August being an Azure Dragon was an absolute secret. Damien knew. He knew. In this world, there couldn't be anyone else who knew that information.
August didn't know this girl. She looked to be around fifteen, but she was already a 4th class being, which shouldn't have been possible for someone outside of a noble clan.
Yet, she was here taking the test with the commoners.
August didn't understand anything about who she was, nor did he understand why she'd brought up such a crucial fact.
However, since she had, his life was now in danger.
Azure Dragons. The Liqua claimed to be part of their species, but they were not.
They were fakes, water dragons with a bit more talent than others who liked to pretend that they were great beings.
In reality, Azure Dragons were a scorned race.
If anyone with that bloodline appeared, they'd be executed as soon as possible.
The Holy Clans couldn't allow another Qinglong to rise.
As such, even regular water dragons often disappeared at random. If their bloodlines were too strong, the Liqua Clan would immediately eliminate them.
August was able to survive as a water dragon with talent because his aura and draconic lineage signified that he had no relation to Qinglong. Damien had made sure that nobody would ever be able to tell otherwise.
This girl thought differently. If her thoughts spread and became more mainstream, then everything August was trying to achieve would be ruined before he even started.
He couldn't allow that.
Interrogating her and finding out what she knew and who else knew it was important, but August didn't think he'd be able to do it.
That left only one option.
He had to kill and then search for clues later.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
August stopped hiding his power. He still hid his bloodline aura just in case she was making assumptions without proof, but he didn't fight with power that a 3rd class being should've had.
He swung his claws out ruthlessly.
A manifestation of blue energy, foaming with white like rolling waves, shot forward and destroyed several of the surrounding trees.
August watched as that girl moved around as if this place was her home. In a sense, it was. Despite the strength and frequency of his attacks, she was able to evade everything without a problem.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})"Ooh, you're a feisty one, aren't you?"
She smiled as she taunted him.
"Try a little harder."
Those were fighting words. They were meant to rile him up and make him reckless, but he refused to fall for her provocation.
'She's nimble.'
Just like him, she didn't really fight like a dragon.
'If so, then I need to abandon convention.'
For now, his unique fighting style was the best way to approach this situation.
That style was not one that allowed him to attack from a distance.
BANG!
August shot up from the ground, propelled by jets of water. He swung his foot out and used the same jet as a laser that cut through all of the trees in front of him and eliminated any cover that the girl could take.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
As the trees collapsed, the girl jumped into the air, preparing to move again.
But August was already on her tail.
BANG!
Another geyser erupted below her. The scalding water came close, but she managed to dodge in time.
August twisted his hand, forcing the temperature of the water to rapidly cool.
As it froze, the rapid temperature change influenced its structure, and it exploded into a massive cloud of steam.
BOOOOOOOM!
August didn't wait to see the results. He shot through the steam, protecting his body with a film of mana, and found his target again.
"Now, now. I can't let this happen."
The girl's eyes became more serious.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ground around them exploded, giving way to the roots she summoned.
Over ten thick tree roots slashed at him. They were like whips, but at the same time like swords.
In the middle of it all, August lost his chance to attack.
'Tch!'
He twirled his body and managed to avoid the initial attack. As his eyes swung around, he saw a root aimed straight at his shoulder, but he didn't try to stop it.
Shik!
It stabbed into his flesh, and in the same moment, August located the girl and struck again.
He needed to be more serious.
August didn't have access to the most of his abilities because he had yet to become a 4th class, but he could still do a decent amount with what he'd learned.
When it came to flexibility and rigidity, August had done so much studying about the concepts that he could almost replicate what a 4th class could do.
And, he could accomplish things that were impossible to others. That was a benefit of being an Azure Dragon.
When he had to create water for himself, he'd always be restricted to his level.
But if he could find a source…
August let that tree root hit his shoulder because he needed that second of time to focus on other things.
The girl had summoned this forest with her mana. It was created without a natural ecosystem, which meant there weren't any lakes or water sources nearby that he could take advantage of.
However, she still used trees, and trees couldn't survive without water.
VOOM!
August's power spread across the entire forest. His senses melded in with any water that he could find, and as he pulled his arms towards himself, the water responded to his call.
At first, she thought she was going to win easily.
She knew he would be here and that was her only reason for participating, but from what she'd heard about him, August was still a youth who was in his growth stage.
He wasn't meant to be powerful.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})However, the scene she was seeing now proved her wrong.
She could feel the vitality draining from the forest.
'Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to provoke him like that?'
She thought he would calm down after a little bit of fighting, but the calm demeanor he usually had didn't translate to battle.
'I thought he was supposed to be innocent and naive.'
However, the killing intent that had been embedded in all of the water flowing out of the dying trees told a different story.
The girl's thoughts were light. It didn't seem like she wanted to be his enemy.
But, August didn't know that.
He felt his power growing. He felt himself healing as the vitality from the water was transferred into him.
'Okay.'
He never stopped moving, nor did the girl stop trying to attack him.
His body was swerving everywhere, supported by jets of water as he zipped through the air. None of the roots were hitting him anymore, but they did make it harder for him to aim.
'But with all of this water…'
August's eyes sharpened.
'...I don't need to aim.'
VOOOM!
His mana raged. If he kept fighting like this, he'd eventually run out, but he wasn't thinking about that.
He focused on the mana. He didn't try to force it to change shape, since that went against the nature of water. Instead, he supported its flow and suggested it a path.
The mana responded to him with the same feelings he put into it. The relationship he'd formed with the energy over the few years he'd lived allowed him to communicate with it in ways others simply couldn't.
It formed into a shape it would have never otherwise reached. It adopted a hostility that was uncharacteristic of water solely for his sake.
And as the girl watched on, August managed to form an attack that even she didn't think she'd be capable of.
'Shit.'
She smiled wryly as she looked at it.
'I think I need to clarify things before we keep fighting.'
