CHAPTER 411: CHAPTER 252: A FATHER’S LOVE LIKE A CATASTROPHIC LANDSLIDE

Outside a bustling human Royal Capital on the surface, a Teleportation Gate suddenly materialized out of nowhere in the clear blue sky.

Simultaneously, the chaotic Mana Energy that surged forth, along with the ’Skyborne Creature’—a being with octopus-like tentacles bearing a stone fortress on its back—inevitably caused panic among all who witnessed it.

The feeling was akin to ordinary people on Blue Star suddenly witnessing an alien mothership loom over their city on an otherwise normal day. It wasn’t some fleeting, unidentified spot of light, but a behemoth that blotted out the sky, bristling with ship-mounted cannons and seemingly engaged in ’interstellar warfare.’

This was because three Red Dragons pursued it, occasionally spouting Dragon Breath as they attempted to approach the ’Floating Fortress.’ However, they were repeatedly driven back by the three Spirit Sucker Governors, who employed an endless barrage of psychic spells.

For instance, their specialties included Mind-Piercing Scream and Psychic Frenzy. These spells consistently managed to temporarily turn Christoph, that foolish dragon, against his allies. Confusing friend with foe, he would fight David for several rounds until David forcefully snapped him out of it.

This Red Dragon ancestor had indeed attempted to seek out Brittany at one point.

But as it turned ઉલટ, even in a frenzy, dragons were still driven by the instinct to ’bully the weak and fear the strong.’

After Brittany broke three of his ribs with a single kick, Christoph learned to only vent his rage on David, which made David curse up a storm.

It was amidst this chaos that David first noticed something amiss. The conspicuous landmarks and statues of the human Royal Capital below caught his eye.

Huh? Are we still in Elariya? Have these Spirit Suckers led us all the way to the Royal Capital of the Vitali Empire?

Although he had never been to this capital of the Central Empire, the heart of human civilization, he had seen it depicted on the sand table of King Klinsmann of Lorwardia.

Christoph, the old dragon—perhaps having built up resistance from being subjected to Psychic Frenzy so many times—suddenly had a moment of clarity.

"There’s nothing surprising about this," he rumbled. "If they fled to another plane, they couldn’t be sure of shaking us off. So, they had to resort to a secondary plan: muddying the waters by drawing in a third party. Be prepared; it might not be long before a group of human Legendary experts arrives."

The thought that Kasim, the Vitali Empire’s Martial Technique Master, had once seen him in the Royal Capital of Lorwardia made David somewhat gleeful.

Aha! What if we stop fighting right now? Wouldn’t they assume we’re preparing to wage war on the Empire without a declaration, and that we’ve even invited a bunch of Spirit Suckers along for the ride?

But Christoph mercilessly taunted, "That’s assuming you can persuade your furious little aunt. She doesn’t show the slightest intention of stopping."

David glanced up. Brittany was fiercely engaging one of the Spirit Sucker Governors, clearly relishing the fight. She even gained the upper hand several times, managing to board the Snail Shell Ship and inflict considerable damage. It was an outrageous sight.

This was to be expected of Sed Ponga. Having frequently hunted Spirit Suckers alongside the Githyanki, she knew their strengths and weaknesses like the back of her hand. Moreover, she was equipped with numerous anti-psychic spells and trinkets.

She was the natural nemesis of these Heart Snatchers.

"Alright then, let’s take them down in one fell swoop! We’ll fight whoever comes at us!" David unleashed another blast of Dragon Breath at the distant Snail Shell Ship and winked at Christoph.

*Arrogance*

Damn it! I’m not your damn dog!

Only at this moment did Christoph feel a twinge of regret for his promiscuous past. Dallying with the Drow was one thing, but he never, ever should have gotten involved with that female Red Dragon! That’s what led to this bunch of insufferable Red Dragon descendants!

But David’s expression suddenly turned serious. "Hold them off for a moment, just a moment! Since the Snail Shell Ship is still operating normally, it means my father must have run into trouble. Buy me a chance; I need to go in and see!"

"You really know how to give me a tough challenge!" Christoph grumbled, extremely annoyed.

As they rapidly approached, the Patrol Guards, idly patrolling the city tower, chatting and puffing on crude tobacco, looked up and froze in astonishment. Their hand-rolled cigarettes tumbled from their nerveless fingers, clattering down the city walls as they turned and fled in a wild sprint, driven by the primal fear of the unknown.

Snail... Snail Shell Ship? Red Dragons? How could they appear here?!

One City Guard captain, who considered himself ’well-informed’ from the tales of Bards, nervously scrambled up the dilapidated, long-neglected bell tower. With all his might, he began to ring the great bell, one that hadn’t sounded for many years.

BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG!

However, the bell had only rung a few times before a tentacle from the Snail Shell Ship—moving with deceptive speed despite its apparent sluggishness—swept out and destroyed the tower. It was as effortless as a child knocking down a sand sculpture.

As the Patrol Guard tumbled amidst the collapsing stonework, he thought his end had come. Then, he saw a thick tentacle sweep towards him, and the next moment, his vision went black.

When he regained consciousness, he found himself in a stone chamber filled with bizarre structures. He tried to struggle, but tentacles emerging from a stone recess behind him bound him tightly.

Meanwhile, as the Snail Shell Ship advanced, wreaking havoc through the city, more unfortunates like him were ’teleported’ inside.

And what awaited them were the first five adult Spirit Suckers, freshly ’hatched’ from the bodies of the slave women in the birthing chambers.

With fresh bodies secured and their very survival at stake, these nascent Spirit Suckers couldn’t afford to be picky. They had no choice but to obey the Governors’ will.