Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

As he spoke, he demonstrated a standard shooting technique: jumping, releasing the ball, his movements fluid and graceful, the basketball tracing a perfect arc.

"Swish!" The ball went into the net without hitting the target.

"Look, like this. Use your legs to move the ball, then gently flick it out with your wrist," Kobe said, handing the ball back to Lu Mingfei. "Try it."

Lu Mingfei tried to imitate it with some skepticism, but the ball bounced off the rim and landed a long way.

"..." Lu Mingfei looked embarrassed.

"No rush, take your time." Kobe was very patient. He walked over and slightly adjusted Lu Mingfei's arm position. "Lower your center of gravity and look at the back edge of the basket."

And so, one taught, the other learned, and the two actually started playing together on the court. Kobe's coaching was concise and precise, always pinpointing Lu Mingfei's core problems. Although Lu Mingfei's talent was average, under Kobe's guidance, he actually managed to make a few shots, giving him a strange sense of accomplishment.

Sweat gradually soaked their clothes. During a break, the two sat on the stone steps by the court, drinking the mineral water Kobe had brought.

"Thank you, thank you," Lu Mingfei said, panting. "I didn't expect you to be such a good teacher."

"The more you see, the more you'll understand," Kobe said calmly, looking at the sunset in the distance. "Any technique, when taken to its extreme, is based on the same principles."

Lu Mingfei asked curiously, "You're so good at basketball, are you a professional? Or were you before?"

Kobe paused for a few seconds, as if recalling something, then slowly said, "No, I'm not a professional player. My dream used to be to become a professional player, but something unexpected happened."

"An accident?" Lu Mingfei's curiosity was piqued.

Kobe turned to look at Lu Mingfei, his eyes deep: "Do you know about the plane crash?"

Lu Mingfei's heart skipped a beat. He recalled the way a basketball superstar had fallen in the news. Could it be...?

Kobe didn't answer directly, but continued, "I've been there. It feels like the whole world is collapsing in front of you. The plane is out of control, spinning, weightless... you can feel life slipping away rapidly."

"It was over a mountain range, and the weather was terrible. Suddenly, the plane started shaking violently, and the alarm blared. Then, the engines stopped roaring. A feeling of weightlessness hit us, and everyone was thrown from their seats, screaming and crying... I could feel the plane breaking apart, and cold air rushed in, carrying the chill of death."

"Just when I thought I was going to die," Kobe's tone suddenly changed, filled with fervor and awe, "I felt something inside me awaken. It was as if an invisible force was gathering around me, it was the wind."

"Wind?" Lu Mingfei held his breath.

“Yes, the wind.” Kobe stretched out his hand, palm up, feeling the invisible force. “I could feel it, I could command it! Before I even realized it, a powerful airflow had already caught me, forming a protective cocoon. I watched as the wreckage of the plane fell and burned around me, while I was enveloped by the wind, which miraculously slowed my descent, and I finally landed on a thick canopy of trees.”

“I survived, almost the only survivor. But I also know that I have become different.”

Lu Mingfei was dumbfounded. This plot was too fantastical! A narrow escape from death, awakening superpowers? This was practically the setup for a male protagonist in a novel!

Chapter 274 A Narrow Escape, Awakening the Eye of the Wind King

"And then?" Lu Mingfei asked impatiently.

"Later," Kobe continued his story, "some people found me. They claimed to be from a place called Kassel College. They told me that the ability I had awakened was called 'Word of Power,' a power brought by my dragon bloodline. My Word of Power is 'The Eye of the Wind King,' which allows me to control airflow to a certain extent."

"Kassel College?!" Lu Mingfei exclaimed in genuine surprise this time. His eyes widened as he stared at Kobe in disbelief. "You, you're also from Kassel?!"

Kobe's face showed just the right amount of surprise: "Also? Could it be you?"

"I am Lu Mingfei! A student at Kassel College!" Lu Mingfei pointed to himself excitedly, feeling like he had met an old friend in a foreign land, even though this old friend was a foreigner he had only known for a short time and who was quite arrogant.

“I see.” Kobe nodded, a knowing smile on his face. “Looks like we’re quite destined to meet. I’m Kobe Bryant, Executive Director of Kassel College, Level A Specialist.”

