Axel bounced, stretching his hands, warming up as he looked on, the trees retracting, it was a view he'd never get used to, rather than growing, the plants were reverting back, as if time was moving backwards for them.

The dark rocks beneath been revealed, the glowing lava rivers, his gaze stopped at the fang, still stuck in the rock, no matter if it was the jungle or the rocky area, the half of the bolf lying next to it.

He was waiting for the dragon, this time he wasn't going to be arrogant, rather he was going to test, find out information about the dragon, and thankfully he had the thread of continuity, in case he got into a pinch.

The Gishiki strapped onto his back.

"Although I doubt I'll use that," he uttered, still bouncing up and down.

"At least not this time," He added, cracking his neck.

"Alright then come out."

Then as if on cue, that loud roar sounded, Axel stopped, his face turning grim, hesitation creeping in.

He slapped his cheek, "You have to do this," He shouted.

But why though, I don't have to, the thought hit him.

But slap, his hand landed on his cheek again, "no questions."

He took a deep breath, his pulse thundered, partly with fear but mostly excitement, somehow this felt like he was a performer, getting ready to jump in the cage with the devil.

Axel shook his head, a very smile on his face, "No, that should definitely be scary, but…" he clenched his fist, feeling the pumping blood.

"I must definitely be crazy…" he grinned and stepped out of the cave, into the arena, him and the devil.

First we need to confirm it really uses echo location.

Axel looked up, the dragon's silhouette slowly ascending over the horizon, wings spread, blowing a gust of wind announcing the arrival of the king.

North, it always came from the north, Axel noted, its den must be there, not like I'm planning to pay it a visit.

Axel took a deep breath, he felt naked standing out in the open, the wind whipping around him, but he didn't move, gaze locked on the dragon.

The creature started gliding around, wings spread apart, coming closer, from the size of a car, it slowly increased, a small house, a truck.

Axel's brows scrunched together, his fingers twitching, his entire being urging him to run.

Oi, oi, isn't it getting too big, his eyes widened as the creature got closer, now twice the size of a truck, it's wings making it look bigger.

And most importantly, why is it heading directly for me, was I wrong, can it actually see.

His eyes moved to its head, eyes absent, yet it was definitely heading for him.

Axel tried to hold on, thinking it would change paths, but the closer he got, the more his fingers twitched, eventually curling.

Axel disappeared, just in time too, the dragon crashing into where he was a few seconds ago.

Axel struggled to balance himself as the ground shook from the impact, safe behind the dragon, hidden behind a rock.

Was I wrong about it being blind, he wondered, watching as the dragon stood up, searching around, confused.

Then what does it use to see, no I can't apply normal logic to this creatures.

His breath caught as the creature turned towards where he was hiding, yet he didn't bend to hide against logic, he stared at the dragon, seconds feeling like hours.

It didn't look away as expected, rather it crooned in, then the crystals next to its maw pulsed, all Axel felt was something passing through him, before the dragons spiky crystals glowed green and it roared towards him.

The sound rattling his brain, eardrums bursting again, he felt like his entire body turned to a sound conductor, his entire body vibrating, the pain beyond so intense he felt like passing out.

But the pain didn't even allow him to pass out, eventually the roar died down and the dragon leapt towards him.

But his finger curled again, appearing behind another rock, sprawled on the trembling grown.

Blood was freely flowing from his ear, his body telling him he had enough, but against better judgement he refused to teleport to the cave.

I can take it, once more, one more time, he kept repeating in his mind.

As he recovered, he peeked, noticing the dragon confused again, its crystal still pulsing blue, and something passed through him again.

"There," he roared, as the dragon flapped upwards, about to roar again.

"Not this time," Axel roared, and teleported out of the way, the roar echoing, rattling him, but perhaps due to his bursted ear drums, he heard nothing, a disadvantage turned to an advantage.

He turned towards the dragon in the air, roaring, green waves pulsing from its mouth like waves, its crystals glowing green.

An attack, but why is it still attacking, he wondered.

It's either it doesn't realize I'm gone or it can't stop once it starts attacking.

Either way that's a weakness, although I'm believing it's the former.

For now, it's time to retreat, Axel thought, disappearing, crashing in the cave.

His body was still trembling from the sound attack, blood dripping freely from his ear, yet he started laughing.

"That confirms it," He said between laughs, although he could not even hear what he was saying, "I can escape from it if things go away, although I have to do something about this," he touched his ear.

He looked towards the glowing pool, for some reason I am finding myself depending on this too much, and usually that doesn't turn out well.

"Oh well," He shrugged and picked up his makeshift bowl.

"Not like I have a choice."

He fetched the water and gulped it.

Might as well quench my thirst.

Then silence, his gaze suddenly turning distant as he looked at the surface of the pool.

Overall the test had yielded good results, he had learned enough that he could already see a plan coming into place.

First, I'd need to do something about its echolocation, it can't see, that faint pulse passing through me is sound waves, too fast to see but it is there.

Second, I'll have to be fast enough to avoid its attacks, that shouldn't be a problem though, considering the crystals lining its spine always glow before each attack, but I still have to be careful, I doubt that's it's only attack.

And thirdly and perhaps the most important is how to damage it, I obviously can't go close with the Gishiki to attack, I highly doubt if it would even cut through those thick crystals, and that's if I'm not flattened into a pancake.

So that means I have to attack from a distance, he rubbed his chin.

Should I make a bow then, he shook his head, that wouldn't work, if the Gishiki can't cut through I doubt normal arrows can.

That just leaves one option, he touched the thread of continuity.

I have to master that ability.

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