Didn't see a thing, this dragon didn't see a thing

There were twenty-five water magic cores in total, and engraving magic runes on all of them took some time.

After engraving the final magic core, Chaos raised his head and glanced around.

A pile of sharp fish bones had been neatly stacked on the ground like firewood. Clearly, the others had finished their work long ago.

It was time for the next step: laying out the basic framework of the magic array.

"Everyone, get up. Time to work."

Rustle, rustle.

All the hatchlings resting on the riverbank pushed themselves up on their claws, their round heads turning toward Chaos in unison.

"Each of you take two fish bones. Then follow my instructions and stick them into the spots I tell you."

It was a simple task. Chaos believed the hatchlings could understand it.

His wings, covered in emerald scales, spread and beat once, lifting him into the air. He hovered ten meters above the riverbank.

Now the entire riverbank lay within Chaos's field of view.

The riverbank wasn't large, only about a hundred meters across.

It was fairly level. Aside from the pebbles piled along the water's edge, the ground farther back consisted of soil mixed with scattered stones.

His emerald slit pupils narrowed slightly.

After assessing the terrain, he quickly pictured the structure of a Water Snake Formation: two concentric rings, with a water serpent coiled inside them.

Chaos raised a claw and pointed at a Green Hatchling.

"Walk five steps forward, then stick the fish bone into the soil."

The Green Hatchling he had pointed at nodded, then began moving on slightly chubby claws.

Seeing the Green Hatchling follow his instructions, Chaos turned his claw toward a Black Dragon.

The array's basic framework didn't require absolute precision. The positions only needed to be roughly correct.

"You, five steps left, then ten steps forward. Stick the fish bone into the ground there."

"You..."

Under Chaos's direction, every hatchling found a position. In the end, only An, a Black Hatchling, remained where she had been, her round head tilted up toward Chaos in the air.

Looking at Black Coal Ball, Chaos parted his Dragon Jaws in a "friendly" smile.

Black Coal Ball was rather composed.

But...

"Black Coal Ball, put down your fish bones. I've got a more important job for you."

"See that rock wall over there?" Chaos pointed a claw toward the rock wall at the back of the riverbank.

An glanced at the rock wall and gave a slight nod.

"Go dig out a square block of stone with your claws. It needs to be three meters long and three meters wide."

Does the array need that too?

An wanted to ask the Green Hatchling that, but his eyes were full of mockery.

Even if she asked, he would probably just give her a dismissive answer.

She nodded lightly, put down the fish bones in her claws, and walked toward the rock wall.

Watching Black Coal Ball walk away, Chaos rubbed his chin with a claw.

Strange. Really strange. Why didn't Black Coal Ball ask me?

He had already come up with an excuse to brush her off.

Tsk, Black Coal Ball seems to make choices I don't expect every time.

He glanced out of the corner of his eye at Black Coal Ball, who was already digging into the rock wall, and his mood brightened considerably. You like digging, don't you? This time, I'll let you dig to your heart's content.

Chaos: o(*￣︶￣*)o.

A hatchling's claws were extremely sharp, but they weren't immune to wear. Digging at stone for too long would leave them sore.

He looked back down. The hatchlings below had all planted their fish bones and were gazing up at him expectantly.

"You, three steps left, then stick it in."

"You..."

As Chaos continued directing them, the magic array's fish-bone framework gradually took shape.

From below, it might not have looked like much, but from Chaos's position, the two-ring array and the winding serpent inside were clearly visible.

Looking at the completed framework, Chaos waved a claw at the hatchlings gazing up at him from the ground.

"All right, step outside for now."

At his words, all the hatchlings began withdrawing from the array's framework.

Good. The basic framework is complete.

He folded his wings slightly and slowly descended into the center of the array. Standing upright, he bent down and scooped a handful of magic cores out of the Stone Pot, cradling them against his chest.

It was time to place the cores.

Chaos walked up to a fish bone planted in the soil. Kashi's fish bones were long, each over half a meter, and nearly transparent. Their pointed ends had been driven into the soil to hold them in place.

Not this one. Not this one either.

He rummaged through the magic cores in his arms with a claw.

Found it. This one.

He placed the magic core he had picked out on the flat end of the fish bone.

All right, this one's good.

Ten for the two magic rings.

Nine for the serpent's body.

One for its head.

He placed the last magic core on the water serpent's head.

"Feeny."

"Yes, yes, I'm here! What do you need me to do, Chaos?"

Beating her little wings, Feeny flew down from above Chaos's head to hover in front of him, gazing at him eagerly with her blue eyes.

Good. She's very eager to show what she can do.

Chaos pointed a claw at the magic core on the serpent's head in front of him.

"Just sit on this magic core and connect your magic power to it."

"Yes, yes, no problem! Leave it to me, Chaos."

Flapping her little wings, Feeny landed on the magic core, which was larger than she was, and sat down.

The instant Feeny sat down, the magic core lit up with a dreamy blue glow.

Sitting with her legs splayed out to either side, Feeny raised her little head toward Chaos.

"Is this all I need to do?"

"Yes, yes." Chaos nodded. "That's all. You're amazing, Feeny."

"Hehehe~"

At his praise, Feeny immediately broke into a delighted, silly grin.

So easy to please.

Looking at Feeny, who was still grinning foolishly, Chaos turned and walked toward the center of the array.

Everything was ready. He could activate the Water Serpent Magic Array at any moment.

Outside the magic array.

Agatha glanced over the completed Water Snake Formation. Fish bones stuck all over the ground? A few magic cores placed on top? Was building a magic array really that simple?

As she pondered this, she looked toward Chaos, who had already reached the center of the array.

The moment their eyes met, Agatha spoke first.

"Finished?"

"Yes, finished." Chaos nodded.

"Next, I'll control the magic array and attack Bamokangla underwater. Once it's pushed far enough, it'll definitely fight back. When that happens, remember to stop every tentacle that comes ashore. Can you do that?"

"Yes."

Agatha nodded and agreed without hesitation. This wasn't difficult. Bamokangla was weakened underwater, and even an ordinary hatchling could stop one tentacle as long as they weren't caught by surprise.

Her crimson slit pupils swept across the hatchlings.

Every hatchling who met Agatha's gaze silently nodded. Hunting Bamokangla was their shared goal.

If they let the water keep rising, Bamokangla's range would expand sooner or later. When that happened, none of them would have an easy time.

Once she was sure no dragon intended to object, Agatha looked toward the Black Hatchling still digging at the rock wall behind them, then turned an inquisitive gaze on Chaos.

Noticing the questioning look from the big little girl, Chaos immediately turned his head toward the water.

Didn't see a thing. This dragon didn't see a thing.