Dan Heng: "Cavern of Hidden Moon, Azure Dragon Cleanses the World!"
Blade: "Hahahahahaha—"
In the Dragonvista Rain Hall of Scalegorge Waterscape, two figures—one cyan, one crimson—clashed repeatedly. Each collision unleashed powerful shockwaves, nearly shattering the open-air hall. Even the statue of the Dragon Sovereign, meticulously carved by the Vidyadhara, was reduced to half its face in the battle's aftermath, a testament to the intensity of their fight.
At that moment, the second group arrived.
As Stelle and her group set foot on the land, they spotted the two figures locked in combat from a distance. Stelle rubbed her eyes. "March… is that guy Dan Heng?"
"I can only confirm the one in black isn't," March 7th said, squinting her beautiful eyes. "As for the other one… he looks like a kid. Why does it feel like Dan Heng's son?"
Stelle rolled her eyes, wondering if March 7th had some obsession with kids. She'd thought the same thing when she saw the little Stellaron earlier.
"Sis, Vidyadhara can't have kids!"
March 7th thought for a moment. "There's always an exception."
Stelle gave a thumbs-up. "Nice logic. But it's too far to tell. Let's get closer. If that cyan kid is Dan Heng, we can jump in to help!"
"Alright."
Little Stellaron: "But… if we get too close, won't we get caught in the crossfire?"
"Don't worry!" Stelle patted her chest proudly. "We're Stellaron material—built tough. Even if a hundred burly guys came at me at once, I wouldn't even flinch!"
Bang!
"Ouch—March! You've hit me multiple times today!"
"Don't say weird stuff like that to a kid!"
Little Stellaron: "Aba aba?"
…
Boom!
Blade unleashed nine streaks of blood-red sword energy, aiming for Dan Heng's vital points. Facing such a ferocious attack, Dan Heng didn't dare slack. He summoned a water dragon from the surrounding sea, swallowing the sword energy and narrowly neutralizing it.
This showcased the immense power of the Dragon Sovereign abilities he'd inherited. In the right terrain, even with only his healing powers, he could hold his own against Blade, one of the Stellaron Hunters.
If Bailu were here, the scene would be unimaginable.
—"Stop it, you two! No more fighting!"
Stelle charged forward, shouting, "I have something to say!"
Dan Heng and Blade paused simultaneously, turning to look at her.
Stelle: "Which one of you is Dan Heng?"
Neither answered. Blade seemed to find the question annoying and resumed fighting without waiting for Dan Heng to respond.
Stelle: "Haha… alright, I think I've got it."
It was well-known that Blade only relentlessly pursued one person.
"March 7th, that kid who looks like Dan Heng is Dan Heng. He's shrunk!" Stelle said.
March 7th nodded. "You take care of the kid. I'm going to help."
With that, she leapt into the air, transforming into a streak of ice-blue light and joining the fray.
Stelle: …Why do I feel like the frail wife in a TV drama?
"Hm?"
From Blade's perspective, a figure wielding a Cloud Piercer suddenly joined the battlefield, immediately attacking him. Under the influence of his mara, his vision warped slightly, automatically replacing everyone's face with Imbibitor Lunae's.
Blade squinted at March 7th. "Another Imbibitor Lunae? And wielding a Cloud Piercer, too. Looks like you're the real Imbibitor Lunae… but your height's off. I remember he was nearly six foot three. Strange, strange…"
"Really strange. Your hair color's off too… Hm, I get it. You dyed it. But what's with your pecs? Did you stop working out and let them turn to fat? Heh, Imbibitor Lunae, you've really fallen…"
March 7th looked at Dan Heng, exasperated. "Is he always like this?"
Dan Heng shook his head. "I don't know, March. I know it's hard to believe, but I really am Dan Heng. For some special reason, I…"
"We'll hear about how you shrunk later," March 7th waved him off. "Right now, it's time for the Express crew to fight together."
Dan Heng's heart warmed, and he nodded gently. "Mm."
…
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
"Silver Wolf, time for your medicine."
Kafka sat by Silver Wolf's bedside, blowing on a spoonful of steaming soup with a gentle smile. "Mind-clearing soup. It should help restore your spirit a bit."
Silver Wolf: "Kafka, you're so nice… slurp—"
"Aaah—Hot! So hot!"
Kafka tilted her head and smiled. "Good soup? If it's good, drink it all."
Silver Wolf grabbed Kafka's shoulders. "I said it's hot soup!" (I meant it's scalding!)
Kafka (with a pure, innocent smile): "Hm? What's the difference?"
Silver Wolf: "…"
"Forget it. Let's not talk about that. What about Blade? You didn't forget him, did you?"
"How could I?" Kafka said helplessly. "I scouted the terrain of Scalegorge Waterscape beforehand. It's all water! My spider threads can't swing there, okay?"
"Well, we can't just leave him, can we? That's screwing over a teammate! In games, you'd get your whole family cursed out for that!"
Kafka waved her hand smugly. "Heh heh heh~ You're underestimating my brilliance. I already thought of that, so I messaged Boothill to go pick him up instead. Problem solved!"
Silver Wolf clicked her tongue, jabbing Kafka's forehead. "Are you dumb? Blade's probably already mara-struck by now. Without your Spirit Whisper, even if Boothill goes, he'll likely get mistaken for Imbibitor Lunae and beaten up too!"
Kafka puffed out her cheeks and poked back. "You're the dumb one! I already considered that. Mr. Boothill is exceptionally talented. He's already mastered my Spirit Whisper!"
Silver Wolf asked skeptically, "You sure he's reliable?"
"Of course! Think about Mr. Boothill's style and demeanor—so polite and courteous. When he uses my Spirit Whisper, it'll be twice as effective!"
"…Fine, whatever. Blade can't die anyway. If it goes south, you can clean up the mess later," Silver Wolf shrugged and lay back down.
…
Elsewhere, at the port leading to Scalegorge Waterscape.
A figure clad in silver armor, holding a black umbrella, gracefully weaved through the crowd and arrived at a vintage sightseeing boat. The nearby Cloud Knights immediately approached. "Sir, this vessel has been temporarily requisitioned by the Cloud Knights. No entry for civilians."
Boothill folded his umbrella and gave a slight bow to the two knights. "Oh, honorable warriors, your steadfast and resolute figures are the most meaningful scenery here. But I have urgent business. 'Please' allow me to pass, and I offer my thanks in advance."
The two Cloud Knights blinked in confusion. "W-Well, when you put it like that, it's not a big deal… Go on up."
"My thanks to you both once more," Boothill said with a faint smile, boarding the vessel.
He stepped onto the deck, casually finding a corner to enjoy the view, mentally playing a beautiful piano melody. But a crisp voice interrupted from nearby:
"General, isn't this sofa a bit too small?"
"Tch, quit yapping. It's big enough for you to lie down, isn't it? You don't wanna keep trying, do ya? Heh heh heh heh heh."