Before you stands the dark horse of this year's Hatchling Dragon competition, who has just defeated the highly anticipated Black Iron Wing Lexander with his exquisite psychic prowess and inconceivable dragon breath absorption performance. He is the Heart of Gold—Saga Alzhus!"
The legendary Brass Dragon was visibly excited as he pointed to the gleaming little Golden Dragon.
The voice paused for a moment, then the already high pitch rose another notch: "Here's another piece of news that will shock the hearts of dragons: Saga Alzhus, this rising star, is the son of the Divine Golden Dragon Nagayes! He carries the noble bloodline of the Divine Golden Dragon! His siblings include the champion of the last Hatchling Dragon competition and the favorite to win this time, the Dragon Empress—Yekaterina!"
The title of Divine Golden Dragon was an honorific bestowed upon the Golden Dragonfather in the deep-sea Dragon City.
This was because the Platinum Dragon God had once descended using the Golden Dragonfather as a vessel, and since then, the Golden Dragonfather's power had soared, presumably blessed by the Dragon God, thus earning such a prestigious title.
As for the Golden Dragonfather himself, he revered the Dragon God.
Initially, when the Platinum Dragon God descended to break the siege, the Golden Dragonfather offered countless treasures as a tribute in return, but he respected and thanked the Dragon God without offering his faith.
Meanwhile.
Saga, whose identity had been revealed, showed no significant change in expression upon hearing the legendary Brass Dragon's words, as if he had anticipated this moment.
In the sixth match, deciding not to hold back any longer and feeling the timing was right, Saga revealed his sharpness and defeated Black Iron Wing Lexander. He realized that his identity would be exposed.
Although Saga was not ostentatious, he did not deliberately keep a low profile or hide his identity.
Once the attention was on him and he entered the sight of other dragons, Saga's comings and goings to the Golden Dragonfather's palace and his interactions with Yekaterina were easily noticed and led to speculations about his lineage as the son of the Divine Golden Dragon Nagayes, which was expected.
The Golden Dragonfather held a splendid position in the deep-sea Dragon City and was highly respected.
When the legendary Brass Dragon announced the news, there was an uproar in the audience, and the dragons began to discuss fervently.
"So he's the son of Nagayes! No wonder he could emerge victorious against a favorite contender."
"Like father, like son, both offspring of the Divine Golden Dragon are extraordinary—one a Hatchling Dragon champion, and now this little Golden Dragon."
"Hmm, compared to Nagayes's daughter, this little Golden Dragon seems more pleasing to the eye."
"It looks like that little monster of the Golden Dragon has a rival now."
"Is the mutation rate so high for the hybrid offspring of Golden Dragons and Red Dragons? Both of Nagayes's offspring, these two little dragons, are positive mutations. Could the combination of the opposing Metal Dragon and Gemstone Dragon clans produce even stronger descendants?"
***
Clearing his throat, the legendary Brass Dragon continued:
"The Heart of Gold and the Dragon Empress, I'm looking forward to the showdown between these two divine siblings, children of the Divine Golden Dragon Nagayes. Which of these transcendent hatchlings will prove stronger?"
The voice paused again, then shifted: "However, before that, our Heart of Gold must first overcome a formidable opponent—Amethyst Warlock Tishir!"
A dragon claw pointed to another hatchling dragon at the other end of the arena.
The legendary Brass Dragon spoke with excitement and fervor:
"At the forefront of the Gemstone Dragon lineage, living in the deep-sea Dragon City, Amethyst Dragon Tishir, at only fifteen years old, has a psychic prowess that even surpasses some adult Gemstone Dragons. Her talent and power are there for all to see!"
Pointing to the two hatchlings participating in the competition, the legendary Brass Dragon's voice boomed across the arena: "Taking the path less traveled, embarking on the journey of a Mind Warlock, the Heart of Gold with rich and skilled psychic abilities, the son of the Divine Golden Dragon, Saga Alzhus!"
"Born with a psychic strength surpassing the average young Amethyst Dragon, with exceptional psychic talent, mastering psychic abilities before even a year old, stepping onto the path of a Mind Warlock, specializing in psychic prowess, Amethyst Warlock Tishir Angelica!"
"Both on the path of a Mind Warlock, both outstanding talents, when these two forces meet, who will emerge victorious in this competition? Let's wait and see!"
The atmosphere on the scene gradually heated up.
Under the watchful eyes of countless dragons, the little Golden Dragon remained composed and calm, quietly gazing at the opponent before him.
Across from him, the reflection of the Amethyst Dragon Tishir flickered in Saga's pupils.
She was a very beautiful hatchling dragon.
She had scales that were considered very beautiful by draconic standards, each semi-transparent scale shimmering like purple crystal, radiating a clear and beautiful luster from within. Not just the scales, but her dragon horns, wings, and eyes… all were a vivid and crystalline purple, exuding a unique nobility, beautiful and elegant.