A-level Specialist! Lu Mingfei gasped. An A-level Specialist from the Execution Department! Those were Professor Schneider's elite dragon slayers! No wonder they were so powerful!

"As for how the college invited me," Kobe continued to weave his lies, describing the process in a dramatic way, "Shortly after I was discharged from the hospital, a cold-looking man wearing an oxygen mask found me. His name was Schneider, and he was the head of the executive department at Kassel College."

Kobe imitated Professor Snyder's hoarse and authoritative tone:

"Kobe Bryant, we've been observing you for a long time. Your will, your potential, and especially the 'Eye of the Wind King' awakened in dire straits, all prove that you are qualified to become an outstanding hybrid. Kassel College was established for someone like you. Here, you can truly understand your power, learn to control it, and use it to face the true darkness of this world—the dragon race. Join us, and your battlefield will no longer be the basketball court, but a much wider world concerning the survival of humanity."

Kobe looked at Lu Mingfei with burning eyes: "He gave me a reason I couldn't refuse. An opportunity to understand myself, to become stronger, and to dedicate myself to a greater mission. So, I joined."

Lu Mingfei listened with great excitement. Although he felt that something was a little strange, Kobe's story was logically consistent and rich in detail, especially the portrayal of Professor Snyder, which was incredibly vivid. Coupled with his status as an A-level specialist and his strong credentials, he had no choice but to believe it.

He was completely stunned by the story of "an A-level genius who awakened the power of words after a plane crash and was personally recruited by Schneider".

"That's so cool!" Lu Mingfei exclaimed sincerely, his anxiety about tomorrow's mission being somewhat alleviated by this amazing secret.

He was even a little envious. Look at them, their awakening of a Word of Power is so earth-shattering. Then he thought about himself.

Seeing Lu Mingfei's expression, Kobe knew his preparations had worked. He stood up and patted Lu Mingfei on the shoulder: "You guys seem to have something planned for tomorrow? Relax, treat it like another game. Stay focused, and trust your teammates."

His words were a double entendre, referring both to basketball and alluding to the upcoming exploration of the ruins.

Lu Mingfei nodded heavily, feeling that he had gotten much closer to his new "Kobe senior".

The sun completely set, and twilight descended. Kobe bid farewell to Lu Mingfei, his figure disappearing at the end of the street. Lu Mingfei, filled with shock and inexplicable excitement, returned to the inn with Frilline, who had been quietly waiting.

Unbeknownst to him, behind him, in the shadows, Kobe's faint smile gradually faded, and his eyes turned cold once more.

"The Eye of the Wind King," he murmured to himself, sensing the subtle movement of the surrounding air.

The Word of Power he had carefully selected, and which he had faintly simulated with alchemical tools, indeed aroused Lu Mingfei's interest, paving the way for his reasonable appearance here and his attention to the ruins incident.

The first step, establishing contact and gaining initial trust, has been completed.

The next step is to naturally get involved in tomorrow's site exploration.

The night was deep, but the light in the principal's office at Kassel College remained on, like an ever-burning lighthouse on a dark sea. Angers sat in his high-backed chair, while the vice-principal, Flamel, was sprawled unceremoniously on the sofa beside him, his silver flask never leaving his hand.

Across from the desk, a slightly blurry holographic image of Kobe Bryant was projected onto a powerfully encrypted alchemical communication array. He had just given a detailed account of his contact with the Zhu family, how he had met Lu Mingfei by chance, and how he had initially gained Lu's trust through a carefully crafted story of awakening his spiritual powers after a plane crash.

"...That's the situation." Kobe's voice came through the magic circle. "The Zhu family team will depart tomorrow morning. I will find a way to follow them or find other excuses to intervene. Lu Mingfei no longer doubts my identity as an A-level agent and has also shown interest in the Eye of the Wind King."

Angers gently swirled the amber liquid in his glass. “Well done, Commissioner Kobe. Your timing and disguise were excellent. The Zhu family, hmph, those powerful clans always want a piece of the Dragon Clan’s legacy. Let them lead the charge, but you must maintain control. The core information within the ruins must not fall into their hands.”

"Understood, Principal," Kobe nodded.

