Rise of the Weakest Summoner

“Silence!” The Nest Mother wasted no time and her enhanced voice boomed over the area, instantly freezing everyone in the close vicinity, and from what it felt like, also almost the entire settlement. “Screaming and running around like headless chickens won’t change a damn thing! Remember the procedures and shut the hell up!”

It was honestly shocking to see the serene lady so loud and overbearing, but in the face of such a mortal threat, her shelved bloodline could finally find a reasonable output. Her words achieved the intended effect of forcefully calming down the terrified crowd. It seemed like they had trained for this exact situation many times, perhaps even already experiencing it once or twice in the past.

For a moment, Asterios thought he had somehow been discovered by a mana-sensitive member of this large community. Still, no one had directed any attention onto Althea during the startled rush to run away to seemingly nowhere and everywhere. The owner of the earlier shout descending to the ground in front of Rhufija further convinced him otherwise. The border scout morphed in a flash and saluted anxiously, terror visible on his face even amidst the attempt to remain professional and respectful.

“Report,” the woman in charge requested curtly.

“One mature blue Dragon spotted south of the nest. They seem to be looking around the area as if searching for something. For now, their distance remains in safe range and they aren’t heading straight for the floating formation. We can’t predict their path going further,” the man summarized hastily, a plea for advice adorning his expression as he waited for his superior’s response.

“You!” Rhufija growled as she spun around and caught Jellal’s collar in her tightened fist. “Which passage did the two of you use?!”

The brown-scaled male frowned down at her action. “We’ve entered the realm through the safe entryway hidden at the bottom of the Rainbow Ravine. There were no signs of it being compromised. I think it’s presumptuous to think that—”

“Did you properly move through the Misty Maze Marsh all the way from start to finish?” She cut him off with another snarl.

“As I said, there were no signs of us being followed, and we were in a rush due to the change of the schedule for this event, so we flew past the Creaking Canyon,” he replied irately.

“So this is now my fault, huh?!” The Nest Mother shook him angrily, a faint ripping noise cut through the thick silence hanging in the air as everyone watched the interrogation. “Fool! Would it have killed you to miss a single meeting and request an official rehearsal from our guests?! Gods, you mentors can’t see shit out of the infinite depths of your own asses!”

Rhufija looked like she was about to tear him a new one, but before she could get physical, her three mates dropped to her sides, one of the men tenderly placing a hand on her shoulder. She snarled at him on instinct, but he did not back off, and seeing who it was, her anger subsided a bit. The Nest Mother shoved Jellal away and turned to the audience.

“Just stay out of sight and don’t do anything stupid. If you want, hide in your homes, under a table, inside the wardrobe, whatever. The wards will keep us concealed and protected,” she announced, meeting the gaze of every attendee.

“But what if that Dragon can see through the illusions?” someone asked.

“Then we are doomed,” she replied gloomily. “The Dragon seems to be alone. I’ll stay behind and slow them down while everyone flies away.”

“And so will we,” Mortiz added, the other two nodding along.

It looked like the scout wished to make an equal show of bravery, but the man hesitated deeply about declaring his participation in a possibly sacrificial last stand. He clearly didn’t wish to turn into a huge liar, coward, and deserter in case it proved to be beyond his mental capabilities.

Thankfully, it didn’t seem like his superior or her advisors held it against him as the female leader regarded him with an understanding gaze before facing her nest again.

“If worse comes to worst, remember to split up and head in all directions at once. Don’t stop until you reach another nest.” Rhufija chanced a reassuring smile. “For now, we can only observe and pray. There are no other options.”

Asterios took a long look at everyone here through his current omnidirectional sense, including Rhufija herself, and sighed softly.

~Master…~ Miria’s concerned voice instantly echoed in his head. ~I… I don’t like that plan much…~

~It has the highest chances of success, I’m afraid,~ he answered with a gentle smirk. ~I’ll let you know right away if it doesn’t. Try to help the Nest Mother calm her people down for me in the meantime. Even if it fails, it’s alright. We can always try another place.~

He sent her a few affectionate headpats and all his mates a ghostly kiss on the cheek before releasing his darkness from within the confines of Althea’s shadow. Noticing an ominous shapeless mass spreading from beneath the woman’s feet, the audience’s attention switched to it right away. Perplexed by the sudden change in atmosphere, the Nest Mother turned around, her eyes going wide.

The swirling dark smoke increased in volume as it switched colors to red and black, quickly forming an impressive, ferocious frame. In the span of a few slow seconds, it finished its role and unhurriedly dispersed while falling onto the polished floor of the stage. A sizable, scary, but certainly also at least partially majestic True Dragon stood before the gathering.

Asterios roamed his crimson gaze over the Lesser Dragons, who had frozen on the spot like deer in front of the tip of an arrow, with their eyes bulging out to their limits. Stopping at Rhufija, he offered the woman a curt nod of respect, making sure to lower his head enough to make it clear that the gesture wasn’t accidental. Spreading his wings wide, he pushed himself into the air and headed north right away. Flying out, he could hear one of Rhufija’s mates mention to her that it was the wrong way, but he didn’t catch the reply coming from his own mates.