Her size was not outstanding among older hatchlings, even smaller than Saga, with a total length of only nine meters, similar to the little Silver Dragon Ilyag, but despite her petite size, she did not give off a weak impression to other dragons. Her body was curvaceous and looked strong and well-proportioned.
Atop her head, two pairs of crystal-like horns reminiscent of blocky amethyst floated, not growing from the back of the Amethyst Dragon's head but held in place by psychic power, constantly floating with her emotions. Her tail, covered in fine amethyst scales, was very long, even twice the length of her torso, and in draconic aesthetics, a long dragon tail had its own charm.
"She looks different from a regular Amethyst Dragon, with two pairs of dragon horns, and that tail is really pretty."
Saga's gaze lingered a bit longer on the Amethyst Dragon's horns and tail.
At the same time.
Tishir was also sizing up the little Golden Dragon before her.
On the surface of the little Golden Dragon, a layer of diamond-like, multifaceted golden scales shimmered dreamily. Compared to a normal Metal Dragon, the scales were more similar to those of a Gemstone Dragon. In addition to the perfect body proportions, a robust and athletic physique that ordinary hatchlings, juvenile dragons, or even young dragons did not possess, the regal aura and three pairs of prominent, crown-like horns were also very eye-catching.
Without speaking, the voice of the Amethyst Dragon directly resonated in Saga's mind.
"I've seen your battle with Lexander. You use your psychic abilities at the right moments, with a good level of proficiency. You are a qualified Mind Warlock."
After a slight pause, the Amethyst Dragon continued to speak in an elegant and intellectual voice through mental whispering, as if capable of penetrating the heart of a dragon:
"It's rare to encounter another dragon on the path of a Mind Warlock. I will give it my all to show my respect."
Saga grinned and responded through mental communication:
"I've already felt your respect."
As he spoke, the little Golden Dragon raised a claw, wrapped in psychic radiance, and suddenly slapped his own head.
A semi-illusory purple seed-like phantom rose from the little Golden Dragon's head, then was shattered by a swipe of his claw.
The battle between Mind Warlocks is different from other systems, often lacking obvious visual and auditory effects. If the gap is significant, the fight might end silently in an instant.
Before some of the dragons even realized it, the battle between Saga and Tishir, the two Mind Warlock dragons, had already begun.
As the voice of the Amethyst Dragon entered Saga's mind.
She skillfully condensed her own personality seed, intending to quietly plant it deep within Saga's psyche, thereby influencing the decisions he would make during the fight. If Saga didn't detect this personality seed and it was successfully cast by the opponent, then during the battle, Saga would make a series of wrong decisions under the influence of the Amethyst Dragon, mistaking them for his own thoughts.
"I too have felt your respect for me."
The Amethyst Dragon smiled faintly.
Crack… A golden personality seed rose from the Amethyst Dragon's head, then was deftly shattered by a flick of her finger.
While speaking with the Amethyst Dragon.
Saga pretended not to notice the personality seed the Amethyst Dragon used on him, quietly condensing his own personality seed along the mental whisper, preparing to return the favor. However, unfortunately, the Amethyst Dragon detected it.
The types of psychic abilities are numerous and not easily learned or mastered. Different Mind Warlocks often possess different psychic abilities.
Saga and Amethyst Dragon Tishir happened to master the same psychic ability—Personality Parasitism.
At the same time.
Through the brief initial contact, both sides gauged each other's general level and understood that neither was weak, becoming more serious and cautious.
"Come, dance with my psyche."
Amethyst Dragon Tishir's wings spread wide, and though she made no flapping motion, her entire body suddenly levitated, with psychic radiance shining brightly and dazzlingly in her gemstone-like purple eyes.
"An anti-gravity field?"
Saga's gaze narrowed slightly, sensing a familiar force around the Amethyst Dragon.
As the foremost of the Gemstone Dragon kind.
In addition to their unparalleled psychic talent among all Gemstone Dragons, they also place great importance on strange and powerful cosmic forces, such as the very powerful gravity on a cosmic scale. Amethyst Dragons can use some simple, gravity-related spell-like abilities.
"The anti-gravity field spell you're casting before me…"
Saga had a very clear and strong intuition that he could forcibly distort the force field spell used by the Amethyst Dragon. In Saga's perception, the opponent's anti-gravity field was controllable, and its operation was no secret to him.
"The same type of ability, and I possess a higher authority."
Gravity and electromagnetic force are widely used in the Transcendent system, not just by Saga.
As for the strong and weak nuclear forces, Saga could sense them but still found them difficult to wield, and he had not heard of similar spells.
Because he didn't want to reveal too much of his ability in the competition, leaving some trump cards for himself, Saga temporarily suppressed the idea of directly seizing control of the Amethyst Dragon's anti-gravity field.
