Chapter 30 Touching the Evil Dragon’s Reverse Scale—Round Two!
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
New Year’s Day dawned crisp and cold, the air heavy with the weight of tradition as the Shiryuin Clan’s Sealing Dragon Festival unfolded. It was a sacred day, one that showcased our clan’s authority as the guardians tasked with sealing the Evil Dragon, a force capable of unraveling the world itself. As the clan head, I stood as the nation’s protector, forced to navigate the intricate dance of power with influential figures from across the land. My role was to speak of the dragon’s menace, to demonstrate my resolve to uphold the seal, and to prove the Shiryuin Clan’s indispensable purpose—securing our rights and influence through this very act. The festival was no mere ritual; it was a pivotal moment for our clan’s prosperity, a gathering where every major player in the nation converged. And this moment, this precise instant, was the perfect opportunity to shatter a thousand years of entrenched tradition.
In the vast plaza of the Sealing Seat, my daughters were already immersed in combat training, preparing for the real battles that awaited. Sakuya and Uigetsu had donned their dojo uniforms, their stances rigid as they circled each other, eyes locked, searching for the slightest opening. The air around them crackled with the ominous aura of the Evil Dragon’s blood coursing through their veins, a testament to the indomitable strength inherited from their mother, Yaten, the clan’s absolute powerhouse. The tension between them stretched taut, a bowstring ready to snap, until Uigetsu made her move.
”Here I go!” she declared, her voice bright and brimming with energy.
Faster than her words could carry, Uigetsu’s fist shot forward, aiming straight for Sakuya’s solar plexus with surgical precision. The raw power of the Evil Dragon’s lineage fueled her strike, a force capable of shattering boulders with ease. Uigetsu’s confidence in her own devastating strength was absolute, which made it all the more shocking when Sakuya didn’t even flinch. Her sister stood unmoved, absorbing the blow as if it were nothing, leaving Uigetsu frozen in disbelief.
”Oh, crap—” Uigetsu gasped, her voice cut off by a pained grunt. “Guh!”
Sakuya wasn’t one to let such an opening slip by, not with her ruthless edge. In the blink of an eye, she countered, her fist slamming into Uigetsu’s androgynous, strikingly beautiful face. The impact sent Uigetsu flying, crashing into the rock wall of the Sealing Seat with a thunderous thud, her body half-embedded in the stone. To any outsider, the sheer violence of these breathtakingly gorgeous girls would’ve been enough to make them faint. Their exchange lasted less than a second, a testament to their unparalleled combat prowess. Every strike was a potential finisher, every move honed to end a fight in an instant.
”Ow!” Uigetsu groaned, shaking off the impact. “One more time, big sis!”
”Fine by me,” Sakuya replied coolly. “This time, I’ll take the lead.”
What looked like a deadly exchange of blows was, to Sakuya and Uigetsu, just a warm-up. The Evil Dragon’s blood made them born warriors, capable of trading attacks at speeds that tore through the air itself. The shockwaves from their clashing fists rippled through the plaza, and if they unleashed their magic, the world would quake—scorching heat, bone-chilling cold, a kaleidoscope of elemental chaos. I watched from a safe distance, supervising to ensure their sparring didn’t escalate too far. After all, the last training session had taught me the hard way that if they went all out, the Underground Temple might not survive the fallout.
”So, Yaten,” I said, glancing at my wife beside me, “how do you rate their skills for the Sealing Dragon Festival [T/N: The Sealing Dragon Festival, or Fuuryuusai, is a sacred ritual held by the Shiryuin Clan to reaffirm their role as guardians of the Evil Dragon’s seal]?”
”They’re more than ready,” Yaten replied, her voice warm with pride. “To think they’ve honed themselves this much in just half a year—I’m proud of our girls.”
”Yeah, they’re beyond human at this point,” I muttered, half in awe, half in disbelief. “I mean, I knew they’d be strong, but this strong?”
Yaten and I stood side by side, watching our daughters’ relentless training. My biggest worry had been their safety—after all, they were still so young. But seeing them now, surpassing even the mightiest of humans, I realized my fears were baseless. Their reaction speeds broke the sound barrier, their adaptability ensured no technique worked twice, and their bodies shrugged off lethal blows with near-immortal resilience. They couldn’t yet match Yaten’s overwhelming power, but on the surface world, you could count their equals on one hand—human or demon alike. The flurry of dozens of strikes exchanged in a single blink was proof enough. My days as their protector were numbered.
”There’s nothing more I can teach them about fighting,” I admitted, a bittersweet edge to my voice.
”I’ve taught them all I know about magic, too,” Yaten added. “How they refine it from here is up to them.”
