Chapter 78: The End
"Something's wrong!"
Chen Yu's brows knitted together. His Observation Haki sensed that this wasn't ordinary dynamite.
"This familiar sensation... it's a Dyna Stone!"
And the yield was far higher than what Chen Chen had used before.
If this amount were to detonate, everything within a three-kilometer radius would be scorched earth. The Marriott Hotel and half the city block would be wiped off the map.
"Ling Yue, compress it with your paw pads!" Chen Yu's roar drowned out the buzzing tremor of the air.
Ling Yue didn't hesitate for a second. The halo of light on her palms exploded outwards, forming a giant net that tightly wrapped around the blinding light that was on the verge of detonation.
Inside the Paw Pad bubble, the explosive shockwave squirmed slowly like orange-red feathers.
Veins bulged on Ling Yue's forehead, her breathing growing increasingly erratic. "I... I can't hold it for a minute! We need to move it now!"
Chen Yu's mind raced like lightning.
No one on the scene was faster than him. Although Chu He's Moon Lion form was fast, it couldn't outrun the Dyna Stone's detonation speed.
Chen Yu hesitated no longer. Azure scales instantly covered his entire body, his bones cracking and shifting as he transformed into his Azure Dragon form in a split second.
"Hold on tight!"
Chen Yu placed Ling Yue atop his head, then stepped onto the Flame Clouds. With a piercing sonic boom, he shot straight into the clouds.
Below, Haibin City fell into a momentary deathly silence, only to erupt into an earth-shattering uproar a second later.
Cars on the street stopped honking, passersby froze with their phones raised in the air, and some even forgot to breathe.
Above Haibin City, an Azure Dragon had appeared.
A real dragon!
The azure scales glinted coldly under the moonlight. As the massive silhouette swept over the Marriott Hotel, the shadow it cast down nearly blanketed the entire street.
"It's a dragon! It's really a dragon!"
"Film it, quick! That's not special effects!"
"Isn't that Azure Dragon from Lanjiang City? Why is he here in our Haibin?"
Screams, the sound of camera shutters, and the screech of car brakes mixed together in a cacophony.
Everyone's gaze was locked tight onto that azure figure soaring into the sky.
Meanwhile, in an abandoned factory on the outskirts of Haibin City.
A thin figure emerged from the shadows—it was the Beast Tamer.
Though he looked ragged, a smug smile played on his lips.
"I didn't manage to kill those three brats, but blowing up half a street isn't a total loss."
"Goodbye, you idiots of Lanjiang City."
Just as the Beast Tamer was about to activate the organization's teleportation array...
"Boss! Are you alright?" A man in a black trench coat ran over hastily, his face full of anxiety.
The Beast Tamer frowned. He didn't recognize this man.
Judging by his clothes, he should be one of the members stationed on the perimeter of the hotel. Logic dictated he should have been caught up in the chaos caused by the Chimera Beasts—how did he survive?
"You're lucky, kid. You actually didn't die?"
Suddenly, a dragon's roar echoed from above.
The Beast Tamer jerked his head up. Through the dilapidated ceiling, his pupils constricted violently.
"That's the Mythical Zoan Azure Dragon... pity I couldn't personally... Urgh!!"
Before he could finish his sentence, he felt a sharp pain in the center of his back.
The man behind him had driven a dagger precisely into his heart.
"You..." The Beast Tamer turned around in disbelief.
He saw the skin on the other man's face begin to peel away, revealing a cold, aloof countenance.
A silver fox was embroidered on the man's collar.
Silver Fox Squad?!
"I've been waiting for you," Yining said, his voice icy. "Beast Tamer of the Blood Carnation... did you really think you could escape?"
At this moment.
High in the sky, Ling Yue's compression power had reached its limit. Tiny cracks appeared on the Paw Pad halo.
"Throw it!" Chen Yu growled low. "Leave it to me!"
Ling Yue immediately withdrew her power. The mass of Dyna Stone, compressed to the extreme, instantly turned into a streak of crimson light.
The thermal energy bursting from within tore through the light halo.
"Dragon Twister!!"
Chen Yu roared, spitting out a wild gale that pushed the Paw Pad bubble even higher.
BOOM—!
