Chapter 376: Berola Silva

Roning had always ridden Kallos swiftly between locations.

When landing in unfamiliar places, he would typically use the Wind of Perception to scout the area. Just now, he sensed no one in the woods, only to find someone arriving the moment he landed.

"Kallos, how are you?"

High above, Roning inquired about Kallos's injuries.

"Rest easy, Master. I only felt a bit of pain when struck, no other harm done."

The dragon's defense was formidable, not to be judged solely by its sixth-tier status.

The old man hadn't used any high-damage attacks; Kallos hadn't even lost a scale.

Roning relaxed, beginning to ponder the stranger's identity.

First, the ability to cast Wind Wings indicated at least a seventh-tier Grand Mage;

second, the use of Storm Blade, a martial technique, meant the elder was at least a Bronze Knight.

In all of Crystal City, only one person possessed such mastery in both magic and martial energy: Berola Silva, the lord of this land.

Given that his great-grandson Franz was a dual practitioner, Roning felt certain of this guess.

If true, the man was a Grand Sorcerer, not merely a Grand Mage.

"He's a count of the kingdom, possibly the most powerful mage on Orland Continent. He wouldn't attack a dragon on sight, would he?"

Roning decided to leave the Amethyst Count's domain first.

But as he glanced back, his heart sank.

The old man was right behind them!

Though hundreds of meters apart, the gap was closing visibly.

"Kallos, fly at top speed!"

Roning shouted, instantly casting Lightness and Speed spells.

Wind elements surged around the dragon, its body resembling a comet with a long tail.

Kallos sensed the pursuit, its speed surging with the spells' enhancement.

"This brat!"

Berola sensed the distance widening and realized they'd accelerated.

"I thought I'd catch them easily, but underestimated the dragon's speed."

Sensing the wind elements on the dragon, his gaze locked onto the youth on its back.

"If I'm not mistaken, this boy cast Lightness and Speed without scrolls or spell patterns. Could he be a Grand Mage?"

With curiosity, Berola traced intricate spell patterns.

In an instant, a hum sounded; his wings folded into phantom duplicates, his body radiating intense magical energy.

Whoosh!

The elder shot across the sky like light, closing the gap in a blink, appearing directly behind them.

"Youngsters these days, no manners—arrive and leave without a word?"

Berola smiled; a five-meter wind blade formed before him, hurtling toward Roning at greater speed.

The wind blade screamed with sonic booms; Roning's heart raced, stunned by the speed.

He punched repeatedly, fiery fists colliding with the blade in thunderous roars.

Though a ninth-tier Grand Sorcerer's wind blade was stronger, it was still a second-tier spell, easily dispelled.

Roning confirmed his identity, shouting, "Count Berola, attacking guests without cause? Who's the rude one here?"

Realizing escape was futile, Roning communicated with Kallos.

The dragon twisted, executing a 180-degree turn, exhaling a mix of ice and fire that filled the sky.

Roning cast swiftly; a massive fire dragon followed the breath, striking the foe.

Berola summoned the Wall of Sighs as a barrier.

Though it blocked the breath, the fire dragon shattered it with a thunderous crash.

Berola frowned, veering aside to evade.

The maneuver widened the gap by hundreds of meters.

A successful strike bolstered Roning's confidence; he prepared for a second assault.

He traced the Wind Roar spell pattern swiftly.

As the spell neared completion, Roning told Kallos, "Prepare flame breath."

Kallos exhaled searing fire, amplified by the roar, spreading widely.

Wind and fire synergized, the combined attack far exceeding its base power.

Berola snorted, surprised by the counterattack. Retreating, he traced an eighth-tier Wind Crush spell.

Space compressed before him; any commoner trapped would be crushed to death instantly.

Their combined assault was shredded by the Wind Crush.

In an instant, a storm erupted a kilometer high, churning the skies into chaos.

Roning hid behind Kallos's neck.

The eighth-tier magic was stronger, but the residual waves only shook Kallos, causing no real harm.

Roning realized that with Kallos, he could hold his own against a Grand Sorcerer, though not dominate.

He gazed at the elder, wondering if closing the distance would let him use his Battle Force technique to counterattack.

Though a knight, the elder wasn't a Meteor Star.

Without Battle Force, Meteor Knights held insurmountable advantages over Gold and lower ranks.

But as Roning prepared to strike, the elder spoke.

"Enough, boy of the Wushan clan. Lower your guard."

Wind elements calmed around Berola. "I only wanted to test your strength, no malice. I was friends with your grandfather, Rulans."

Roning didn't lower his guard. "No malice? You attacked me repeatedly. Without my strength, you'd have sent me plummeting."

Berola laughed. "Had I wanted to kill you, I'd have used the ninth-tier Storm of Annihilation, not Wind Crush."

The ninth-tier Wind Annihilation covered five hundred meters, a colossal spell.

Once formed, countless wind blades would shred all within, far surpassing Wind Crush.

Had he used it, Roning and Kallos would have survived, but barely.

Berola stroked his white beard, explaining:

"I thought it was a wild beast invading my domain, so I attacked. I didn't expect the dragon to have a master."

He spoke truthfully; upon seeing the dragon, Berola was both thrilled and awed, overlooking Roning entirely.

Only when Luo Ning stepped forward did he realize this dragon had a master.

Luo Ning maintained his distance, "Frankly, your words lack credibility."

Berola laughed heartily, "I have no reason to kill you. Even if I wished to claim this dragon, I am not as lucky as you and your grandfather to possess the legendary beast-binding scroll."

Without the scroll, no dragon would bow to human will.

"Though a slain dragon still holds great worth, I avoid such transient gains. So..."

He looked at Luo Ning. "I wish to discuss cooperation with you, the Dragon Master." (End of Chapter)