It was Caelus' first time hearing Dragon Riders' language. He was shocked by the unexpected language barrier. His thoughts about diplomatic talk immediately became a scrap.
Caelus was awed and happy at the same time. What the Dragon Rider automatically translated in his mind.
*"Where are your people?!"*
Instead of answering the Dragon Rider, the elder helplessly just shook her head while raising her hands up in the air surrendering to the Dragon Rider.
She obviously couldn't understand a thing because the Dragon Rider was using their language.
"Hurry," he said to Xiu, noticing how crucial the situation was.
When the team successfully reached the safe spot, Xiu ran towards the group. She still needs to guide everyone towards the safe spot.
"Damn. Change to Plan B."
Caelus immediately informed Xiu when he felt the killing intent of the four Dragon Riders toward the remaining humans.
He didn't think twice, he blanketed everyone else with his Qi Cloak, disabling his own. The only Qi remaining on him was enough to disrupt his image.
He looked like a figure hiding behind a shadow.
Dragon Riders widened their eyes upon the disappearance of the group, they abruptly turned to Caelus who suddenly showed his appearance.
Just like veterans, all Dragon Riders assumed a battle stance.
"Who are you?" one Dragon Rider growled. The aura he exuded was threatening.
Caelus, who didn't know how to differentiate the Dragon Riders, named the one who talked B.
Thanks to the shade of the Qi around Caelus, no one saw how nervous he was in front of this dangerous race.
"Caelus." He said simply. He decided to assume a different character once he realized his disadvantage over his age. Since he actually had another identity as Caelus, he just said the name out loud. He couldn't think of any other name. Using Asahi or Gouki's name was out of the question. He didn't want to endanger any of the two.
The Dragon Riders seem surprised.
"You understand us." They seemed to become more wary because of him knowing their language.
"Pretty much. It's not hard to learn your language." He sounded confident, but deep down, he was buying time as the human he cloaked hastily ran towards Xiu, who also knew their Plan B.
Qi Disturbance sure is awesome. Not only does my appearance can't be discerned, it also disturbs my emotion. Other people won't see what I feel right now. This is good for bluffing. I appear to be calm even when I somehow feel nervous.
*Good thing that the Dragon Riders seemed to think I'm strong. This is what you call bluff it till you make it! Ah… no. It was fake it till you make it.* As usual, he joked to calm himself up.
It was the first time he used the technique in front of other beings, but he could clearly see how the other party couldn't see through him at all. He could only come up with one conclusion.
Qi is Godly!
He even began to wonder why the technique was almost extinct. A very good technique like that should spread instead!
Sadly, even Miya, who was a genius, could not learn it.
"What race are you? Why are you protecting a weakling race like this pathetic human?" One of the Dragon Riders growled, Caelus named him C.
"Why? Do I really need a reason?" He grinned, he even let some of his Qi Disturbance to show that he was grinning.
The four frowned deeper. "Are you one of those mindless moron races of humans?"
Caelus almost immediately winched upon hearing the inquiry. "Why would I need a reason to save my own race?"
"But they are weak." B said.
*Is he the leader of this group? He sounded like the leader.*
"You're saying that you won't protect your own race?"
"My race doesn't need saving. We are strong."
"What if your parents were the one needing protection? Or your child? Or your close kin? Wouldn't you try to protect them?"
The Dragon Rider suddenly fell silent.
"Enough! Don't push your weak ideology to our Dragon Rider! We don't need weak minded thoughts like yours!" The silent one who never talked suddenly interrupted. He talked like he was of old age. Caelus almost immediately thought of a boomer.
"Draco…" B looked at Boomer D.
"Young'n don't listen to the corrupted soul. They are weak and wouldn't understand us. Only the strong survive." Boomer D proudly said.
To be honest, Caelus wasn't trying to convince the Dragon Rider with what he believed.
He was mostly buying time.
Yet, when the Dragon Rider questioned him, he just truthfully answered. He realized that he was talking with someone younger. And since he wanted diplomatic talk, he felt it was a waste not to practice a little.
*It feels like there's a chance for peace talk in the future. But not with boomer Dragon Rider. This B… seemed to be a younger generation, although he or she was their leader, he or she still tried to listen. Younger generation have open-mindedness?*
However, even if he was curious, now was not the time. He could try again when he was alone. If he was protecting others, there was a chance of entrapment for him.
"Thank you for your time. It's time for me to depart." Saying so, he cloaked his presence and immediately ran towards the group. The group was almost nearing his range so he had to run over them.
He was afraid that his Qi Cloak would be removed and the group would get discovered. His concentration reached a new achievement as he realized he was able to hold his Qi Energy with nine people under his Qi Cloak.
It was freaking hard, yet, because of the urgency, he just did it naturally.
*It was a remnant of the real me… this also happened when I fought Ros'Lous before. There's a naturalness that I can't imitate unless I'm in danger. Like my instinct as Caelus was kicking in…*
"Should we continue looking for them?" The Dragon Rider A, which Caelus named, asked the other three.
"No need. Although the rest are weakling, the young'n we faced is mysterious. It's better to be careful. Let's retrieve our Dragons before trying to look for them." The Boomer D decided after glancing at the Leader B.
"Why Draco Keil? Isn't it wiser to eliminate the target now?" It was Leader B who asked.
Boomer D shook his head. "You don't understand young'n. It's better to crush someone without a hope for victory. That's the only way we can tame them."
Upon hearing the reasoning of the Dragon Rider, Caelus who was still in range of their conversation, involuntarily shivered.
True enough, Dragon Rider was ruthless to the core.
*They knew they could defeat me, but they wanted to show me utter defeat so that it would eliminate any will I have. Truly they live up to their race's name as Dragon Rider. Only by crushing Dragons could they tame the legendary monsters and ride them freely.*
When Caelus understood the logic he felt the chill through his bones.
He quickly ran towards the human he had saved while the four Dragon Riders walked leisurely, not even changing direction.
Only after the Dragon Riders disappeared did Caelus dare to undo his Qi Cloak on everyone.
"They're gone. We're safe now."