CHAPTER 67: DRAGONIS EMPYRIO QUINELLA

XENON WINGATE

11 MONTHS AGO

The giant blades relentlessly went down as it tears down the wind, making a ripping sound. With such a size and power, one katana is able to destroy a single bungalow in just a slash. If there’s two striking the same target, it might be able to destroy a small building.

“Grah!”

Even with that terrifying force, I bravely stood up and blocked the attack. I used my futuretech glove to morph my hand into a gigantic tower shield in an attempt to nullify the attack. I was successful to block the twin katanas with my shield, but the blade managed to sink in halfway to my barrier.

“Negate.” The Pentagram Knight Christian Reines muttered. There was a ripple in the air, but the ripple did not cancel out my shield. Seeing this, Christian realized one thing about my peculiar shape-shifting weapon. “So that’s not magic, eh?”

Christian is right. Futuretech Glove does have magical properties, but even if it was removed, it can still shapeshift to a weapon of my choosing. Serena told me before that the futuretech gloves are made of millions of nanites, which are microscopic robots that can be controlled by my willpower. This advanced technological weapon is ideal for an anti-mage enemy like him.

Seeing that both sword strikes and Negate magic did not work, the Dark Samurai Dragon flapped its shield-like wings to gain altitude. Suddenly, the dark orb on the Dark Samurai Dragon’s chest glowed, charging up energy which made antimatter particles surround it.

“Dark Hole Ray!” Christian Reines pointed his katana at me.

“Shit! Serena, get behind me!” I immediately shouted.

I slammed my shield on the ground, and the nanites repaired the broken part of the shield. Also, my barrier expanded and now it is as large as nine widely-stacked riot shields. I have to use all the power the futuretech glove has at its disposal in order to be ready with the enemy’s next attack!

The dark orb on the Dark Samurai Dragon unleashed a blaster that is filled with antimatter particles, residue golden electricity, and some unexplainable crimson lightning that has excessive energy. With such a powerful beam, it managed to melt half of my futuristic barrier in no time.

85%, 74%, 63%. Even if I do not take a direct hit, my shield plate goes lower and lower. The electricity combined with the antimatter particles passes through my shield, leaving tiny holes on its way.

“Forge!” I immediately created a tower shield to stack with my decaying barrier. But that was not enough to prevent the raging blaster. The beam keeps on and on even if it is already unleashing energy for the past six seconds!

“I’ll help you, Senpai!” Serena covered my hand that is holding out the shield. “Forge!”

With Serena’s powerful Forge magic, she managed to reinforce both of my shields thrice to its thickness. For the next three seconds, we managed to hold on to that overpowered antimatter blaster, and I can feel that the stream of energy is weakening. Just two more seconds and the Dark Hole Ray will finally end!

But, the enemy already has a counter for it. No matter what kind of sturdy shield we can create, it is nothing if it gets canceled.

“Negate,” Christian muttered.

In an instant, all the shields we have magically created turned to dust. The shield that was made by my futuretech glove has been dissolved by the Dark Hole Ray. There is still a final millisecond for that blaster to hit us. There’s not enough time to flee or evade. The blaster will directly hit us. It will directly hit Serena. 

No one knows what will happen if Serena takes even a millimeter of that blaster.

In the final attosecond, I used my reflexes to pull Serena to the ground and shield her from the blaster with my body. A surge of excruciating pain struck my muscles and bones as I caught the last drop of the Dark Hole Ray on my back.

“Grrruhh...!!!” I muttered in pain. I can’t believe that such an attack would go through the protection of the shield plate. Blood spurted out from my mouth.

“S-Senpai…” Serena muttered in awe. “Y-You… protected me again…”

My breathing is heavy. My vision is blurry. My ears hear a deafening screech. My tongue tastes bitter, and every inch of my skin aches. The shield plate I’m wearing is all down to 2%, and I barely have the strength to stand up. My magical energy has been drained. 

