Clarification…it would definitely be nice, but it was too late for something like that to stop August.
He wasn't ready to listen to reason. Definitely not if it came from the girl who created this entire situation in the first place.
Humans formed their original mana techniques by watching animals and learning from their habits. That was because humanity itself was an adaptive species that combined many of the best traits of said animals.
However, dragons were, technically, animals themselves. They learned to wield mana through their own actions.
They used their claws and teeth to attack, so they evolved to use their claws and teeth to attack. Even breath attacks formed by utilizing the same concept as a dragon's roar, which was why dragons always roared when they let loose their breath.
Wasn't that quite constraining?
To use no other inspiration but the movement and capabilities of one's own body was only useful until a certain point.
Humans eventually branched out. They studied the stars and the world, the elements and their own unique traits like weapon handling.
Eventually, the human training method became so diverse that it couldn't even be considered a method anymore. It was not a single doctrine, but so many that even the least talented and equipped people could find a way to learn at least a part of it.
Then, what about dragons?
What did they do when they found that their base capabilities weren't enough anymore?
Well, that truly depended on the dragon.
For some, their elemental abilities combined with their physical strength were enough. Dragons were naturally gifted, so even if their techniques remained basic, they'd be able to dominate others with power alone.
The Ignis Clan was like this. While their techniques were developed, they could still only be used through claws or teeth like their ancient ancestors.
The ones who diverged from this belief were those who came to be known as scholars. Just like their human counterparts, they studied the world and the stars above.
But, because they were dragons, their perception of these concepts was different. The techniques they created didn't hold any resemblance to human techniques, and the comprehensions within them could only be understood by other dragons.
It was hard to describe that branch of perception.
August had to experience it firsthand through Qinglong to even properly adopt it.
It completely and utterly clashed with his father's worldview, but that disharmony was actually more helpful than anything else.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})They were two completely different perspectives that couldn't be combined. When they were placed within a single person's mind…
Their clashing ideologies could create magic.
The shape of August's mana was that of a dragon. In a very human way, he mimicked another being to form the "vessel" that his power would use.
It was an eastern dragon, resembling the Noct, Aurora, and Ether Clans in its appearance.
But within, the comprehensions were all draconic.
They came from the worldview of a being who was far more in tune with the world itself than a human. It was formed based off of the perceptions of a dragon who could truly meld with the water and become one.
This was one of the main teachings of the Azure Dragon Manual that Damien created to teach him.
It was, by far, the main source of August's great strength.
It formed within a few seconds, not giving the girl much time to do anything. August coldly flicked his wrist, commanding it to kill her in one strike.
WHOOOOOSH!
The wind ripped apart as the dragon traveled through the air as if it were alive. Its body waved as if it was truly propelling itself with its physical capabilities, and its eyes contained a strange mirage of spirituality that couldn't be distinguished from reality.
It seemed to move slowly because its every minute movement could be discerned by the naked eye, but that wasn't the case at all.
The girl's perception of time had slowed. It was in front of her so fast that she barely had time to put up a barrier.
Still, she was a 4th class dragon. She didn't earn that power by just sitting around and meditating.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The water dragon crashed against a thick barrier of wood. The instant it lost its form, the amount of water within ballooned explosively.
It aggressively flowed around both sides and over the top of the shield, flooding everything in its path.
A huge wave formed on each side of the wooden barrier and rushed past the girl. After moving for several dozens of feet, they froze, blocking all but one escape route that was too far away to be viable.
Meanwhile, the water that was slamming into the shield and over it took on completely different properties.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})It got faster and faster, using mana to accumulate more and more energy. Its pressure increased and the area that it targeted became much smaller.
August could feel the energy draining from his body to support the reaction, but he continued to push forward.
Steam rose and turned into smoke as the water reached a temperature that burned the wood into ashes.
XIU!
The girl was immediately forced to dodge to the side as a jet of water faster than a bullet rushed past her face.
Her expression changed as she felt the integrity of her shield fading.
'This is dangerous.'
She'd been trapped and cornered. If she tried to attack back now, the situation would escalate to a point where it couldn't be controlled anymore.
'And if that happens, I might be able to take him down, but I'll definitely go down with him.'
She didn't need any more proof after feeling what was happening on the other side of her barrier.
'I need to stop this.'
XIU!
XIU!
XIU!
XIU!
One by one, similar jets rushed past and tried to kill her. The girl was able to evade them since she could sense where they'd come from, but if the entire force of the water on the other side managed to get through, she wouldn't have anywhere left to dodge.
'Tch.'
The girl took most of her mana out of the shield and directed it at the ground. Immediately, several tree roots sprung up and grabbed her ankles, pulling her into the dirt.
She didn't control the earth, so she couldn't necessarily do something like this safely, but August didn't leave her with any other options.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})As he continued to attack her barrier, she tunneled through the ground, following the paths her roots had laid out before until she was directly under him.
'Now…'
She was covered in a film of mana that helped her breathe and conceal herself. She waited patiently until…
BOOM!
Her shield exploded.
As did the ground above her.
August barely had time to recognize that she was no longer trapped. His eyes went down as he heard the forceful destruction of the ground, and the first thing he saw was a girl with green hair charging at him with everything she had.
He moved his arms, ready to attack again, however…
"Ahhhhhhh!"
Bang!
…he wasn't expecting her to let out a war cry and tackle him.
"Huh?!"
August inadvertently exclaimed as the two of them crashed to the floor.
He didn't know what she was trying to do, but she'd given him the perfect opportunity.
Drawing his hand off of the ground, he formed a blade of water in his grasp.
Killing was something that came easily to August.
Or so he'd thought.
But now that the moment came, he found himself hesitating, if only for a second, before actually making the necessary movements.
Still, a second was all the girl needed.
"Wait!"
She shouted, taking his attention off of the blade and putting it on her.
It was a last-ditch plan, meant to be used if conversation was no longer an option. She didn't think they'd reach that point within five minutes of meeting, but such was the situation.
She didn't know what use it would have, but she'd been instructed to do it, so she followed.
The girl's draconic aura flared outward. Her lineage fully expressed itself.
August furrowed his brows, not understanding what she was trying to do. He continued to swing his blade for but half a second before he froze.
'Wait.'
Despite his rampant desire to kill, he was still rational.
He sensed something off and stopped himself before he could do anything he'd regret.
"That bloodline…"
August frowned.
'...it's familiar.'
He didn't know who this girl was. That much was certain. However, if he'd felt that bloodline before, then there was only one answer.
'She…is not my enemy.'
August had never met an enemy dragon before. The only auras he recognized were all allies and friends.
If she was related to one of them…
'...wow.'
August dropped his hand, letting the water blade sink into the dirt.
'I almost messed up. Big time.'