Twisting his draconic body around the beautiful hanging rock formations, Asterios reached the edge of the settlement as quickly as he could. Passing through the enchantments, he shot upwards until he reached the very top of the nest. Then, he finally turned south, began moving at a slow, calculated pace, and expanded his senses far, but not to his limits. It wouldn’t be a good idea to show everything he was capable of before measuring the strength of his opponent.

Not that his goal was to fight, but he wasn’t stupid enough not to consider the development of their upcoming meeting heading that way. Naturally, he could most likely get a jump on the Dragon with all his mates included—or at least those capable of efficient battle in mid-air—and possibly get rid of the problem in decent time, but that wouldn’t necessarily be the best option for this encounter.

First of all, they had no idea if this individual was alone. If Jellal had missed one True Dragon on his tail, he could have as well missed two more. Second, even if Asterios and the girls made quick work of the assailant, it was still a True Dragon, meaning the person might be in possession of a dedicated—most likely through nefarious means—entourage or mates, who would definitely feel their friend’s demise and even guess the invader’s last position.

And that would only bring even more attention to this region, further increasing the danger for the Lesser Dragons under Rhufija.

No, duking it out so close to the nest was not preferred.

Therefore, Asterios had put himself through all the steps to ensure that the other True Dragon would not think about checking this direction by flying straight from it while revealing his presence. He was going to be the second Dragon who had followed Jellal’s party. And if he played his cards right, perhaps he would be able to dissuade his peer from scouring this area. Maybe even scare the bastard away.

But, it all depended on how aggressive this male or female was. The blue lineage supposedly wasn’t as eager to shed blood as the crimson one. He could use that to his advantage. As long as the individual he was about to face didn’t turn out to be incomparably stronger.

If so, then Asterios would simply try to convince them that there was nothing here.

And if nothing truly worked… Well, there always was Plan D.

Decapitation, in this case.

He would deal with the consequences of that later. Right now, the safety of the nest was in his hands. Asterios would think that so many Lesser Dragons had a more than decent chance to easily overpower one single True Dragon, but Althea had made it clear to him in the past that not all of her people were born to fight.

Plus, there was this trick of forcing one’s will on them through simple eye contact and proper use of the Aura of Authority. That was the biggest reason why Rhufija’s community had so hastily jumped to an escape plan instead of forming a battle tactic, with the Nest Mother volunteering to hold the threat back for as long as she could.

The dark azure shape moving horizontally way ahead of Asterios finally noticed the aura he was continuously leaking into the air, acting as if he was prodding his surroundings with his senses, searching for hints, clues, and traces of something. He could tell that his appearance surprised the other Dragon, but the man didn’t immediately back off.

And yes, he was able to sense that detail with the male in range of his spiritual perception.

Gradually closing the distance without looking too concerned, Asterios prepared himself mentally for the—hopefully—conversation. The girls’ anticipation and anxiety were easily noticed somewhere at the back of his mind as they peered through his eyes, rightfully worried.

If things went south, this would technically be his first actual confrontation with another True Dragon without external help.

Clearly not sure what to make of his appearance, the other Dragon hovered in the air and waited for Ast’s arrival. Reaching the man’s spot, Asterios finally dragged his focus away from his surroundings and faced the guy blocking his path directly. From up close, the Dragon looked much fiercer, but size-wise, he was still slightly bigger. According to Althea, this person could range from fifty to about one hundred fifty years of age. Ast’s growth and development was somewhat of an anomaly thanks to his troubles with seals and multiple sources.

As the blue Dragon examined him closely, Asterios simply stared back with unbothered confidence. His mother always said that was the most important part of a performance, even if you were doing something you hadn’t done ever before or out of your usual scope.

“What are you?” The male spoke first with a tinge of confusion in his voice.

“And why is that of any interest to you?” Asterios replied with a light rumble rolling through his throat. “Haven’t ever seen your reflection on the surface of a lake?”

“It isn’t.” His conversation partner shook his head. “You just feel… weird. I’ve never seen anyone like you before.”

Then, the guy’s gaze roamed onto Ast’s chest, and immediately recognizing the look in his eyes, Asterios raised the volume of his growls, letting out as much killing intent as he could muster, making the other Dragon flinch and flap away a bit.

“Don’t you think it’s rude to peer into someone without their permission?” Asterios showed his fangs, deciding on his approach after seeing the man’s reaction. “If you are looking for a fight, then I’ll gladly give it to you. I’m rather vexed by one small rat managing to somehow stay ahead of me. Now that I think of it, could you be the reason why?”

“I’ve committed a blunder.” The blue-scaled Dragon lowered his head. “It was not my intention to provoke you. Under normal circumstances, I would be happy to accept this challenge, but I’ve been tracking down most likely the same rat over the last two days. I’m afraid battling me in my current state would not be satisfying to someone of your great lineage.”

Fluid like water, changing like wind, just like Althea had implied the common members of his shade were. Even as those words left the man’s mouth, Asterios could feel him getting ready to strike, gathering his energy, tensing his muscles. This Dragon did not seek battle, but contrary to his words, he was ready to pounce. Albeit, also at least a tiny bit nervous after getting hit with a full blast of Ast’s spiritual energy.

