Bab 96: Chapter 95: Dragonborn & Dragon Force
The minotaur roared again, snapping the group back to reality. Looking forward again, the beast pulled a tree from its roots, preparing to hurl it at them. Ferio stepped forward, his demeanor turning serious. "Get behind me," he commanded, his voice steady. The group quickly moved back, watching the battle soon to unfold.
The minotaur charged at Ferio, swinging the tree at him, but Ferio took the hit, not even flinching from the hit. Lala and Karina stood dumbfounded, while Ray cheered enthusiastically. Ana and Elysia watched in awe, but Kai observed the battle with a knowing look. "There's no way the minotaur can beat him . . ."
The minotaur kept giving one hit after another, but none of them seemed to work on him. Ferio kept his eyes locked with the minotaur, as he braced himself on his stance. Kai, observing the scene, just smiled to himself. "Afterall, he's an S-rank adventurer," Kai thought to himself.
Just at that moment, Ferio leaped into the air and landed a powerful punch on the minotaur's head, sending it flying back far away. Everyone was impressed at the power of his punch, but the minotaur stood up again, charging towards them with even greater speed. Lala and Karina were terrified, and Ana and Elysia hid behind the group. Ray too felt uneasy, reaching out his hand for his arquebus, ready to defend, but Kai remained calm, his gaze fixed on the minotaur.
"There's no need to fear," Kai thought, looking over at Ferio. "After all, he's not just an S-rank adventurer, but also a <Dragonborn>."
As his thoughts completed, a green aura began to envelop Ferio. He stepped forward, extending his arms toward the rushing minotaur. When the beast reached them, Ferio grabbed hold of its horns, not flinching or being pushed back. With a mighty effort, he lifted the minotaur off the ground and threw it several miles away, in the direction where Hiro had kicked its axe.
The group stood in stunned silence; their eyes wide with amazement. Ferio turned back to them, his expression calm and a cheerful smile playing on his lips. "Everything's fine now," he said simply, the green aura fading away.
Everyone was in awe, a silence fell over them looking at the once lively forest, now as if a storm has hit it. But the silence finally broke, with Hiro's voice reaching to their ears.
"Sheesh…," Hiro's voice caught them, as they all looked behind.
Hiro sulked in the background; his arms crossed. "I wouldn't have taken that long to beat the minotaur," he muttered, casting a longing glance at the battlefield.
Sakura, overhearing his grumbling, walked over and put her hands on her hips. "Oh, stop it, Hiro. You're starting to act like a kid again ever since we decided to come to the archduchy," she scolded, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "And besides, do you really want to greet the citizens of the duchy covered in dust?"
Hiro's face flushed slightly as he mumbled, "I could have finished it quickly without getting dirty..."
Sakura rolled her eyes, leaning closer. "Sure, like you did back ten years ago," she teased, patting his cheek lightly.
The rest of the group watched the exchange with amused expressions. Ray chuckled, nudging Kai. "It's been a while since I saw this side of uncle Hiro's."
Kai smirked, nodding in agreement, as his voice reached Ray's ears through the comms. "It's new to me. I didn't knew dad had a sight like this," he remarked, his gaze shifting back to the aftermath of the battle, carefully observing the scene.
Lala and Karina, still wide-eyed from the recent events, turned to each other. "I've never seen anything like this," Karina whispered, awe in her voice.
Lala nodded vigorously. "It's like something out of a storybook," she added, her eyes still fixed on Ferio, who was casually dusting off his hands.
Ana and Elysia peeked out from behind the group, their expressions a mix of awe and fascination. "That was so cool!" Ana exclaimed; her voice filled with excitement.
Elysia grinned, excitement clear on her face. "Right!"
As the group began to relax, Ferio walked over to Hiro and Sakura, a sly grin on his face. "You know, Hiro, I could always give you a rematch. Maybe let you take on the next minotaur, if one breaks out of the labyrinth again," he teased, winking at Hiro.
Hiro groaned, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "Great, now even you are making fun of me, huh," he muttered, though a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
Sakura laughed, pulling Hiro into a hug. "Oh, no one's making fun of you, my dear husband," she said, ruffling his hair affectionately.
