A Dragon Idol's Reincarnation Tale

Multiple proficiency requirements fulfilled. [Storm Magic Lv. 6][Tyrant’s Voice Lv. 5] [Torrent Resistance Lv. 4] [Storm Resistance Lv. 8] gained [Music Resonation (Minor)] [Various Spell Buffs] [Battle Frenzy (Minor)] [Gazing Upon The Ruby Star (Owner) (Minor)] inflicted on [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor] Spell gained: [Flight Zone]

Up.

‘Yeah,’ Hikari responded as she ducked to the side, dodging a giant blade made from ice heading my way, before twisting my body to jump onto its flat side. Releasing some solar ice gas, my feet attached themselves onto the weapon as if we were magnetically bound to it, allowing us to run along the blade like any other surface.

Tasianna snapped her fingers, causing the blade to break into fragments, forcing Hikari to start flying while using the solar gas like rocket boosters. Without casting a single spell, the cold wind permeating inside Mom’s lair obeyed her call, forming a wind tunnel around me, stopping Hikari’s advance.

Having anticipated this, after a whole week of sparring with Tasianna, I cast both [Tailwind] and my newest System spell, [Flight Zone]. The latter expanded a wind area around me, weakening Tasianna’s wind blast somewhat, but most importantly, allowed my body to levitate upwards as if the world’s gravity wasn’t working properly.

With [Tailwind] surrounding me in a veil of wind that accelerated my movements, Hikari was ready to move again.

‘Flash Fire!’ She called inside our head.

[Battle Frenzy] was active, and she was in control of our body, meaning we wouldn’t “teleport” to sources of fire; we would “teleport” to any source of ice. It didn’t matter if Tasianna had full control over it with [Cyrokinesis] with this ability!

As my vision started to distort from the ultra speed caused by [Flash Fire], [Foresight] activated, warning me that Tasianna knew where I would move towards. Once the blurriness ceased, [Foresight]’s prediction became reality as Tasianna shot multiple car-sized ice blades at me. She was still fighting with her usual ice dagger tactic, although on a larger scale.

Fire! I shouted in my head as I molted my scales to send them flying at all the projectiles. Using my mana connection with them using [Scale Manipulation], I activated the silver powder on them, hardening the scales to act as flying protective drones to defend me from the daggers.

Can’t argue with the defensive ability of these things. Far more durable with the silver dust over my crimson scales, I thought, still in awe at my improved defensive capabilities.

My stats, technically, did not change in my silver dragon form, so my silver scales were just as “squishy” as my crimson scales. However, the manner in which the two forms’ scale powder worked made all the difference. As I already mentioned, scale-dust was for pure offense with their explosive powers, while silver powder was perfect to defend myself and empower [Hellblade Dragon]’s Abilities since the silver powder hardened my scales.

Forming walls with the scales, I redirected the ice blades to give Hikari easy targets to slash at with my tail, overcoming this initial attack. Yet, before we could attack Tasianna, her fairy wings were already flapping, letting her flutter away like a real butterfly, before unleashing another round of projectiles. To her, there was no need to change her tactics.

Though that was to be expected. It has been a week since this trial started, and I’ve still been unable to break through Tasianna’s defenses in my ice dragon form. Though that was probably how it should be going between a more proficient and experienced cryomancer, who gained an influx of mana from the former Ice Elemental King, and me, who was trying to get used to all my new abilities. It also didn’t help that to Hikari, who had to move my body, all my memories were practically just simulations.

Hikari had to incorporate three years of my experience into her own battle style, while Tasianna toiled through battles and spars by herself, plus the extra 194 days she spent inside the dreamscape created by the WWEE. I guess you could call this the difference between copying somebody’s homework, even if that someone had the memories of ten parallel minds as well, and doing all the homework yourself and learning from your mistakes firsthand.