This battle is impossible. Serena and I rely heavily on our magic, and without it, we can’t fight an overpowered dragon and knight. Christian Reines definitely earns the title of a Pentagram Knight. He showed it when he never pulls his punches.

“This is the true power of a Pentagram Knight, Sir Xenon Wingate.” Christian Reines talked, looking down on me while he stands stiff on top of his Dark Samurai Dragon’s head. “I am different from the past three Pentagram Knights you have challenged. I know you are not to be taken lightly. Just what you have done to your past battles with my colleagues, I researched your weakness too.”

I fall unto my knees and my head rested on my dragonoid’s chest. Lifeless. I feel lifeless. My eyes closed as if I am now going to eternal sleep. No, I won’t die. I just need some rest. I just need to drift my thoughts away from reality for this fight to be over.

“Senpai… it is okay to rest now.” Serena caressed my head. “You have done your best. That was a nice fight.”

“Yeah…” I weakly muttered.

I fell into a deep sleep.

In my dream, I wander in a pure white place. A place where peace and innocence collide. I can hear a heartbeat, a pumping of the heart that is very similar to mine. This place has a heart that is synchronizing with all my own heart's movements and symphony.

The white place immediately unveils itself as thousands of swords materialized at the very edges of this nothingness. The swords sprouted concrete that immediately created walls, covering me inside into a humongous domed white hall. A gray-silver carpet materialized on the ground, with a giant sigil of a red V on it.

At the walls are human-sized statues of different kinds of dragons I have seen in my lifetime, and also those which are yet to be discovered. There are hundreds of different types of dragon statues on this hall, and all of those statues are charging a bluish-white orb of light on their mouths. Each orb unleashed a white thin laser above, towards the glass ceiling of the gigantic dome. As the laser light connected like constellations, a statue of a single dragon which is the source of all can be seen. 

The statue of the dragon above shattered the glass ceiling of the hall as it unleashed its restraints. The statue itself crumbled as it revealed its true form inside; which is a bluish-white dragon with angel-like wings, razor claws, spiky blue tail, two long horns, and a gentle set of crimson eyes. It is the Nexus of all dragons.

“Graaaaaaahhhh!” 

As the Nexus Dragon roars, I woke up from my deep slumber. 

I find myself on the chest of the most precious person in my life. Being this close to her, I realized that the heartbeats I’m hearing on my dream are Serena’s heart the whole time. Hearing her heart pumping in the same synchronized manner as mine gave me energy that is impossible for me to achieve.

“Senpai was that dream…” Serena muttered. “...are you the person who unlocked the restraints of the Nexus?”

There is no doubt that Serena saw it too. I am pretty sure that she is the Nexus Dragon I saw at the ceiling of that mysterious place in my dream. She must have seen me standing below her, standing at the center of that wide hall.

I grabbed onto her shoulders as I pulled myself to stand up. Now that we’re standing and faced so close to each other, we both can’t help but blush at each other. Having the very same heartbeats and having the same feelings, we are certain that the bond we have formed for the past two years has finally brought a sweet fruit.

“Senpai…” Her innocent crimson eyes looked into mine with full sincerity.

“Serena.” I smiled. “Let’s finish this. The battle is not over.”

Suddenly, the bipolar bastard knight interrupted our moment.

“Oh, this is over already, Sir Wingate. Your shield plate is at 2%, and you have yet to inflict a scratch on me. I still have 100%.” Christian Reines bragged as he and his Dark Samurai Dragon landed on the ground. Both enemies drew their katanas, which indicates that they are really finishing the battle off.

I turned to our opponent and made a determined gaze. I wiped the blood crawling from my mouth as I boast for my newfound power.

“You’re right. This is over. We won.”

“What!?” Christian Reines is truly mortified and confused, not knowing if my words are just pure arrogance or stating the truth. He must have felt the sudden surge of magical energy between me and Serena, but he stays confident that he can negate all the magic we are prepared to use.

I held my beating chest which is glowing with golden light. Serena did the same thing as she watched and hear my cry for victory.

“Dracaryx! Activate Dragonis Empyrio Quinella!”