From Naruto onwards, I've become a dreamer.

Chapter 358 The King of Bronze and Fire (Part Two)

Downstream from the Three Gorges Reservoir, the Moniach sailed alone, its Poseidon Blade searchlight sweeping back and forth, casting its light onto the dark river surface.

While holding onto the railing on the deck, Caesar continued to probe below the river surface with his kamaru.

"According to the infrared scan, the temperature at the bottom of the lake is rising rapidly!" Xia Mi, also a member of the support team, was monitoring the equipment in the captain's cabin. Staring at the huge red orb on the screen, her eyes were grave: "Team Leader Caesar, is there still no news from Professor Manstein? The situation is not good."

"High temperature? Could it be the power of the Bronze and Fire King's Word of Power!"

Caesar, perched on the ship's railing, frowned deeply, his blue eyes fixed on the lake, revealing a hint of anxiety: "So, the mission failed, and the Dragon King has already awakened?"

"Probably, around this temperature."

A hint of worry flashed in Xia Mi's eyes; she had half a sentence left to say, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.

The only incantation that can make the river boil is most likely the ultimate incantation, Candle Dragon!
If the King of Bronze and Fire were to actually unleash the 'Candle Dragon,' regardless of whether the mission could be completed, the people inside Bronze City would absolutely be doomed!

Chu Zihang, will you die?

Xia Mi's eyes flickered, and she bit her lip lightly, as if resisting her inner instincts.

Just as she was lost in thought, she heard Caesar exclaim through the electronic earpiece: "Nono!"

"Nono?"

Xia Mi was stunned for a moment, then seemed to have guessed something, and immediately ran out.

It was Professor Manstein, who was holding Nono and Chu Zihang in each hand, slowly being hoisted up by the black rope.

"Nono, are you alright?" Caesar strode over to the hoisting device and helped pull the three of them onto the deck. He didn't care about anything else and went to check on his beloved girl.

It's hard to imagine that this noble young man, who used to be so composed no matter what he did, would now show such a flustered expression.

Although her diving suit was torn by the flying bronze fragments, Nono was not seriously injured. When Caesar came close, she immediately showed disgust: "Can you not get so close? Chu Zihang was more seriously injured than me. I'm so grateful for his protection, otherwise I would be dead."

Caesar then calmed down and turned to look at Chu Zihang.

As it turned out, I was shocked when I saw it. Was this 'monster' covered in dark blue scales and with a ferocious face really Chu Zihang?
“Professor, what exactly is going on?” Caesar paused for a moment, then turned to ask Manstein.

"The degree of blood erosion is too deep."

Manstein lowered his eyelids, staring at Chu Zihang. After a long while, he sighed and said hoarsely, "His dragon blood concentration may have already exceeded the critical blood limit."

Xia Mi bit her lip, looking at the unconscious Chu Zihang, who was almost falling into the abyss of death, and felt a pain in her heart.

"Can it be restored?" Caesar gritted his teeth, his blood rushing to his head, and asked hoarsely as he tried to suppress his anger.

Manstein hesitated for a moment, then said tentatively, "Not necessarily, but we can try."

Everyone present could tell that these words were more comforting than practical.

At the Bloodline Boundary, once you step through that 'door,' it means you'll never come back. You've completely crossed the boundary between humans and dragons, and from then on, you'll only keep sliding deeper until you fall to the bottom.

"Wait! Something's coming!"

Suddenly, Xia Mi's pupils flashed with golden light, and she turned to look at the black river surface, shouting a warning.

A powerful signal rapidly transmitted through their minds, a chilling fear causing everyone on the ship to instinctively activate their golden eyes. A violent unease surged through their cerebral cortex as if electrocuted; their skin was inexplicably stimulated, their hairs standing on end, much like a frightened cat. The fear imprinted deep within their genes was unearthed, spreading throughout their bodies along their bone marrow and blood vessels, every cell seemingly emitting a hysterical wail.

Danger!

Extremely dangerous!

On the dark river surface, countless fish floated to the surface belly up, and the river water seemed to be boiling, with steam rising from the scalding water.

Then, everyone could hear a loud rumbling sound, the sound of the water being stirred and accelerated.

Then came another muffled sound, so rhythmic and melodic, a slow yet powerful heartbeat, like a war drum echoing across the ages.

A massive black shadow gradually rose from the water, its back adorned with undulating mountain-like bone spikes, resembling a sharp divine sword that cleaved the boiling river surface.

Then, from the broken water, two blazing golden eyes, as bright as molten gold and filled with savagery, were revealed. A long neck emerged from the water, and the noble yet brutal body was fully displayed before everyone. A perfect creature, at the top of the evolutionary chain, the true ruler and hunter of the world!
In an instant, a terrifying pressure, almost tangible, enveloped the river surface for several kilometers.

The domain containing the Dragon King's will, an almost pure spiritual power domain, spread out in a domineering and tyrannical manner, and the sudden burst of flames ignited the river surface, as if celebrating the birth of a monarch!
Everyone could clearly sense that a domain covered this area, and its majestic and violent aura was like a raging wave from the sea, constantly washing over their mental state. If their willpower was slightly weak or their bloodline concentration was slightly low, they would be completely crushed by that aura!

Fortunately, the bloodlines of those present were not low; otherwise, the mere pressure of the 'Dragon King' would have been enough to make some mixed-race individuals kneel down.

This is normal. In the presence of a true monarch, many hybrids and even humans do not even have the right to stand!

"The enemy's identity has been confirmed as Norton, the Bronze and Fire King!"

Manstein pressed the record button, his voice low and hoarse, and said, "Project Bronze has failed. The Four Kings' Dragon-Slaying Campaign has officially begun!"

On the turbulent riverbank, a black-haired boy sat on a rock, gazing at the fiery red night sky in the distance. He clicked his tongue and said, "They're making such a fuss, are they really going to use duct tape?"

"Who knows, they'll probably use some excuse to cover it up."

Beside them, a girl with a high ponytail, her bright face adorned with light makeup, and long sideburns strode over, squatted down next to the black-haired boy, and said, "Speaking of which, Second Boss, are we just going to watch like this and not go help?"

"What the hell is the second boss?"

The black-haired boy's lips twitched. He glanced at the girl next to him, his gaze involuntarily falling on her long legs.

"How about I touch it?" The girl saw his gaze and instead of avoiding it, she lifted one of her fair and slender legs and raised her eyebrows seductively: "Don't worry, I will never tell the potato chip girl and the girl with no money, let alone the big boss about you secretly taking advantage of me."

"It's not necessary."

The black-haired boy's eyelids twitched, and he looked away.

"Hmm, do teenage boys prefer the voluptuous type like Potato Chip Girl?" the ponytail girl said, feigning deep thought. "What a pity, the boss assigned me this time. How about I suggest that Potato Chip Girl accompany you next time, Lu~ classmate~"

A vein bulged on Lu Mingfei's forehead as he gritted his teeth and said, "No need, I have no interest in you!"

He began to regret it. Why did he agree to Lu Mingze's suggestion to go on a mission with this lively girl? The key was that he was no match for her at all and was repeatedly teased until he was speechless.

"Okay, okay, stop fooling around!"

The girl chuckled a few times, then stopped smiling, looked at the fiery red night sky and the river, tilted her head and said, "Let me interview you, Lu Mingfei. Your first mission is to slaughter one of the Four Kings, the Bronze and Fire Kings. Are you nervous right now?"

Lu Mingfei raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the river, and said calmly, "It's nothing, just a mere dragon. I've killed things far more terrifying than that before."

(End of this chapter)