I was glazing Tasianna a bit here and there. It wasn’t like Hikari was doing awfully, since she was learning from every match. Body control was finally acceptable after she started copying Mom’s movement when she fought Kahalantheel. Solar ice gas usage still needed improvements, but this was simply learning how to control [Cyrokinesis]—learning when to freeze the air instead of leaving it in its gaseous form was an extra level of forethought.

Go, go, now! See the ice split like that? I called, helping Hikari out to see those windows of opportunity to attack.

Aside from the rain of ice blades, Tasianna’s beloved icicle spears were also swarming the air like a bullet hell. [Flash Fire] was completely nullified, as we could be shot down with all these projectiles during the ultra-speed “teleportion.” And even without using [Aerokinesis] to make flying literally impossible with spells like [Hammerfist Bellow], [Cyclone Madness], or [Eye Of The Storm], Tasianna could simply have her ice projectile burst like a frag grenade.

For example, like now.

“Maktor Baeol.” (Icebind Bomb)

‘Bracing!’ Hikari replied as she cast [Panzer], protecting us as cyan-colored magic circles appeared on eleven of the icicle spears. The spells caused the ice to explode, sending shrapnel flying.

Surrounded by all this explosion, to protect myself, I had to unleash my scales to form a barrier around me, as it was too late to cast [Air Shield]. However, we wouldn’t be doing this. Instead, Hikari allowed herself to be hit by these shrapnels, causing Tasianna’s newest custom spell’s secondary effect to activate.

Upon contact, the shrapnels flash froze onto [Panzer]. With the spell circles still active, [Maktor Baeol] caused them to shoot out ice tendrils at all the shrapnels it shot out, before jerking them back to the spell circle like a black hole pulling in everything around it. The spell, essentially, was a crowd control spell whose effectiveness depended on the size of the ice object the spell was cast on, allowing it to trap not only infantry, but also dragons if the icicle was large enough.

In other words, the more mana Tasianna used to create a massive iceberg, the more likely it was to trap a giant rank A. And mana was something she wasn’t lacking any longer with her large capacity and her various ways to sustain her mana usage. Furthermore, as a faefolk, she was immune to arcane corruption and could regenerate body parts as long as she had mana, so… she was frightening.

… The silver lining was that it didn’t matter much if she kept playing everything in the same fashion she had been fighting this last week. Hikari and I’ve seen this spell once already!

Now!

Detaching [Panzer] from my body just as [Maktor Baeol] pulled me into its magic circle, Hikari activated [Flash Fire] with my newest [Battle Frenzy] addition—[Free Wings], the skill I gained after usurping Tasianna’s Zephira blessing.

Free Wings: Increase aerial maneuverability slightly … Yup. At least Plesia’s [Marine Lungs] was usable when I had to go dive underwater, but [Free Wings] was literally just [Mid-Air Maneuvering], but weaker, since it didn’t have any levels. The gods really knew how to nerf me whenever they gave my companions a blessing.

Minor as it was, it was a constant passive flying improvement, so it was still a minor speed boost when it mattered the most!

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With all the ice fragments gone due to Tasianna’s spell, the air space was once again traversable as my body sped up. Although my vision distorted, my instinct didn’t as I commanded Hikari to twist her body and harden the silver powder on our tail. Slashing forward, I heard a shrill clank as we reached our [Flash Fire] destination. Turning around, I saw Tasianna bend backwards as the ice shield formed on her left hand broke apart, leaving behind a large gash that nearly cut off her arm.

You might be the better cryomancer, but we’re still the better melee combatant! Take the damage with our new body, and use that to create new windows of opportunity! I shouted as the plan worked, allowing Hikari to finally claim the advantage.

With better body control and my arcane support, Hikari did not allow Tasianna to flee, pursuing her and engaging her with tail, claw, and wings. Although Tasianna’s ice rapier was freezing cold to the touch, my resistances and [True Draconic Barrier] reduced the damage to minor inconvenience with [White Flames] healing me.

Eventually, I cast [Hydra] to tag team Tasianna, pushing her back to the point she lost aerial control, landing on the ground as she giant ice spikes at us, only for Hikari to slice everything up with our tail. Anything that she couldn’t defend against was shielded by our scales.