"As for Lu Mingfei," Angers paused, "continue to observe him. Not just his behavior and abilities, but more importantly his mental health. This child carries more burdens than we imagine, and under pressure, he is prone to extremes. If possible, lend him a hand at crucial moments."

Kobe raised an eyebrow slightly, somewhat surprised by Angers's specific attention to Lu Mingfei. In his memory, the principal was an iron-fisted leader who planned and executed with the ultimate goal of defeating the dragon; this kind of care, almost like that of an elder, was rare.

But he didn't ask any further questions, only replying in a deep voice, "I will keep an eye on it."

"Give him a hand? Who'll help whom is still uncertain!" came the muffled voice of Vice Principal Flamel from the side. He took a swig of wine and scoffed, "Angers, don't worry about it. That kid Lu Mingfei looks cowardly, but he's got a sinister streak! And that little elf girl named Frilian, her origins are unknown, and her abilities are strange. In my opinion, it would be strange if those two didn't cause something earth-shattering when they get together! Even ghosts would avoid them. Worrying about their safety? You'd be better off worrying about whether the dragon spirits in the ruins will be scared to death again by them!"

Angers glanced helplessly at his old friend but didn't refute him. In a way, Flamel's words, though blunt, were not without merit. Lu Mingfei's S-level rating was no fluke; the combination of his latent instability and the completely unknown variable, Frilian, could indeed produce unpredictable chemical reactions.

Chapter 275 Lightning Whirlwind Slash

“While Flamel’s words may be exaggerated, they are not without merit,” Angers said, turning his gaze back to Kobe. “That’s precisely why we need you there. We must both utilize this uncertainty and prevent it from spiraling out of control. The academy will provide you with all the necessary support.”

The mention of support immediately energized Flamel. He sat up straighter on the sofa, a smile on his face like a craftsman showing off his masterpiece: "Speaking of support! Kid, the toy I prepared for you should be arriving soon! I personally worked overtime to make it for you!"

Kobe's eyes flickered slightly: "Vice Principal, are you referring to..."

"A big one! Guaranteed to suit your Wind King's Eye style!" Flamel gestured proudly. "Imagine, riding the gale, combined with an indestructible blade and the power of thunder! I'll name it—Stormbringer! Of course, it also has a more straightforward function, which I call Lightning Whirlwind Slash!"

"Lightning, whirlwind strike?" Even with Kobe's unwavering resolve, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly upon hearing this name. It reeked of the melodramatic, over-the-top energy of an old anime.

“That’s right!” Flamel didn’t find anything wrong with it at all, and instead explained with great interest, “I inscribed a composite alchemical matrix inside the blade, the core of which utilizes the resonance effect of lightning and wind elements. When you infuse your own wind power into it, combined with specific slashing movements and incantations, you can activate the matrix, adding violent chain lightning to the hurricane trajectory of the blade! The wind amplifies the lightning, and the lightning borrows the power of the wind. With one strike, no matter what kind of dragon subspecies or Deadpool it is, they will all be turned into charcoal!”

Angers added, “The vice-principal’s alchemical skills are beyond question. This weapon will greatly enhance your area-of-effect damage and destructive power against large targets, perfectly compensating for the shortcomings of your Word of Power in pure offensive capabilities. It has already been sent through the academy’s special channels, and judging by the time, it should arrive in your hands before tomorrow morning.”

Kobe felt a chill run down his spine. The value of an alchemical weapon personally crafted by the vice-principal was self-evident. Although the name sounded somewhat unusual, the description of Lightning Whirlwind Strike's effect was indeed very suitable for his current disguised Wind King's Eye ability, and could substantially enhance his combat power. The academy's support this time demonstrated the importance they placed on this mission.

"Thank you, Vice President, and thank you, College."

"Don't be shy, kid! Use it well and let me see the Stormbringer's prowess in actual combat!" Flamel laughed, then slumped back onto the sofa and took a swig of wine. "By the way, when you use it, keep your distance from Lu Mingfei and that elf. I'm afraid you'll accidentally hurt them, uh, I'm afraid they'll get hurt."

He quickly changed his tune, but his tone was still full of sarcasm.