Of course, I’d continue to guide them. Strength alone wouldn’t navigate the complexities of human society, where brute force often fell short. They needed to learn how to handle those steeped in malice and greed, to wield their immense power as Evil Dragon descendants with wisdom and tact. Here in the Underground Temple, they’d only studied such things in theory. Real-world experience would be their true teacher. Physical strength didn’t guarantee emotional resilience, and even with their innate nature as Evil Dragons, their hearts could still be wounded by the cruelties of human relationships. As their parents, our role now was to be their emotional anchor.
”The plan’s on track,” I said, shifting the topic. “But we still haven’t figured out the branch family’s trump card.”
”You mean the power they might use to counter me, the world-destroying Evil Dragon?” Yaten said, her tone casual but sharp. “If it’s some underhanded trick, we’ll handle it as long as we don’t get cocky.”
”That’s exactly the kind of overconfidence I’m worried about, Yaten,” I shot back. “It’s because we don’t know what they’re hiding that their trick could work perfectly.”
Even an Evil Dragon capable of ending the world wasn’t invincible. A thousand years was more than enough time for the branch family to devise a countermeasure. I didn’t believe Yaten’s confidence was entirely misplaced, but I couldn’t shake the worst-case scenarios lingering in the back of my mind.
”If you want to play it safe, we could push the plan to next year,” Yaten suggested, her voice teasing.
”No, that wouldn’t change—” I started, then froze as she cut me off.
”If we keep making the strongest kids in this Underground Temple,” she said, her expression turning sultry, “we could overwhelm any trick with sheer, unstoppable force. Simple, yet impossible to counter—an Evil Dragon’s ultimate power play.”
Her words painted a devilish picture, one fitting an Evil Dragon’s mindset: produce an army of invincible children, each born of our bloodline, to crush any opposition with overwhelming might. I shook my head, rejecting the idea outright.
”No way,” I said firmly. “I’d never see our kids as pawns in a power game.”
Yaten’s face fell, a flicker of indignation crossing her features. “I didn’t mean it like that,” she huffed. “I just meant that by loving and raising our children, we’d naturally erase any threat. That’s all.”
Her tone was defensive, but I caught the genuine hurt in her eyes. She hadn’t been thinking of our kids as tools—she simply wanted to keep creating a family with me, her mate. Her body, already transforming into something akin to a fertility goddess, seemed to reflect that desire. If our plan succeeded and we ascended to godhood, I couldn’t help but wonder how many children I’d end up fathering once she was free to indulge. The thought was equal parts thrilling and terrifying.
”Sorry, Yaten,” I said softly. “I went too far.”
”Hmph,” she snorted, clearly stung. “To think I’d treat our children as pawns? How dare you underestimate me as a mother.”
I’d touched a nerve—her reverse scale as a mother, not just an Evil Dragon. Guilt gnawed at me as I scrambled to make amends. The thought of even a temporary rift between us, mates who’d been inseparable, was unbearable.
”Yaten, please don’t be mad,” I pleaded.
She sighed, then called out sharply, “Sakuya, Uigetsu!”
”What’s wrong, Mother?!” Sakuya answered, her voice tinged with worry.
”Huh? What’s up, Mom?” Uigetsu echoed, both girls halting their training and hurrying over, their faces clouded with the innocent anxiety of children sensing their parents’ discord.
Yaten wasn’t furious, but her irritation hadn’t fully subsided. A wicked grin curled her lips as she devised her retaliation. Pointing at me, she addressed our daughters with a commanding tone.
”For the Sealing Dragon Festival, we’ll prepare for any trouble with some hands-on training,” she declared. “Your father will play the role of a thug. You two will take him down with everything you’ve got. No holding back, understand? Even if he passes out, don’t let up.”
Sakuya’s eyes widened. “Is that… really okay? He’s our father!”
Uigetsu hesitated, her cheeks flushing with excitement. “If he passes out… but if you say it’s fine, Mom, then it’s okay, right?”
Their shock was palpable, their faces red with a mix of disbelief and eager anticipation. As shikigami bound to me, they’d never raise a hand against me without my permission. Their gazes flicked from Yaten to me, brimming with unspoken expectation.
”Father… is it really okay to keep attacking, even if you pass out?” Sakuya asked, her voice tentative but curious.
”Yeah, Mom said so, but… we need your okay first,” Uigetsu added, her tone almost hopeful. “Can we keep going even if you’re out cold?”
”Go for it,” I said with a resigned smile. “If it makes things right with your mother, I’ll take whatever you dish out.”
Their small fists clenched with determination, though I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of unease at their enthusiasm. But there was no time to dwell on it. The pain of my rift with Yaten hit harder than I’d expected, a sharp ache in my chest that made every moment of discord unbearable. The only solace was seeing the anger fade from Yaten’s eyes, replaced by a mischievous glint as she gently ruffled my hair.
”Take your punishment and reflect, my dear husband,” she teased.
With the Sealing Dragon Festival just a month away, I braced myself to face our daughters—the strongest of their kind—as the “thug” they’d unleash their full might upon.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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