Scene — Shin Kingdom Training Ground
Inside the Shin Kingdom, many soldiers were practicing sword techniques on a large training ground. Meanwhile, Precious was standing nearby and watching them carefully. The atmosphere there was quite tense.
Two human commanders were standing beside Precious, and Rex was also there.
Commander 1:
"Prince Precious… I know I probably shouldn't say this, but when will you go to capture Dhuma?"
Precious:
"Hm… right. I also need to bring him into our team. I will go soon. And not capture— I will request him."
Commander 1:
"I see…"
Just then, Commander 2 spoke.
Commander 2:
"Hmph! Do you think Prince Precious has forgotten about the guardian of the Shin Kingdom? You don't understand—Prince Precious always acts after thinking far ahead."
Commander 1:
"Right, right! Hahaha… I forgot that. Sorry, Prince Precious…"
Precious:
"…"
Both of them looked at Precious.
Precious (thinking):
I thought I would train all four members together… but it seems I must bring this Dhuma into the team first. I see… then let's do it. Otherwise, they will keep talking like this.
Precious:
"Okay, okay. I will go now."
Commander 1 & Commander 2:
":)!!"
But suddenly Rex spoke with great enthusiasm.
Rex:
"Master, you don't need to go! When will your pet beast Snake Lord be useful then? I will go and bring that Dhuma here!"
Precious:
"Are you sure?"
Precious was standing, two guards behind him. Rex was on the ground beside him.
Rex:
"Yes, Master!" (full of confidence)
Precious:
"…"
At that moment, Kail, Precious's mind skill, spoke.
Kail:
"Precious, I think Rex can do it. Dhuma is the Sky King, but Rex was also a top Beast King of his world and has now become a Lord."
Precious (to Kail):
"Okay."
Precious (to Rex):
"You can go."
Rex:
"Thank you, Master!"
Rex bowed near Precious's leg and then ran away at great speed.
Meanwhile—
Commander 2:
"Prince Precious has sent his pet! Surely Prince Precious's pet must also be very powerful!"
Commander 1:
"Hmph! Hmph! Yeah…!"
Precious (thinking):
…Enough already.
Scene — Far from the Training Camp
Rex was walking across an open field. It was evening.
Rex:
"Hm… Kavi Cave is quite far from here. If I walk, it might take two or three days… so then…"
Rex stopped.
He returned to his original size—a 100-meter giant snake—and used a skill.
Rex:
"SHOOT."
In an instant, Rex teleported far away and appeared on the peak of a mountain.
Rex:
"With this skill, I can teleport as far as I can see. But every time I use it, about 4% of my Urjadu disappears. Though it recovers again in a few seconds."
(Note: "Urjadu" replaces "magicule", but the function is the same.)
Rex teleported two or three more times and traveled a great distance, eventually reaching a desert biome.
Rex:
"Every second I recover about 2–3% Urjadu. That's fast, I know. But Shoot consumes 4% each time, so after using it several times I'll need to walk until my Urjadu recovers."
Scene — Some Hours Later
Morning was arriving. The sun was rising.
Rex was walking.
Rex (thinking):
I've used all my Urjadu. It's recovering now. Anyway, Kavi Cave should be here.
In front of him was a mud land with two mountains. Beneath one of them was a cave.
Rex entered the cave.
He activated Night Vision to see inside.
Moving like a snake, his body slithered right, left, right, left, but still moved straight forward. As he moved, marks appeared on the ground from his body.
The monsters inside the cave—skeletons, cave spiders, giant bats—felt his presence and hid in fear. Rex continued deeper without any trouble.
After several hours, Rex reached a huge open chamber inside the cave.
It looked like a massive mansion hall, but much larger.
In the center was a large flat stone, and on top of it a 30–40 meter giant bird was sleeping.
Feeling Rex's presence, it woke up.
Its body was mostly human-like, but it had four golden wings on its back, each about three meters long.
Its hair was yellow.
Its face looked somewhat bird-like, though its skin resembled a human's.
Its hands and feet had bird-like claws, but five fingers.
Its eyes were yellow and pink.