Angers shook his head and said to Kobe, "Weapons are just an aid; ultimately, it depends on your judgment and strength. Stay in touch and report progress regularly. Remember, your mission priorities are: ensure the core information of the ruins is not leaked, assess the threat and value of Lu Mingfei and Frilian, and only then should you cooperate with the Zhu family."

"Understood. I will act accordingly."

The light from the communication array slowly faded, and the office returned to silence, with only the crackling of burning wood in the fireplace remaining.

Angers walked to the window, gazing at the deep night outside, his gaze piercing through time and space, landing on distant Yunnan, China.

“Mental health, Angers, when did you become so fussy?” Flamel’s voice came from behind.

Angers didn't turn around, and said calmly, "Every child with great potential can get lost in power. Lu Mingfei is special. We can't just use his specialness and ignore his human side. That could have more terrible consequences than the awakening of the Dragon King."

Flamel paused for a moment, unusually not arguing, and just muttered, "Anyway, with your A-level babysitter here, do whatever you want. I only care about how effective my new weapon is."

Meanwhile, in a guesthouse room in a small town in Yunnan.

Kobe ended the call, walked to the window, and looked out at the quiet lights of the town and the black mountains that stretched out in the distance like the spine of a giant beast. A cool night breeze ruffled his hair.

Angers's instructions and Flamel's banter echoed in my mind.

Should he give Lu Mingfei a hand? He recalled the clumsy, nervous young man on the court during the day, finding it hard to equate him with terms like "S-level," "unstable," and "huge potential." But Kobe's intuition told him that Angers' concerns weren't unfounded. Beneath Lu Mingfei's seemingly ordinary exterior, perhaps a truly terrifying power lay dormant.

Frillian, that silver-haired girl, was someone he couldn't see through at all.

As for the impending alchemical greatsword named Stormbringer, whose function is to unleash lightning whirlwinds, Kobe clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within him. Regardless of the name, power is what matters. He craved a real battle to test his strength and to prove the true worth of the Mamba Mentality.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, a series of knocks at the door at a specific frequency startled Kobe from his light sleep. He opened the door, only to find no one there, just a long, narrow metal box covered in a matte black material sitting quietly in the doorway. The box bore no markings, only the faint World Tree emblem of Kassel College.

Kobe carried the suitcase into the room; it was cold and heavy to the touch. He pressed a hidden switch, and the lid slid open silently.

Inside lay a menacing and domineering cold weapon.

The massive cleaver, exceeding 1.5 meters in length, has a broad, sharply defined, bluish-black blade. The thick back of the blade features a blood groove, and the edge gleams with a cold light, demonstrating exceptional forging and enchanting. The long hilt, wrapped in non-slip black leather, allows for a two-handed grip, and is inlaid at the end with a blue crystal the size of a pigeon's egg, its interior seemingly shimmering with clouds and electric light.

Just lying there quietly, the knife exuded an invisible sense of oppression, with faint arcs of electricity dancing on its surface.

Kobe extended his right hand and slowly gripped the knife handle.

A cool sensation came through him, and at the same time, he felt the power within him—not the disguised Wind King's Eye, but the power of his own A-rank hybrid origin—resonating faintly with the core of the blade. The blue crystal at the end of the hilt glowed slightly, and the internal mist swirled faster.

He held the knife in one hand, weighed it in his hand, and found the weight to be just right, as if it had been tailor-made for him. With a couple of casual swings, a deep, whistling sound cut through the air, carrying an aura of tearing everything apart.

"Stormbringer, Lightning Whirlwind Slash," Kobe muttered, repeating the name. Although the name still left him speechless, the weapon itself was undoubtedly a masterpiece of slaughter.

He put the machete back in the box and closed the lid. With this weapon, he felt much more confident about the upcoming exploration of the ruins.

Outside the window, the sky was gradually brightening, and the town was beginning to awaken. Zhu's team, including Lu Mingfei and Frillie, should already be ready to set off.

Kobe took a deep breath, slung the metal case over his shoulder, cleverly concealing it with his black executive trench coat, and gave his equipment one last check.

The hunt is about to begin.

Chapter 276 The Mysterious Dragon Spring Cave (Part 1)

The morning mist in Yunnan had not yet dissipated when Lu Mingfei and his group were already standing at the entrance of Longquan Cave.