The group shared a moment of laughter, the tension from the battle melting away as they resumed their journey.
As the group settled back into their carriages, Ferio joined Ray, sitting across from Kai, who seated between Lala, and Karina. The atmosphere was a mix of excitement and curiosity, with the recent events still fresh in everyone's minds.
Lala, unable to contain her curiosity, finally spoke up. "Um, Mr. Ferio, if you don't mind, can I ask you something?"
Ferio turned to her with a warm smile. "Of course... uh..."
Realizing her mistake, Lala quickly apologized. "Oh, sorry! My name is Lala, and this here, is lady Karina."
Ferio smiled at the two. "Alright, Lala. What do you want to know?"
Lala hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Well . . . what was that green aura around you back there?"
Ferio chuckled softly, his eyes gleaming with a hint of pride. "Ah, that. Well, it's part of who I am. You see, I'm a Dragonborn."
Ray's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, what!? A Dragonborn? Like, a person with dragon powers?"
Ferio nodded. "Exactly. Dragonborn have the appearance of normal humans most of the time, but we possess the strength and abilities of dragons."
"Why didn't anyone tell me about that? I always thought you were just a strong S-Rank adventurer." Ray asked, a clear hint of annoyance in his voice.
Ferio laughed a bit, apologizing to Ray playfully. "Sorry, my bad! But you know it, Ray. People don't easily accept us Dragonborn. They fear our dragon strength."
Ray sighed, running a hand through his hair before nodding slowly. "But still, isn't Uncle Hiro a Dragonborn as well?"
This question caught Kai's attention. He looked at Ray in surprise. "Dad's a Dragonborn? But Eva's report don't have any records like that . . . Did something get left out for me to find?" Kai thought to himself, until he heard Ferio's explanation.
"Well . . . ," Ferio began, "not exactly, Ray. I can't tell you much, but just know this one thing. Hiro's case is special."
Everyone wondered for a while, before slowly nodding in understanding, pondering their own theories. Karina leaned in, fascinated. "So, that green aura... it comes from your dragon side?"
"Yes," Ferio explained. "The aura you saw was my draconic energy manifesting. It gives me enhanced strength, resilience, and certain unique abilities, like the power to manipulate elemental forces. In my case, it's tied to the earth, which is why it appeared green."
Kai listened intently, his analytical mind piecing together the information. He raised his finger, projecting words that formed in the air. "So, that's why you could throw the minotaur so far. It's the strength of a dragon, combined with your skills as an S-rank adventurer."
Ferio was surprised at the projection, but slowly smiled and nodded. "It's good that you took your mother's intelligence! That's right, Kai. Being a Dragonborn means I have the physical prowess of a dragon, but I've also honed my abilities through years of training and adventuring."
Kai nodded, giving a small smile as the words changed again. "I think I get it now. But I read about Dragonborn in a few books, and it's said that dragonborn have the power of a dragon since birth. But I also read that some special cases exist where humans obtain Dragonborn powers. Do you know anything about that?"
Ray's eyes sparkled with admiration. "Woah. That's amazing, Kai! How do you remember so many details?"
Kai just shrugged, as Ferio laughed heartily. "Well, about that question of yours—you have that answer in that carriage ahead." Ferio looked over to Hiro and Sakura's carriage, as the group wondered what he meant.
"That special case of a human obtaining the power of a Dragonborn," Ferio started, as the group looked back at him, "it's none other than your dad, Kai."
Kai was left stunned. "Hiro Hamada," Ferio continued, "the Archduke and the hero of the Lunara Empire. Born a human, but blessed by the powers of <The Red Dragon Emperor>."
Everyone in the carriage was stunned, as Ferio just smiled at them.
"Dad has the power of a dragon . . . But, not just any dragon, a Dragon Emperor . . ."
Kai wondered, "But how?"
-To be Continued
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
MC_Scribe
MC_Scribe Dragonborn, a new race in the story! And there strengths, connection to the dragons put a real heat up to the story. But, Hiro's also a dragonborn, and with the power of a Dragon Emperor? What do you all think on it? Well, make sure to let me know in the comments.
See you all next week, and take care and be safe!
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone