Chen Hao did not dodge. He crouched down, bracing both hands against the ground like a sprinter ready to start.
The instant Dragon Breath erupted, he launched himself forward and slid beneath it. The blast grazed his back and struck the ground behind him, melting the rock into a pool of lava.
Negative Bearing's tail swept toward him. Chen Hao leaped up, landed on it, and ran along its length.
Negative Bearing twisted, trying to shake him off, but his feet clung like suction cups, every step firmly planted.
He reached Negative Bearing's back and ran along the spine toward the head. The scales were slippery, but Chen Hao hooked his fingers into the gaps and climbed upward, step by step, as though scaling a cliff.
Negative Bearing's claw came at him. Chen Hao let go and slid off the back, dodging the claw. Then he caught its edge and used it to flip onto the back of the claw.
Negative Bearing flailed the claw through the air, but Chen Hao hopped around on it like a fly, narrowly evading every attempt.
Negative Bearing grew impatient. With a violent twist, the dragon flung Chen Hao away. He somersaulted several times in midair, landed on the ground, and staggered back several steps before finding his balance.
Negative Bearing lowered that great head and watched him with golden, slit-pupiled eyes. The dragon did not attack again, but waited there for him to stand.
Chen Hao stood and brushed the dust off himself. He looked at Negative Bearing, then smiled. It was not a smug smile, but one that said, I understand now.
He stopped trying to climb. Standing where he was, he spread his feet, lowered his center of gravity, and held his clenched fists at his sides. Negative Bearing's tail swept