“Eight minutes and 42 seconds, as you would call it, my lady!” Tasianna yelled. “A fine display, indeed! I admit my loss today, but that also means I may be serious now.”

Jeeeck! Shredded ice powder burst from the spot where Hikari slashed at an incoming ice spike, only for it to feel like we had hit a metallic object. What we were able to cut apart just a moment ago now felt like it was impossible. Furthermore, merely touching the icicle was now causing our scales to freeze.

True ice! I screamed to warn Hikari as my body snapped back, turning to glare at Tasianna as she took in a deep breath.

“The Wind Mother and the ice elementals might call me a ‘demigod,’ but I lack the faith or credentials to actually be one. Yet, the title isn’t too wrong when it comes to my magical powers,” Tasianna mumbled in a low voice, causing my scales to clatter as I could feel her aura spreading around the area. She finally managed to do it! “Territory Relea—”

“Stop!” A woman cried as she clapped her hands, causing Tasianna to stop and curtsy towards the voice immediately. I turned around, seeing Mom giggling from inside the subspace, with the entrance and runes protected by the twins. “I do not believe it would be very fair on Hikari if you also challenge her Territory with yours. If her tail can’t even cut an icicle with true ice, I do not believe she would win once you use your Territory.”

Mom couldn’t appear all the time, since she had work to do as an empress, but if she could, she would help Tasianna and me with our training. She was the best ice mage teacher you could find around, and as a Nordor dragon, she was Hikari’s best way to learn how to utilize her body fully.

“This spar is just as much for her as it is for me, Your Majesty. I, too, am not arrogant enough to consider myself your equal in cryomancy,” Tasianna argued, sounding a bit irritated. Still, she did get blue-shelled before she could show her Territory—something Tasianna had been trying to develop since I went into a coma. “‘Iron hardens against iron,’ and Lady Hikari has been growing just as I have. Must I?”

Mom nodded as I landed. “Yes, do it slowly. You needed over a year to properly use your first true ice spell, and you are expecting my daughter to learn it within a week? Nonsense, even with my lineage. Learning how to use true ice isn’t bloodline-related. It requires training, just like how I learned how to use it after my evolutions.”

To be honest, I sympathized with Tasianna since I wanted to see her Territory, as well, but Mom was the teacher. Though the fact that we managed to force Tasianna to start fighting seriously was already a win in my book. Good enough to stop here for the day.

“Hikari!” Mom called, gesturing for me to enter the subspace with Tasianna.

[Humanize (Moderate)] inflicted on [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]Deactivating everything and turning back into a dragonewt, Hikari followed Mom while Tasianna prepared our tea. Instead of the restaurant, Mom led us into her subspace lair, looking like she wanted to show me something.

“Body control is passable. Limb movements are exactly how Hestia would do it. Flying is very good. Scale manipulation is so-and-so. And overall battle style is quite lackluster. You two are still having trouble assuming each other’s roles,” Mom criticized. “Hestia, you have to start using [Delayed Cast] and [Continuous Cast] more often. I believe you’re too used to delegating that task to your parallel minds, and, now, to Hikari. It’s not terrible, but I believe you could support Hikari a bit more.”

Honestly, I disagreed.

[“Could you elaborate?”] I responded.

“You are still in ‘learning mode,’ as I like to call it. You like to analyze your opponents, but you’ve always left that to your parallel minds and Hikari, until now. When you’re controlling your body, you move reflexively, transitioning from melee to mage style fluidly. You plan what you can on the fly and then take action. When you’re not in control of your body, you honestly act a bit too similar to how your parallel minds would act, though you aren’t casting spells non-stop,” she explained, causing me to ruminate on whether that was true or not. Mom was sharp, but she couldn’t read minds. “You’re a deep thinker, after all.”

“Overthinker, really,” Hikari commented, although that jab was also directed at herself. “I already know my issues, so you don’t have to tell me, Mom. It still feels awkward. Until I had to control our body, I’ve just been analyzing the manner in which our parallel minds fought and assisted Hestia.”

