, he was able to understand what they were talking about.
He barked with all his strength as if telling him that he was willing to help in the battle.
Although Rax was a little troubled, he was able to hold on to the dog with one hand and his son with the other as he entered the caves with the rest of the kobolds.
"You two make sure no one escapes but let me do the killing. There is something I want to try and I need a lot of lives to do it."
Ezequiel and Sophia nodded. The three did not concern themselves at all with the next battle. Not to mention that even a rank 1 novice Magus can defeat a rank 1 being of a non-human race, every single one of them is as strong as a peak rank 1 Magus if they use all their power without withholding anything.
