With the side-effects of Mass Harvesters, meteorology and renewable energy technology has developed drastically to accommodate for the indiscriminate weather and conditions. As such, those two professions, meteorologist and energy engineer, have become two of the most sought-after occupation in the peaceful Europe. The more popular of the two is the meteorologist, often referred to as “Sky Sailors”, as their equipment, as well as themselves, are often flown in the sky. But, due to them being so important for the modern development, their stations had to be located far from the developed area, in the direction of the most turbulence, as to foresee the uncertain catastrophe before it could reach the under-prepared towns folks.

Atop one of the hills to the east, a small wooden cabin sits quietly. There is no front yard, no fence, no storage shed, nothing of importance could be seen outside the house. Shining on top of the unsuspecting building is an antenna – the only thing signifying some liveliness outside. Gazing upwards to the sky, small violet dots could be seen swaying in the wind. Upon coming close to the shed, its true shell, a transparent wall reaching the clouds, could be seen. Holding Li’s hands while walking up to the house, Yuki is quite cheerful and eager to go into the house’s field. Something off about the whole border vexes Li with almost all of his senses telling him to not go. May it be the violet color, the viscosity in its stream or just the culprit behind its creation, something is wrong about the place.

In a sharp voice, “Venison! You inside!?”, shouts Yuki upon entering the border. Most of those who exhibit the ability to establish borders also have an enhanced sense of direction and position of others inside their domain. As it is with Yuki or Johann, Blanc also has the ability to sense those who have trodden upon his territory as well as complete control of certain forces inside. A sudden gust of wind sweeps Yuki up in the air. From where Li was standing outside, a herd of serpentine creatures with faint swirling outlines could be observed encircling her. As soon as Li steps foot into the encircled area, Yuki is thrown upwards. In a blink of an eye, she is set a hundred floors up, lifted about the clouds, among dragons of violet. While he was looking up at the “flying cat”, his breath started to falter. He cannot move his head, swing his hands or even stay aground; something was forcing him to yield…

*Ding! Ding… Ding…* Getting a hold onto Li with an inch thick rope, “Oh, the damned hell you don’t!”, shouts Yuki, quickly descending down to the ground. Alike the things made by Will, the watch he depended his life on has some kind of failsafe in dire situations. “Tide against”, says Yuki, landing aground. Weaving a web inside her palms and walking towards the shed, “Oye, you scaredy stag! Release my guest I have brought you or I will cut you!”, she shouts, quite angrily towards whomever tried to suffocate Li…

Inside the cabin, Li and Yuki sit at a table. Looking out the window up through the middle section of the rotary inside of the station, 16 different displays could be seen. Forest, plains, hills, all of Germany’s natural diversity could be observed from the inside of a raggedy shack. “Look, Li, those 15 panels are now broadcasting from all over Germany. That blue place is Rhineland. Why blue? It is because corundum is abundant there”, tells Yuki, sounding like a child boasting about their big brother. “Sorry for earlier, Li… I was just scared that something bad that is beyond me could occur… If I know Yuki well, she should have reacted the same, no?”, says a guy, about the same in appearance as the home he resided in. Still watching the screens on the ceiling, “Oye, stag, that one on the mid-right, there is a lot of updrafts there”, says Yuki. Clasping his palms together, leaving a cavity between the two, Blanc begins to whisper something. “Wzbijaj sie itkaj – prosze cie o to”, he mutters as he opens his hands to release a small serpent soaring in the air.

Finally gaining some conscience, “Oh, sorry~ I do not usually get visitors, you see. And also, there is this I have to do… Say, where is Ghost, Yuki?”, says Blanc. Tilting her head, “Didn’t you smite him yesterday?”, asks Yuki. Also tilting his head the same direction, “No… I did not even seed any cloud yesterday”, says Blanc. “Uhm, Mr. Blanc, how far is your striking range?”, asks Li. “Eh~ 15km at most, if I have visual information. That lunatic earlier today was the farthest I have hit someone… Say, Li, why didn’t you break out of my defenses by overwhelming it? I am pretty sure you surpass my capacity at least two-fold”, says Blanc. “I was just making sure what you are capable of, Mr. Dragon…”, says Li. Showing a smile almost reaching his ears, “You are a dragon of the east, aren’t you?”, says Blanc.

Briefly lighting up in a shade of bright red, the shed kicks out the three. Outside, the dragons of purple fly circles around their creator. Already have put on his armor, Li, or Luyo, stand tall against the army of mana creations. “Arbitrary as the wind you control, the man standing before me is as scuffed as his creations. Although they are as many as the forefathers died for your sake, they have no weight behind them, signifying you are to be lightly taken”, says Luyo, made and wielding a straight bladed sword. Yuki just sits there, observing the fight unfold.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

If it was an open event with sanctioned broadcasting, the fight would have been the best display of technique and personal strengths, of the entire century. With drones flying overhead, periodically switching between their perspectives, from all angles, it would have been the fight worth dying for. END opens the fight with a provoking reverse draft, budging the standing warrior of clay forward. The Pyromancer does not make a move however; still as if he is burning time, completely careless. END again takes the initiative, combining three of the swirling serpents and smiting Pyro down with their might. Succumbing to the forces of a ton, Luyo kneels down to support his own weight. A consequent updraft sweeps Luyo high up to the sky. Moved to where he has no control, he cannot do anything but reserve his breath until he reaches the ground. In all six vertices, the pyromancer clad in black is tossed around; like a piece of litter floating in the sky, but with much less grace, Luyo is powerless against the wind.