At the same time.
The levitating Amethyst Dragon Tishir's eyes shone brilliantly, unleashing an ability she had never shown before in previous matches.
"Cannon Squid, Blade Tiger!"
"Come forth, fight for me!"
Amethyst Dragon Tishir whispered.
Hum… Accompanied by two blinding purple lights, two whirlpools formed in the dueling arena under the deep sea.
The currents surged tumultuously.
In an instant, the purple light receded, and the whirlpools dissipated.
Where the whirlpools had been, two crystalline creatures made entirely of purple crystal appeared in the arena.
One resembled a squid, about seven meters long including its tentacles.
What was particularly eye-catching was that the tips of the squid's tentacles were wrapped around firearms like revolvers, machine guns, and cannons, all appropriately sized.
On the other side of the Cannon Squid was a purple crystal behemoth with the silhouette and posture of a tiger, broad-shouldered and robust, about thirteen meters long from head to tail. Blades of dazzling purple crystal were located on its back, limbs, and shoulders, densely covering it with armor, and it even had a pair of ornate wings made of purple crystal blades on its back.
"Two psychic guardians."
Saga's gaze swept over the Cannon Squid and Blade Tiger.
Psychic guardians are also known as psychic sentinels.
The two psychic sentinels that appeared before Saga were constructs created by the Mind Warlock, not autonomous living beings.
Creating constructs or choosing a living being.
Both methods of creating psychic sentinels have their pros and cons. The advantage of constructs is that they can more firmly execute the tasks given by the Mind Warlock, with no risk, no fear, ignoring death. The downside is that psychic sentinel constructs require a significant portion of the Mind Warlock's spirit to control, placing a heavier burden, unable to advance and grow on their own, and their behavior logic is rigid and inflexible.
At the same time.
The Blade Tiger crouched low, then leaped fiercely, accompanied by fierce currents, closing in on Saga.
The Cannon Squid's tentacles rose, the firearms in their grasp booming dully.
A barrage of sharp purple crystal bullets pierced through the water, leaving a dense trail of bullet marks, sweeping towards Saga in a blanket of fire.
The two psychic sentinels combined their attacks from afar and up close.
Amethyst Dragon Tishir was not idle either.
She levitated gracefully in mid-air, her gaze fixed on the little Golden Dragon in the distance.
Mind Maze!
In an instant, Saga's eyes lost focus, and his gaze became vacant.
The world in his eyes changed, the deep-sea arena disappeared, the countless dragons and sea creatures in the audience vanished, the Blade Tiger charging at him, the Cannon Squid with its full firepower, and his opponent Amethyst Dragon Tishir—all disappeared.
In their place.
Was a world filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers, with colorful blossoms covering the ground.
Intoxicating fragrances permeated every corner of the air, countless petals danced in the wind, floating around the little Golden Dragon, a feast for the eyes.
The sea of flowers stretched as far as the eye could see.
"Planting a maze illusion in my mind? Hmph, break it!"
The little Golden Dragon lifted its head, its eyes seemingly storing a thunderstorm.
With a flap of its wings.
Boom!
From the little Golden Dragon's body, streaks of destructive black lightning danced wildly, like dragons and snakes churning the land, spreading to infinite distances in an instant.
The world shattered like a broken mirror, suddenly falling apart.
Back in the real world, the confusion in Saga's eyes vanished, and his eyes regained their sharpness, full of vitality.
"That was quick to break my Mind Maze?"
Amethyst Dragon Tishir's brow furrowed slightly.
The next instant, the little Golden Dragon vanished from her sight.
Boom, boom, boom!
A large number of purple crystal bullets hit the hard metallic arena floor, accompanied by a blinding purple light, the ground shattered, and the explosions created clusters of dangerous and beautiful purple crystals.
"Psychic Stride!"
The Amethyst Dragon's body flashed with light, disappearing from her spot.
The moment the Amethyst Dragon vanished, where she had been, a dazzling golden dragon claw suddenly reached out, sweeping fiercely through the water.
The two Mind Warlock dragons had both used Psychic Stride.
For a short time, this psychic ability could not be used again.
Missing with his strike, Saga did not persist in chasing the Amethyst Dragon, who had reappeared in the distance. Instead, he decisively turned his wings and charged at the Cannon Squid, which was very close to him.
The Blade Tiger turned back to pursue, but it was still some distance from Saga.
The Cannon Squid had just turned its tentacles, re-locking onto Saga, preparing to launch a fierce attack.
But before the Cannon Squid could attack, Saga's eyes focused, and he used a psychic ability on this psychic sentinel.
Mind Spike!
This was a simple and brutal psychic ability, not high-level, but almost all Mind Warlocks would learn and master it because it was exceptionally fast and sharp, could move at will, and caused mental damage based on the difference in mental and willpower strength between the two parties.
