Chapter 295: The Power of Kings

Chapter 295: The Power of Kings

The colossal Bronze City stood tall, its majestic presence akin to a towering mountain. This city, crafted entirely from metal, was a miracle that rivaled any renowned landmark in the world.

Even after being submerged in water for thousands of years, its surface covered with accumulated moss and marine life, the city's beauty remained untouched.

"How was such a city even built?" Caesar couldn't help but marvel. He peeled away the moss, pressing his hand against the city's bronze surface, feeling a chill through his waterproof suit, evoking a sense of ancient wisdom.

"According to Professor von Schneider's hypothesis, Dragon King Norton hollowed out an entire mountain, using it as a mold. He poured molten bronze from the mountain's peak, and as the city took shape, the intense heat caused the rock to fracture, creating an immense structure that modern technology couldn't replicate—a city made entirely of bronze."

Luke also touched the Bronze City, but his perception went beyond Caesar's sensory experience. He sensed more, most notably a cold and lifeless aura with a hint of fire.

The interior of the Bronze City had transformed into a true otherworld, a Niflheim that, in theory, shouldn't have trapped them. At the very least, in the original story, the biggest threat Yuki and Ye Sheng encountered was the city coming to life.

There was only one possibility.

Luke's eyes flickered, and he gently floated towards the center of the Bronze City. The traces were faint, but beneath the moss-covered surface, there was a raised area with a rectangular, precise cut around it.

Caesar, who had followed behind, was startled. His hairs stood on end! "The door has been opened, and recently!"

"That's right."

Luke nodded slightly, deep in thought.

"So, there are two possibilities. First, something might have just escaped from inside, or second, something might have entered."

The chilling possibility sent shivers down Caesar's spine. Could Dragon King Norton have come back to life and left the Bronze City? Or had he resurrected long ago and been moving freely between the human world and the city? Caesar felt his emotions rollercoastering. He wiped the raised area, and a strange human face appeared, holding a burning piece of wood in its mouth.

It was a bizarre painting, the face distorted in pain, yet refusing to release its grip on the wood.

"A grand achievement of alchemy, infusing a living soul into a dead object. He is the Guardian, the Doorkeeper."

Caesar's face turned solemn. "My bloodline isn't enough to open the door. Do you want to try?"

Luke glanced at him. "You know a lot, Caesar."

"Although I'm just the deputy on this mission, I won't lower my standards. I've collected a lot of relevant information, but there are too many gaps in the history of the Dragon Race."

Caesar pursed his lips. "A commander must have a clear mind. In the absence of sufficient intelligence, a cautious approach is best. I suggest we retreat, report the situation, and then devise a long-term plan."

"That's very sensible. No wonder you could lead the Student Council's scattered forces against the Lionheart Society).

Luke nodded and then shook his head, a faint smile on his face.

"But often, cumbersome procedures are a result of insufficient power..."

He clenched his fist, and the water around them immediately stirred into chaos. Infinite water transformed into weapons, and the soft and gentle water became sharp and fierce blades. A vast tide rushed towards the Bronze City from all directions, instantly stirring up a green storm.

The accumulated moss and vegetation on the Bronze City were washed away, revealing a city that had been sealed for a millennium in a brand-new state. The gates to the Bronze City opened, and the living spirit was extracted and gently placed into Luke's mouth.

Luke chewed a few times, swallowed the spirit, and smiled at Caesar, who was trembling. He spoke slowly and calmly.

"With enough power, all obstacles can be forcefully overcome."

As the gate opened, the barrier isolating everything revealed its flaws. Luke's perception detected several massive life forms, with the two most vibrant ones right in the city's center.

Without hesitation, Luke followed the traces into the city.

The rippling light illuminated an incredible bronze artifact—a structure with sharp edges resembling wolf teeth, a gear, and not just one.

Luke saw an endless array of gears on the walls, and on both sides of the path were sculptures resembling serpentine humans. The room, vast like a giant's, stretched beyond sight.

Caesar, who had followed behind, stared at the wall of gears, surprised.

"If I didn't know better, I'd never guess this was designed over two thousand years ago. These gears remind me of Richard Mille, Maurice Lacroix, or Vacheron Constantin."

"You take pictures of the dragon inscriptions on the murals, but don't stare at them. Otherwise, the information in the inscriptions might trigger your bloodline and cause hallucinations, like during the 3E test."

"Lu Ke gave a quick reminder and looked at Caesar, who had stopped to take pictures, feeling a bit helpless.