A massive mushroom cloud rose into the night sky, the orange-red fireball illuminating half the heavens.
The shockwave expanded outward, blowing the clouds below into scattered wisps.
A powerful wind pressure swept through Haibin City below, flipping small cars over like toys.
Chen Yu used his dragon body to shield Ling Yue, forcefully tanking the brunt of the shockwave with his own flesh.
The Beast Tamer let out a gurgling sound from his throat. Watching the mushroom cloud in the sky, his body slowly slumped to the ground.
Yining pulled out a communicator. "Captain Chu, the Beast Tamer has been captured. How are the casualties on your end?"
Time passed...
Chen Yu slowly opened his eyes.
Reflected in his vision was a white ceiling, and the faint scent of disinfectant lingered in his nose.
He moved his fingers, feeling a soreness all over his body, only then realizing he was wrapped in quite a few bandages.
"You're awake?" A familiar voice came from the side.
Chen Yu turned his head to see Ling Yue sitting by the bed, holding a soundly sleeping Princess Elsa in her hands.
"You slept for two hours." Ling Yue's eyes showed obvious fatigue, but she couldn't hide her relief. "You tanked most of the impact head-on. Your body suffered extensive burns."
"Elsa used her ability to heal you in time."
"The doctor checked you. You're just suffering from fatigue now."
"Do you have any idea that Elsa consumes her own lifespan when she uses her ability?!" Cyrus jumped onto Chen Yu's nose, cursing up a storm. "Next time, can you please look at the situation before acting!"
On a chair nearby, Dragon Aotian was gnawing on a steamed bun. Seeing him wake up, he immediately leaned in. "Brother Yu! You're finally awake!"
"You have no idea, the whole of Haibin City is thanking you after finding out what you did."
Chen Yu smiled. Just as he was about to speak, the ward door was pushed open, and Chu Chu and Feng Qi walked in.
Chu He looked at him, a hint of awe in his eyes. "You really are fine!"
"Those two little guys you brought along are incredible!"
"Are they a new race?"
Chen Yu glanced at Cyrus. "Tontatta Tribe. I met them by chance."
Seeing Chen Yu being vague, Chu He didn't pry further. Instead, he marveled, "For a Trainee (Peak) to achieve what you did... you're the most absurd Awakened I've ever seen."
"I've already reported the contributions of the three of you to the Alliance. This time, it's really all thanks to you."
Feng Qi nodded as well, his tone filled with relief. "It seems my previous worries were unnecessary."
"You're probably going to become 'celebrities' over at the training camp."
Hearing this, Chen Yu asked, "Weren't we supposed to enter the camp today?"
Feng Qi waved his hand. "Just rest well. I've already made arrangements."
"We'll wait until you're fully recovered before officially entering the camp."
"By the way, speaking of that." Chen Yu leaned back against the headboard, his fingertips gently rubbing the edge of his bandages, his voice deeper than before. "Was the Beast Tamer's attack this time aimed at us?"
Chu He walked to the window, his brows furrowed tightly. "That guy was tough."
"We interrogated him for nearly two hours after bringing him back from the factory, but he didn't spill a single useful word."
He paused, his tone relaxing slightly as he turned around. "However, the Bird-Bird Fruit user you caught didn't last ten minutes before he confessed everything."
"What did he confess?" Ling Yue put down the sleeping Elsa and looked up, her eyes still holding a lingering wariness.
Chu He pulled a notebook from his pocket and flipped through two pages. "Not just Haibin City. Yesterday, similar attacks occurred in Lanjiang, Cloud City, and Linzhou. The targets were all newly Awakened talents with top-tier potential."
"Killing geniuses?" Chen Yu asked in confusion. "Why?"
Chu He shook his head and closed the notebook. "That's the trouble."
"The Bird-Bird Fruit user only knew they were ordered to kill... but as for why they need to purge them, or what comes after, he had no idea."
"He also didn't know who leaked the selection list for the training camp."
"The Alliance has merged these four cases for investigation, but we have absolutely no leads."
Chu He's tone softened. "But you can rest assured."
"Security has been beefed up at the training camp as well. Once you're recovered and head over, you won't need to worry about safety."
(To be Continued)