Leveling Up With My Dragon System

"Split up," Kai ordered, "we'll cover more ground that way."

Ingrid nodded, her expression intense as she took off to the east, her sonic waves bouncing off the buildings to detect any approaching threats. Erik went west, his lightning crackling in the air, a clear warning to anyone who might dare cross his path.

Kai took the central route, his dragon node pulsing with power. The city was a war zone, with recruits and monsters alike scattered throughout the streets. The sound of explosions and clashing elements echoed through the alleyways, mixing with the cries of the virtual inhabitants in distress.

As Kai turned a corner, his dragon sense tingled, alerting him to an impending threat. He looked up just in time to see a figure descending from the rooftops. It was a member of Team 11, a blue-ranked water node bearer.

"Think you can handle us?" the recruit sneered, water swirling around his fists.

Without hesitation, Kai shot a jet of fire from his palms, aiming at the water node bearer's descent. The water split apart, droplets hissing as they met the flame, and the recruit landed with a wet thump.

"You're going to regret that," the water node bearer snarled, charging at Kai.

Kai braced himself, his eyes narrowed. He knew Team 11 was notorious for their underhanded tactics. He had to be ready for anything. He took a deep breath, feeling the heat build-up in his chest. As the water node bearer approached, Kai leaped into the air, unleashing a burst of flame from his feet, propelling himself higher. The water node bearer looked up in shock as Kai hovered above him, fire coating his legs like a pair of fiery wings.

"You're going down," Kai roared, raining fire down on his opponent. The water node bearer tried to dodge, but the flames were too intense. He was forced to retreat, leaving a trail of steam in his wake. Kai followed, his dragon instincts urging him to finish the fight.

Ingrid's voice echoed through their earpieces. "Found Team 11's base. They're preparing an assault."

"Good," Kai said, his eyes glowing with determination. "Let's get there before they can mobilize."

The three of them sprinted through the city, using their unique abilities to navigate the chaos. Erik's speed was unmatched, weaving in and out of the fights with ease, leaving trails of lightning in his wake. Ingrid's sonic waves ricocheted off the buildings, mapping the quickest path forward and alerting them to any approaching dangers. Kai hovered above, his fiery wings a beacon of hope against the dark clouds gathering from the distant battles.

As they neared Team 11's base, they saw a group of recruits huddled around something. Kai recognized the blue and white emblems on their uniforms. His heart raced as he descended, his teammates following closely behind. They had to be careful; Team 11 was notorious for their cunning tactics.

"Looks like we've found the party," Erik said, his eyes scanning the perimeter. "But where's the guest of honor?"

Ingrid nodded in agreement. "The leader of Team 11 is definitely around here. We need to find him before he gives the order to attack."

The group approached the huddled recruits, who were all clustered around a device that emitted a pulsing blue light. The light grew stronger, and Kai's dragon instincts screamed at him to be cautious. Suddenly, the device exploded, sending a wave of water and ice shards in every direction. The recruits screamed and scattered, revealing the leader of Team 11, a sly grin on his face.

"Looks like you've come to crash the party," he taunted, his eyes glowing a deep blue as he chanted an incantation. The ground beneath them began to shake as the water from the explosion coalesced into a massive hydra, its serpentine heads weaving through the air.

Kai's instincts took over as he shot a stream of fire at the creature, melting the ice that began to form around its neck. Ingrid, seeing an opportunity, sent out a powerful sonic wave that shattered one of the hydra's heads. The creature roared in pain, its remaining heads turning towards them with malicious intent.

"Spread out!" Kai shouted as they scattered to avoid the incoming barrage of water and ice. The leader of Team 11 chuckled, his confidence growing with each attack he launched. Kai knew they had to end this quickly before they were overwhelmed.

He targeted the hydra's core, where the ice and water converged. The blue-ranked water node bearer saw him coming and tried to redirect the creature's attention, but Kai was relentless. He shot a focused beam of fire at the center, his dragon's might burning through the magical construct. The hydra screeched in agony as its body began to crack.

Ingrid took advantage of the distraction, sending a precise sonic blast that resonated with the cracks in the ice, amplifying the damage. The creature's body shattered into a hundred pieces, raining down onto the soaked street. The blue-ranked recruit stumbled back, his expression one of shock and fury.

"Not bad," he said through gritted teeth, raising his hands again. "But you're no match for the power of the sea!"

In an instant, the water from the broken hydra surged toward Kai and his teammates, forming a massive tidal wave. Frode, who had joined them in the battle, conjured an illusionary wall to hold back the wave, buying them precious seconds.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Now's our chance!" Kai called out, charging the blue-ranked water node bearer. His fire and Ingrid's sonic waves met in a powerful crescendo, striking the recruit with a fiery symphony that sent him flying into the debris of his defeated creature.

The recruit slammed into a wall, groaning as he tried to stand, but the combined might of Team 12 was too much. Frode stepped forward, his illusion dissipating, revealing the true extent of the damage they had inflicted. "Surrender, or face the full wrath of the dragon," he warned.

The blue-ranked water node bearer looked at them, his eyes narrowing before a smirk crept onto his face. "You think you can stop us?"

"We're not just thinking it," Kai said, his voice steady and fiery. "We know it."

The blue-ranked recruit's smirk faded, and he took a moment to assess his opponents. Frode's illusions swirled around him, hinting at the potential for a swift and surprising attack. Ingrid's stance was firm, her hands ready to unleash another devastating sonic wave. Erik, ever the strategist, had already mapped out the area, calculating the best approach for their next move.

The water node bearer stood up, his clothes drenched but his resolve unbroken. He raised his hand, and a tower of water shot up from the ground, creating a barrier between them. "You think you're ready to take us on?" he challenged.

Kai felt a surge of energy from his dragon node, responding to the challenge. "We don't have to be ready," he said, his eyes burning with determination. "We just have to win."

Ingrid took a step forward, her hand glowing with a pulse of sonic power. "Let's show him what Team 12 is made of."

Frode nodded in agreement, his eyes gleaming with the anticipation of the upcoming battle. "Let's do this." Continue reading stories on empire