The Halfbreed looked impressive, but just a few words of Dragon Language were enough to confuse their minds. In reality, it was Lu Mingfei's extraordinary abilities that allowed him to face even a young Dragon King. To be honest, it didn't provide much help in slaying dragons.

They still needed him!

Lu Ke's eyes displayed a series of data streams, rapidly analyzing the structure of the space—the statues, murals, sacrificial altars, and the royal chamber.

The entire city's spatial model transformed into a data torrent, gradually flowing into his mind.

'Not fast enough,' Lu Ke thought.

Dissatisfied with the efficiency, he walked step by step towards the central royal chamber of the city. As he moved, invisible ripples spread in all directions from the ground he touched. The bronze statues in his path became a part of him, transforming into 'weapons' under his control.

He was eroding Nibelheim!

...

'We haven't seen each other in a long time.'

A man with a bluish-gray figure stood in the royal chamber of the Bronze City. His features were handsome, and his face exuded an unyielding dignity. Yet, within that dignity, there was an indescribable delicacy and a hint of gentleness.

'Constantine, I'm back. This time, someone woke me up earlier than expected.'

Norton gently caressed a bone ossuary flask in front of him, shaped like a bronze jar. Inside were two eggs, one already hatched, and the other still pulsating at an imperceptible rate.

'I can feel 'Him' awakening. The time left for us is running out. The end is near, and survival is not possible alone. But it's alright, brother, I will be with you.'

He sliced his wrist, and flame-like blood flowed downward, enveloping the ossuary flask. The temperature in the air rose rapidly as the blood dripped, and a crimson glow illuminated the entire room.

The other egg began to pulsate violently, awakened by its blood relative at the right location. A surge of life force poured out, and the entire Bronze City seemed to pulsate with it.

'Awaken, Constantine!'

Norton spread his arms and began to chant in an ancient language, his voice high and impassioned, like a battle song. As he sang, the vibrations around him intensified, and the entire city came to life!

Just then, he paused his chant, his gaze turning cold as he looked towards the distant entrance.

'There's an intruder, no... something is eroding this place.'

Norton's face changed slightly, his eyes sharp as blades. With his commanding gaze, he pierced through the layers of bronze barriers and the limitations of space, spotting a figure in the distance.

The figure walked towards him, unhurried, with a wave of bronze behind him, seemingly assimilated.

As if sensing his gaze, the figure slowly lifted its head, meeting his eyes in the void, and then slowly smiled, waving at him.

'Good evening~'

'Traitor!'

Norton's face turned ashen as he severed the connection. He couldn't sense the familiar aura from the figure, but the ability to erode his Nibelheim indicated a Dragon King, perhaps even a complete Dragon King after consuming its twin siblings.

In other words, had a Dragon King fallen at the hands of its offspring?

'Unfortunately, you've chosen the wrong place and the wrong opponent.'

Norton waved his hand, and a rectangular box flew through the air, landing in front of him. With a 'click,' hidden metal panels opened, and mechanisms slid out with a clear, crisp sound, fanning out like a folding fan.

Seven blades emerged—from a heavy saber-like sword to a curved Yatagan sword, an elegant straight-bladed sword, and even a short dagger the length of a forearm.

These weapons didn't seem to be forged two thousand years ago. Beyond the intricate and profound patterns, the blades glowed with a dark golden light, and the lines on the sword bodies were refined. The mechanism that housed these seven blades was as exquisite as a mechanical wristwatch.

...

'Traitor!'

A voice as solid as substance echoed in Lu Ke's mind, causing him to raise his eyebrows and halt his steps. He felt a unique domain enveloping him, an intense sense of restraint.

The bronze statues he had just eroded began to recover, and both sides seemed to engage in a power struggle. At that moment, a voice came from behind.

'Lu Ke, I can't use my Incantation!'

Caesar's face turned grim. His 'Spirit' had been silenced! It was like being enveloped by 'Discipline' in the Cassel Academy, but worse. He couldn't feel his 'Spirit' at all, as if his soul and body were bound together without any separation.

At the same time, the ground suddenly began to shake, and the walls on both sides vibrated. Then, the massive walls started to close in, threatening to crush those inside into meat paste!

Lu Ke's gaze froze. 'Caesar, close your eyes.'

"Caesar instinctively followed his instructions, and the next moment, he felt a hand pulling him towards the exit at an incredible speed. The entire city seemed to come alive, with the space turning upside down and the walls sliding from side to side, constantly rolling like a Rubik's cube.

'Luk?'

'It's me. You can open your eyes now.'

A familiar voice reached Caesar's ears, and he opened his eyes to see a familiar figure leading him in a high-speed escape. However, he couldn't shake off a strange feeling in his heart.

Was it just an illusion?

...

Luk glanced back at Caesar, who was being led away by his clone, and heaved a long sigh of relief.

He took a step forward, and his lean, powerful body became more defined and muscular, with every part of his body growing proportionally larger. His limbs and organs underwent various degrees of dragonification.

His upper body was covered in dark grey scales, and a pair of massive golden dragon horns sprouted from his head. A thick, long dragon tail appeared at his rear, and his eyes, clear amber orbs, held a beastly cruelty. Yet, for some reason, they also exuded a mesmerizing charm that made one want to submit and serve.

'Finally, I don't have to worry about the Polar Bear dying in the aftermath.'

A smile that appeared somewhat sinister at this moment spread across his face. He kicked off the ground with his hind legs, and the bronze ground, enhanced by alchemy, cracked under the immense force. His speed was at its peak.

Bang! Bang! Bang! The activated bronze city summoned countless walls, but in the blink of an eye, they were all smashed to pieces, failing to serve any purpose in blocking their path.

In an instant, Luk arrived before the Royal Palace and locked eyes with Norton, who was in his human form.

At that moment, it seemed as if their identities had been swapped.

...

'You have ten minutes to make your wish, or it'll be too late.'

On the Monarch, Lu Mingfei anxiously fidgeted with his phone.

Suddenly, he realized that the sound of the waves and the howling wind had stopped. He looked out the window and saw that the ship, the waves, and the rain had all frozen in mid-air, turning the world into a static oil painting.

Professor Mans was still staring intently at the monitor displaying the underwater readings of the two, and the woman was rocking the cradle with a sullen expression. Zero's delicate and beautiful face still had a transparent icy crystal texture, but everyone seemed to have turned into immovable dolls.

The world had stopped moving, and he was the only exception.

'It's been a while since I've seen this scene.'

Lu Mingfei sighed, looking around, 'It's you, isn't it, little monster brother?'

'What kind of ghostly description is a monster? I'm your cute, well-behaved, and obedient good little brother.'

With a 'Bang,' Lu Mingze burst into the room, kicking the door open. He was wearing a miniature pirate costume, and his innocent and adorable face had a pouty expression.

His top was deep blue, adorned with golden skull heads and crossed swords and blades, giving him an air of mystery and playfulness. His pants were loose black shorts, and the cuffs fluttered gently in the wind. He wore a small triangular pirate hat with a slightly upturned brim, and a bright red ribbon was tied around the hat. He had a black eyepatch over his left eye and his right hand had transformed into a hook.

'Brother, it's a hold-up! This ship now belongs to me, and everything on it is mine, including you!'

Lu Mingze jumped onto the table aggressively and hooked Lu Mingfei's collar.

'Tadak, Kudoa Lu!' (But I refuse)



Having been scared by his little monster brother several times before, Lu Mingfei had become immune to his monster attributes. He even had the leisure to joke with him, tugging at Lu Mingze's soft and round cheeks.

'Why did you suddenly disappear before and then suddenly appear again?'

Lu Mingze obediently allowed Lu Mingfei to pinch his face. After Lu Mingfei had his fun, Lu Mingze rubbed his reddened cheeks and complained softly.

'It's all because you always go to play with that Tyrannosaurus Rex. That bad guy is so scary; when you're close to him, you feel like your soul is being grasped.'

Lu Mingze pouted and sniffed indignantly, 'So I only dare to look for you when he's not around and when I'm sure he's somewhere else.'

Lu Mingfei blinked, 'You mean the boss? Why do you call him Tyrannosaurus Rex?'

'Didn't you see his Tyrannosaurus Rex form in the hot springs room the other day?'

Lu Mingfei: 'Is that the kind of Tyrannosaurus Rex!'

'Haha, just kidding. I gave him the code name Tyrannosaurus Rex because Luk is a very dangerous character. Tyrannosaurus Rex is the ruler among dinosaurs.'

Lu Mingze's innocent and adorable face revealed two cute dimples, and he smiled mischievously, 'By the way, your code name is Little White Rabbit.'

'Because I'm at the bottom of the food chain, I can only bully the grass that can't move, right?'

'Brother's insight is truly high!'

Lu Mingze clapped excitedly and somehow produced a basin of green grass, feeding it to Lu Mingfei.

'Chew, eat!'

Severe cold, about to die...

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end