Its ears were like a normal human's.
Seeing Rex, the creature spoke.
Dhuma:
"Who are you?"
Rex:
"I am Rex, Lord of Snakes, and the pet of Master Precious, who is the prince of this kingdom."
Dhuma:
"So…? What do you want?"
Rex:
"I came to ask for your help. You are the guardian beast of the Shin Kingdom. After so long, the Shin Kingdom needs you again. So come with me."
Dhuma:
"If the Shin Kingdom is in danger again, I will come—just as I promised."
Dhuma suddenly flew upward with incredible speed and began leaving the cave.
Rex watched him.
Rex:
"…!"
But Rex quickly used his tail to grab one of Dhuma's legs and stopped him.
Dhuma:
"!!"
Rex (thinking):
He's fast!
Dhuma (thinking):
He caught up with my speed?!
Rex:
"You can't go alone. Let me come with you. We are going directly to my master's place."
Dhuma:
"Okay." (nods)
Rex released his leg.
Dhuma landed on the ground, and both of them started moving.
After some time they reached the cave exit.
Dhuma:
"So I can fly. What about you?"
Rex:
"I can teleport with my Shoot skill."
Dhuma:
"Then let's go."
Rex used Shoot and teleported far away.
But Dhuma used his Eagle Eyes to see him and flew at incredible speed, catching up within seconds.
Rex flipped in the air and looked at him.
Rex (thinking):
Hm… just like I thought, he's fast. The place I teleported from was almost 50 kilometers away from here, but…
Dhuma reached him and hovered in the air.
Rex (thinking):
He caught up with me in just five seconds?!
Dhuma:
"? What? Let's move."
Rex:
"Yeah… sorry. I was lost in thought."
Rex teleported again, and Dhuma flew to catch up again.
After one day and a few hours, they finally reached the training camp.
Rex teleported about 500 meters away from the camp. Dhuma arrived moments later.
Rex:
"There is my master, Precious."
Dhuma:
"I see. Then I am going. You come with your skill."
Dhuma flew ahead.
Rex teleported again, but this time onto the training camp's border wall.
He shrank his body to 3–5 inches and slipped inside the camp.
Scene — Training Camp
Precious was standing outside, guiding some soldiers.
Precious:
"Your sword is not sharp. If you use that sword, you will have to cut the same place many times to damage someone or something."
Soldier:
"I see… Thank you, Prince Precious. I will remember this."
Precious:
"And your fighting style is not suitable for your body. Change it, or you will damage your own body."
Soldier:
"Yes, milord."
Suddenly Dhuma landed there.
All the soldiers were shocked and immediately surrounded him.
Precious remained standing calmly, without any expression.
Commander 1:
"Who are you?! Where did you come from?!"
Commander 2:
"Maybe this beast is a Legendary Beast…!"
Random Soldier:
"Sir! Sir! What should we do?!"
Then Dhuma spoke.
Dhuma:
"Calm down, humans. I am not your enemy."
Random Soldier:
"He can talk?! He must be a Legendary Beast or even higher!"
Suddenly a voice echoed.
Rex:
"He is Dhuma, the guardian beast of the Shin Kingdom."
Rex walked toward them.
Precious:
"I see… you brought him."
Rex:
"Yes, Master."
Rex stood beside Precious.
Dhuma:
"So you are the prince of the Shin Kingdom of this era."
Precious:
"Yes. I am Precious Fiz, eldest prince of the Shin Kingdom."
Dhuma:
"Hm…"
Dhuma looked around and then looked back at Precious.
Dhuma:
"So what do you want from this old beast?"
Precious:
"Join the Shin Kingdom's force and guard this kingdom."
Dhuma was shocked, then spoke angrily.
Dhuma:
"I… the great Dhuma, King of Sky, join you—your humans' army?! Hmph! Kid! I am the guardian beast of this kingdom. That doesn't mean I will join your human force and do whatever you say!"
Writer's Note
So this is the end of this chapter.
What do you think will happen next?
Well… you know.
Anyway, subscribe if you haven't already.
Okay then, let's meet again tomorrow.