“Hmph. I guess it would be a waste of time. I don’t have the patience to clear another lair of vengeful bastards.” Asterios snorted to the side, then squinted at his opponent. “You are sure you aren’t hiding this rat from me, are you?”

“I wouldn’t dare.” The azure Dragon shook his head once more. “I was following what felt like a pair of worms before they suddenly disappeared in this area, hoping to stumble on a nest. Conquering one would definitely raise my status amongst my brothers. None of them can boast of anything as great. Our father is going to present a selection of potential mates to a son of his choosing. None of us can best him in combat so this was my idea of gaining his favor. Wouldn’t it be too much to ask for a share of spoils if we locate the hole these worms have burrowed themselves in?”

Asterios made a show of deeply considering his words before scoffing, some crimson flames escaping his snout. “You haven’t captured any mates yet? You are seriously weak for someone over a hundred.”

The man’s cyan eyes widened slightly, his vertical pupils shrinking as more mana began coating his scales. Asterios guessed that his opponent was reinforcing his circuits in an attempt to shield himself from further scrutiny, surprised that so accurate information had been discovered this easily. It certainly felt much harder to prod the guy’s physique and mana without more visible attempts.

Still, true to Althea’s words, he was not trying to hide his strength.

“No, sir.” He let out an awkward chuckle, becoming somewhat more respectful and careful. “There aren’t many candidates in our lair and I haven’t been lucky to stumble on worthy ones during my journey either. Meeting such an impressive junior, I would be honored to receive some tips from someone with as many as…”

The crafty Dragon chose to appeal to Ast’s pride while pushing forward a leading question. But it was one Asterios was more than happy to use as an opportunity to convince his enemy that he had taken the bait, showing his desire to be worshiped.

“Seven.” Asterios preened while the other man nodded with noticeable, most likely fake, amazement. “My advice would be don’t go over four or five. It’s a hassle to deal with more. And I think I can live with not having a nest all to myself once in a while. Watching you struggle to take it over could be entertaining. I could offer some tips regarding that too if you made it worth it.”

“That would be wonderful.” The male bowed, the hint of a smirk curling his draconic lips at their very cusp.

“Did you find anything out there, then?” Asterios asked, glancing around.

“Unfortunately not. I was just going to head in the direction you came from,” he answered.

“Nothing there either. I made sure of that.” An irritated growl escaped Ast’s snout.

“I could tell. The reach of your aura is truly magnificent.” The man continued stroking Ast’s ego, even though his words might not have been utterly artificial.

“You go that way then and I’ll follow the trail you made and see if you haven’t missed anything.” Asterios snickered. “I’ll wait for you a bit if I find them, but don’t make me wait too long or I’ll leave you in the dust.”

“What if I find them?” His partner laughed hesitantly.

“Fat chance. If they really are in that direction, I’ll find myself there before you even notice. My instincts have never failed me.” Asterios kept his overconfident persona up. “But, if your beginner’s luck truly shines upon you, make as much use of it as you can knowing that I’m already on my way.”

“Understood. I’m heading out, then. Good hunting.” The blue-scaled Dragon hastily flew away, not waiting for a response.

“I have no bad hunts.” Asterios scoffed, knowing he would still catch it.

Waiting for a moment, he made a show of giving his companion a head start before doing exactly what he had said he would, spreading his senses around once more. It took about fifteen minutes for the male to disappear from the region, aiming to try his luck somewhere away from Asterios for now, most likely following the line of Jellal’s journey before the pair made a turn for the nest.

With this, Asterios achieved as much certainty as he could that this True Dragon wouldn’t come back to check this area again. After not locating the duo where he had gone, he should be rushing in the opposite direction, realizing that Ast’s capabilities might not have been just empty boasting. Worst case scenario, Rhufija’s nest gained some valuable time to think about what they were going to do.

Technically, there was no safer place than the one your enemy had already passed, but the final decision belonged to the Nest Mother.

Confirming that he was alone through Umbra’s report of the surroundings, Asterios flew back to the nest the exact same way he had left it. His initial appearance had scared quite a few of its residents so it wasn’t necessary to take a new path and frighten more. Even considering the fact that the news about him had definitely already spread throughout the settlement.

Skillfully flying around the pretty rocks and waterfalls, he returned to the amphitheater, finding most of the gathering still in place. The numbers certainly dwindled a tiny bit, but he had expected to find the auditorium completely empty save for his mates and Rhufija perhaps.

It looked like the ladies had done a great job on their side of things.

Trying his best not to look too vicious and tyrannical, Asterios graciously descended to the ground, the crimson-onyx mist surrounding him on the way down. As he touched upon the solid slab of stone, it dispersed to the sides and revealed his humanoid form. Walking out of the smoke, he met Rhufija’s gaze and nodded kindly.

“The crisis has been averted,” he said, receiving a faint smile in response, and moved his eyes onto a certain individual. “Now, I heard someone here doubts my existence?”