“Hestia finds it hard to transition into a supportive style within her body, while you find it hard to control the body, which Hestia was responsible for. Like a marionette player becoming the marionette. You cannot feel comfortable after only a week of training,” Mom stated, causing my brain to click. “In any case, those problems are yours to solve. What I wanted to show you today is this.”

Molted scales flew from her arms and formed the silhouette of a sword, before freezing the air inside it, creating an ice sword with a protective layer of silver scales. The silver powder then hardened.

“We’ve talked about your grandmother’s spear, correct? I think you can see the idea behind why Tasianna keeps forming that ice rapier,” Mom asked, causing Hikari to nod. “Hestia used to use her obsidian slime to form weapons.”

[“Yeah, I told you that once,”] I replied. [“Though with [Unheiliger Engel] and later [Hydra], I never needed to do it again. Still useful if I have to give others weapons, but it’s useless to form weapons when I can just use [Panzer] and empower [Hellblade Dragon] with corrosive attacks.”]

“Yes, exactly, though there is a difference between then and now.”

“Our silver scales are tougher than our corrosive obsidian,” Hikari answered.

Mom nodded. “Lean into it a bit more. Your dragoon training won’t go to waste if you start learning how to form a glaive and use it in a battle. I know, it’s more information to go through, Hikari, but you need to make all of Hestia’s memories yours. Come. Form one.”

Hikari winced but obeyed regardless. Copying what Mom did, Hikari had no issue forming an ice sword just like Mom’s, but unlike the latter’s, it was quite flimsy. And Mom showed it immediately by slashing at the sword, cutting it apart as if it were butter.

“Wah!” Hikari yelped, jumping backward.

[“… Your cut sucks,”] I commented, instead, causing Mom to frown.

“I never needed to learn how to use it properly, all right!” Mom complained. “Why do I need to learn weapons when I can slam sharp ice objects on others and defeat them because my cryomancy is superior to their elemental control? No, learning that is a bit beyond me at this point, but you’re still young. You can still assimilate it into your battle style without feeling it is ‘off’ and awkward. After all, Hestia already learned how to use a glaive.”

[“The thought of my dragon form using weapons is weird… but cool, actually,”] I said, imagining myself holding up a giant ice glaive while roaring at a giant leviathan. Like some harpooner trying to best the eye of the storm. [“Not like I argue against learning it. It’s time for us to train, right?”]

“Same. I’m fine with it,” Hikari agreed.

“Good! Your sister and brother just arrived on Lecullius today, but Wendriosa currently has to speak with her leviathan elders. It might take some time until she can speak with you, so until then, let us continue training,” Mom reported, causing me to feel a bit giddy that I couldn’t start an adventure inside a new city yet.

However, what was I but a bundle of patience? Training made it easy to forget other stuff, and the fact that I still had to give a public announcement for my plans in the succession battle stole my time. Frozen Nest already knew what I wanted to do due to all my previous statements, so it didn’t come as a surprise to anybody when I declared that I wouldn’t pursue the crown.

The right to choose the next emperor or empress was in their hands, but just like Uncle Alex said, none of the ice dragonkin would give up their loyalty for me. It was quite sweet, but I honestly wished they had chosen Kahalameet or Wendriosa over me. Oh, well.

Multiple proficiency requirements fulfilled. [True Unarmed Technique Lv. 8] [All-Damage Enhancement Lv. 6] gained And with this schedule of sparring with Tasianna and learning how to control my silver dragon body, three days passed until Wendriosa finally called for me to enter the subspace.

Smiling through the portal while Nong carried the subspace runes, Wendry said, “Little sister, welcome—”

“Hey, I’m here too!” Neill shouted, rushing into the subspace to grab me on the shoulder, shaking in excitement, just as I was.

“Haha, I apologize, Fargryneill. Ahem, my little sisters, welcome to Lecullius, capital of the Republic of Caedhul, and seat of the church of Plesia.”