A spike, invisible to the naked eye but felt by Mind Warlocks, formed from highly condensed psychic energy and stabbed towards the Cannon Squid.
Maintaining a certain distance from Saga, the Amethyst Dragon did not let Saga destroy her psychic sentinel.
If it were an ordinary construct, it could be immune to mental attacks, but as a psychic sentinel construct containing the Mind Warlock's personality and will, it could not completely ignore mental attacks.
Thought Fortress!
This was a psychic ability stronger than a Thought Barrier, offering more defense against mental attacks.
A semi-transparent purple honeycomb structure surrounded the Cannon Squid.
Sizzle!
The Mind Spike hit the Thought Fortress.
Crack! Accompanied by a crisp sound in the mind, the Amethyst Dragon Tishir showed an incredulous look.
Like a hammer piercing tough leather, the Amethyst Dragon Tishir's Thought Fortress barely blocked the Mind Spike's advance, which broke through in an instant.
Because this was not an ordinary Mind Spike.
It was mixed with Saga's electromagnetic force, with the specific property of breaking down and dissolving psychic energy. Unless the opponent's psychic ability was much stronger than his own, it would be difficult to defend against.
The Mind Spike that broke through the Thought Fortress continued unabated, hitting the Cannon Squid behind it.
The Cannon Squid, gripping numerous powerful enchanted firearms, trembled.
Like a malfunctioning electric machine, the Cannon Squid's tentacles moved erratically, becoming chaotic.
The mental duel happened in the blink of an eye.
The little Golden Dragon, with wings spread wide, collided with the Cannon Squid, now only an arm's length away.
Both front limbs reached out, stabbing fiercely into the Cannon Squid's purple crystal body, the sharp claws piercing into the middle of its head, then tearing forcefully.
Accompanied by a low roar, the Cannon Squid was torn in half.
Bang, bang, bang!
The torn Cannon Squid suddenly exploded violently, the purple crystal firearms also collapsing, shattering into a sky full of purple crystal fragments.
These purple crystal fragments had sharp edges like blades and were still imbued with rich psychic radiance, causing a storm, sweeping towards the little Golden Dragon.
Crystal Cluster—Remote control of crystal fragments, causing physical damage while adding psychic lethality through psychic energy.
Attacks with mixed properties are difficult to defend against with a single method.
Ting, ting, tang… The purple crystal fragments collided with a semi-transparent energy barrier created by Saga's psychic ability, which rippled like a lake surface under heavy rain, then shattered after a second, and the psychic energy on the purple crystal fragments was completely eradicated.
A large number of purple crystal fragments landed on the little Golden Dragon's scales. Without the psychic enchantment, the purple crystal fragments only had physical lethality and failed to penetrate the little Golden Dragon's scales, barely leaving scratches that couldn't even be called cracks.
Even without using force fields or barriers, Saga's own defense was extremely strong.
At the same time, as Saga destroyed the Cannon Squid.
The Blade Tiger, striding like a meteor, rushed forward.
This psychic sentinel was two sizes larger than Saga, and its body was covered in purple crystal blades, retaining only pure melee combat methods.
As it approached, the Amethyst Dragon gathered psychic force from afar, locking onto Saga, and released it instantly.
This was a psychic ability she had never used before in previous matches—Agonizing Pain!
A profound pain as deep as the ocean, penetrating the marrow, and implanting into the soul, surged toward Saga's psyche like a tidal wave.
Even with the dragon's resistance to pain and Saga's iron will, he couldn't help but wince deeply in pain.
"Such a lightning -fast release, impressive!"
Saga realized that without using electromagnetic force to amplify his psychic abilities, his current pure psychic level was slightly weaker than the Amethyst Dragon before him. After all, she was older and had an exceptional psychic talent.
Meanwhile, as waves of pain assaulted him, Saga used a psychic ability against the Amethyst Dragon.
Shared Suffering!
Invisible to the naked eye, the robust chains of Shared Suffering extended like serpents, entwining towards the Amethyst Dragon.
However, the Amethyst Dragon was well-prepared for this fifth-level ability that Saga wielded.
A tower formed from a massive convergence of psychic force descended, enveloping the Amethyst Dragon's mental will.
Willpower Bastion!
Crash!
The thick chains wrapped around, crackling with strange electrical arcs, tightly coiling around the Willpower Bastion.
The Willpower Bastion trembled violently, with numerous cracks extending across it. Although it didn't shatter on the spot, it was in a precarious state.
"How can Shared Suffering and other psychic abilities in his hands have such a powerful destructive effect? My Willpower Bastion can withstand at least three attacks from psychic abilities of the same level, but it barely held against his Shared Suffering once."
Although she successfully blocked this counterattack, Amethyst Dragon Tishir's heart was far from calm.
Proofreader & Editor: Lotas