Muffled by the breeze onslaught, Pyro whispers something. Descending gracefully from the height the serpents kept him at, he makes all sorts of arrangement of weapons. Daggers, spears, blades of various sizes, all hovering around and slightly behind him. “Anti, was it – your technique stolen by Yuki? I will also borrow it, Mr. Dragon”, says Luyo, now standing a bit lower on the mound than Blanc, as the dragon blitzes him. “Woah-!”, he exclaims as the zwerchhau about the length of Li gets deflected past him. Grappling by the handle, Luyo dispatches Blanc’s grip upon the longsword as several of the blades hovering behind launches at him. In the next instance, a spear is launched at Luyo; as he tried to catch, or at least deflect, the spear, his hands did not move. Another serpent like being had wrapped around his limbs tightly… A ceramic plate breaks in contact with the spearhead. With a calm voice, “Influence”, says Luyo, as both the spear and the serpent dissipate into Li’s body.

Sudden gloom engulfs the battleground. The once bright sun has been covered by a thick dark cloud. Swirling around a point right above Luyo, the clouds resemble a crown of dahlia, emerging and hiding once and more. A light that could be mistaken for the rupture blinds the onlooking Luyo as he is struck by a swift lightning. One after another, a flash after a flash, about a dozen contacts have been made with Luyo. Finally, the thunder roars above the motionless black wizard. For the duration of the resonance, neither party moved… “Tis but a scratch”, sounds Luyo, lifting his head up and looking straight into the eyes of the dragon. Holding his hands back-to-back, front towards his enemy, “And, back you go”, he says, unleashing an enormous tsunami of flame.

Whispering, “Please, for this once, integrate this into you”, quietly, Blanc pushes the wave of fire upwards and around the inside of the border. The blaze steadily gets thinned and lessened in the air, quickly disappearing altogether. But, in that small moment, Luyo has just slipped past the serpents END herded. Moving imperceivably fast, over and around the dense quantities of purple serpentine defending Blanc’s flanks, the Pyro has just about caught him in his reach. In the nick of time, Blanc manages to concentrate all of his serpents to establish a wall and entangle Luyo’s blade amongst them. Seeming to take a breather, the Pyro retracts his immobilized blade and takes off his mask. Having no signs of exhaustion upon his face, “Say, Mr. Dragon, I could have ended your life couple dozens of times then and there. And, it seems like you do not acknowledge such threats…”, sits facing towards Blanc, “Let me offer you something, Mr. Dragon: As I want to see your full potential, how about you show me such? Take your time, rest a little, recollect your little lizards and come at me with all the might you can muster. If I am happy with what I deem is worthy, you may live and tell this tale to your kids”, says Luyo, behind the wall.

Dissolving his wall and moving back a few paces, he sends all of his serpents to circle an area up in the sky. Soon after, clouds form, rain, then snow; as if he has become Zeus, lightning also orbit the colossal tempest, thunders roar periodically to suggest what is to happen. As these happen, Luyo is still standing, mending his armor and cloak… “Well then, Li… Ready when you are, mate”, says Blanc as the whirl of thousands of serpents’ loom atop the two. “Please, if you were to die, you would curse my child’s name. Remember me as Luyo Sun Hue, Mr. Dragon. Now then, let us see how powerful a halfling is…”, says Luyo, with his blade in hand. The storm is then set loose, towering over the man clad in black…

“Birdcage”, says Luyo, enclosing the oncoming storm. Smiling subtly. “Back when I was alive, we used to set ice among the storm clouds to “cool them down”. I do not know the reason behind it but that practice saved millions of people from becoming one with the earth”, evaporates the tornado, “But this time, it seems like you will be set in the ground because of this knowledge, my friend”, says Luyo. “[LANGUAGE IN DEVELOPMENT]”, he says, unleashing a fiery swirl against the exhausted Blanc, sitting on the ground with his arm resting atop his right knee. The wave hits him head on… “Would you stop, please? This is what you are hearing at the moment, right? That is Li, Luyo; the one whom you promised to never let him bow down to anyone is begging you instead”, says Yuki. Covered by a grey blanket, Blanc sits far back from where he was a moment ago. From her fingertips to the watch Will gave to Li, a thin bright blue string is attached. With a smile showing her fangs, “I will now show you what someone who could fulfil his promise would have done, ancient”, says Yuki as the watch’s bell rings again.

*Ding! Ding… Ding! Ding…* “You feel sleepy, don’t you? Do I seem to be a bit larger to you? Are you scared of me, now, Luyo? Is Li coming back? I have just turned on Willy’s emergency drainage system. You will feel disorientated and soon will fall asleep. Do not fight it, Luyo… Well then, good night, o the ancient one”.