Thunder-Winged White Tiger

Section Five: Departure

The vast Magical Beast Mountain Range stretched across the entire Yulan continent in an unbroken chain. All kinds of towering trees, many of them ancient, stood everywhere, their dense leaves blocking out the sunlight. Yet there were no birds calling nearby. It was quiet, because a Spined Iron-Armored Dragon was resting beneath a tree. The aura of a high-level magical beast kept the nearby animals from approaching. Apart from the one beneath the tree, two more Spined Iron-Armored Dragons, one small and one large, lay inside a deep, ten-meter-high natural cave at the foot of a mountain a hundred meters away.

At that moment, the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon beneath the tree opened his eyes. There were two tomoe beside his red pupils. This was Lister.

It had already been a year since he came to this continent, and he had spent that year living happily with his dragon mother and younger dragon brother.

Great! I've broken through to level eight! Lister looked himself over and activated his Data Eye.

Name: Satius? Lister

Level: Level eight divine beast

Race: Mutated Sharingan Spined Iron-Armored Dragon

Description: A growing Mutated Sharingan Spined Iron-Armored Dragon, a magical beast with lightning and darkness attributes. The smallest of the Dragon Race, with the strongest defense and greatest agility among those of the same level. Its mutation gives it greater innate talents than ordinary Spined Iron-Armored Dragons, and its strength far surpasses others of its level.

I'm already level eight. With my Sharingan and powerful body, even level nine magical beasts are no match for me. It's time to say goodbye to Mother and my little brother.

Lister let out a draconic roar toward his mother, and she raised her head. To outsiders, it sounded like a dragon's roar, but to dragons, this was

ordinary conversation.

"Mother, I'm ready to leave you and venture out into the world."

"Go, Lister! I'll be proud to have you as my child."

Normally, the Dragon Race would have their young leave to find their own territory once they reached adulthood, usually at around ten years old. But his mother knew Lister was different. He possessed greater strength and talent than other dragons his age, and his aura had already allowed her to sense his power, so she felt reassured about letting him venture out on his own.

"Big brother, I'll come find you when I grow up."

"All right, Quinns. I'll look forward to you coming to find me."

His younger dragon brother had also come to say goodbye to Lister. Lister was very fond of this rather clueless little brother of his. They were brothers born of the same mother, after all, and the bonds of blood could not be erased.

"Yulan continent, here I come!"

Section Six: First Battle

The Magical Beast Mountain Range was divided into three regions. The outer region bordered the Yulan Empire, O'Brien, the Holy Union, and the Dark Alliance, and was home to countless low-level magical beasts and some mid-level ones. The middle region contained mid-level magical beasts and some high-level ones. The central region was where high-level magical beasts roamed, while certain places with high concentrations of elements were occupied by Saint-level magical beasts.

My goal this time is to reach the part of the Magical Beast Mountain Range near the Holy Union and find Mist Canyon. After all, a hundredfold concentration of natural elements will definitely be a tremendous help in leveling up.

Lister's family had been living in the part of the Magical Beast Mountain Range near the Dark Alliance. Reaching the Holy Union would still be a very long journey, taking him across almost half the mountain range.

The oppressive aura of a high-level magical beast had allowed Lister to travel almost unhindered over the past few days. No magical beast was reckless enough to come looking for death. Today, however, while traveling, Lister discovered a cave. The aura drifting out from it made him feel particularly comfortable.

Just as he was about to go inside and investigate, Lister felt a chill at his back and instinctively dodged a sharp claw! He turned to look and saw a white tiger.

Race: Thunder-Winged White Tiger

Level: Nine

Description: A young Thunder-Winged White Tiger. Extremely fast, with powerful attacks and the ability to cast Lightning Element spells.

It's actually a Thunder-Winged White Tiger. This is a magical beast that can reach Saint-level at adulthood. Why would one be in the middle region? It looks like it was also drawn here by the aura of the treasure inside the cave.

The white tiger roared, "A level eight Spined Iron-Armored Dragon? Get lost if you don't want to die!"

Although that was what he said, the Thunder-Winged White Tiger was wondering why this Spined Iron-Armored Dragon was different from the ones he had encountered before.

His eyes were red rather than gold, and they gave off a dangerous aura. But that did not frighten him. He was a Thunder-Winged White Tiger, after all. Lister watched the Thunder-Winged White Tiger before him warily. "I found this treasure first. If you want to steal it, come on!" The bloodline of the Spined Iron-Armored Dragons was bloodthirsty too. How could he possibly fear battle?

The Thunder-Winged White Tiger looked at the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon before him. This kind of magical beast was covered in spikes, and its race was as powerful as his own. At the same level, it would even be somewhat stronger than him. Under normal circumstances, he would not fight one. But the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon before him was clearly still immature, just like him, and only gave off the aura of a level eight magical beast. He himself was level nine, and there was the temptation of the treasure as well. He immediately made up his mind to kill the dragon before him.

The Thunder-Winged White Tiger pushed off hard with his hind legs and darted in front of Lister. His body was two meters off the ground as one tiger claw reached straight for Lister's throat. Lister immediately met the tiger's claw with his own dragon claw, and the shock wave spread toward the lakeside.

The Thunder-Winged White Tiger was surprised as well. Although Spined Iron-Armored Dragons were the strongest magical beasts of their level, for a level eight one to clash head-on with a level nine Thunder-Winged White Tiger like him was truly formidable. It certainly deserved its reputation as the strongest dragon at its level, but that was all.

The Thunder-Winged White Tiger beat his wings and flew into the air. Dense Lightning Element magical energy was gathering. It was the high-level Lightning Element spell, Thunderstorm! Lister's Blood Wheel Eye pupils contracted as he watched the Thunder-Winged White Tiger cast, and a decision formed in his eyes. Rather than dodge, he kicked hard off the ground with his hind legs and charged toward the Thunder-Winged White Tiger.

At that moment, the Thunder-Winged White Tiger was also calculating his casting time. Seeing the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon charge up now, he was certain the dragon would die. He could not change direction in midair, either.

"You're asking to die, Spined Iron-Armored Dragon!" the Thunder-Winged White Tiger roared. A Thunderstorm sphere a full meter across hurtled toward the armored dragon. Three seconds later, the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon's body spun, and his head pierced out through the Thunder-Winged White Tiger's body.

How is that possible? It missed! The Thunder-Winged White Tiger fell toward the ground, his mind filled with bewilderment.

Of course you wouldn't know. I'm a mutant with a two-tomoe Sharingan. I can already see through some of your movements, stupid tiger!

The Thunder-Winged White Tiger had been unlucky. Any other Spined Iron-Armored Dragon would certainly have been unable to dodge, but Lister had a two-tomoe Sharingan. Although dodging a high-level Thunderstorm spell was a little difficult, he could still do it.

Lister came up to the Thunder-Winged White Tiger's corpse, dug out his magic core, and ate it. Such pure Lightning Element energy. Not only had the Thunder-Winged White Tiger known nothing about the Blood Wheel Eye, he had also been unaware that Lister, this Spined Iron-Armored Dragon, was a Lightning Element magical beast with a degree of immunity to lightning! Otherwise, he would not have been able to evade Thunderstorm so perfectly.