Blood of Dragons Chapter 4 Read Online for Free

A Quick Refresher

AIN

CHARACTERS

Genshu Hidekazu (AKA: Hide) – Gen-shoo / (Hee-deh)-kah-zu

The former scion of the Genshu family and Masanori’s twin brother.

After his exile from the Genshu clan, Hidekazu began mentorship at the Tsukiko Academy under Meki Barame. If Hidekazu completes his training and becomes a bushi, he will be welcomed back into his clan, taking his rightful place as scion again.

However, after discovering the secrets of the Genshu clan with Ryuu Naoji’s help, Hidekazu isn’t so sure he wants to rejoin the clan anymore. Regardless of his hesitation, he is bound to Barame’s service until he becomes a bushi—and a year so far as Barame’s student revealed that his mentor is more than happy to resort to violence to force Hidekazu’s obedience.

With Naoji and Hidekazu now on the same side and bound to the power of the Book of Inochi, their goal is unified: finish Hidekazu’s bushi training so they can better position themselves to stop a war from coming to Seiryuu’s shores. But finishing school won’t be so easy when everyone else has turned against Hidekazu.

Genshu Masanori (AKA: Masa) – Gen-shoo / (Mah-sah)-noo-ree

After falling into the Nightmare during the trip to unlock the secrets of the Dragon’s Eye, Masanori started seeing corruption and demons everywhere he looked. When it felt like everyone he cared about had turned against him, he ran from his family, and Hidekazu, and didn’t look back.

Running away wasn’t as easy as he hoped, though—after nearly being eaten alive by some yōkai, he was rescued by the priestess and kami Youko Ryoka. She trapped him at the Seika Shrine, which was the first and only haven for Masanori against the Nightmare’s effects… with the exception of the spirit Hana.

Ryoka taught Masanori about the darkness that afflicted him and the spirits who haunted him, including the kawama, who feasted on his nightmares in the warlock library. However, before she could direct him to the Ishoki to continue his training, she was murdered by the kawama. Though Hidekazu and Masanori slew the kawama in the end, Masanori was left at the shrine with Ichika and Kira to search for the Ishoki before the Nightmare finally devoured him.

Furahau Aihi (AKA: Exalted Dragon Princess) – Foo-rah-ha-uw / Aye-hee

After failing to heal her dying mother with the Dragon’s Eye, Aihi returns to Nagasou to take Mika’s place as Shōgun. Her new position is rife with difficulties from the beginning: conflicts with the Sānlóngguón Magician’s Guild peak after Aihi learns of a missing medallion—the Amulet of Inochi—believed to have been stolen by magician emissaries. Believing the amulet the artifact keeping Lacotl alive, Aihi set out to find it no matter the consequences. With the help of the Teacher’s son, Fu Chunfeng, Aihi rooted out the corrupted diplomats, restored relations between Seiryuu and Sānlóngguó, and found the amulet. However, as a result of removing the Amulet of Inochi from Nagasou, Mika died.

Aihi almost killed herself trying to, in her rage, slay Lacotl for good. She would have if Hidekazu hadn’t arrived in time with the Book of Inochi, allowing Aihi to, at last, end the life of her foe.

Of course, with Lacotl dead, there are still so many other problems left for Aihi to resolve, namely Seiryuu’s southern neighbour—Kairo—whose king decided to test Seiryuu for weakness in the wake of Shōgun Mika’s death. Now it’s up to Aihi to show them the true extent of their strength.

Other Noteworthy Characters

Meki Barame (AKA: Headmaster Meki) – Meh-key / Bah-lah-meh

The Headmaster of the Tsukiko Academy, a former bushi, and consultant of Governor Benri. Barame is the only survivor of the Meki warlock clan, theorized to have survived because he never manifested any warlock ki. Though he has retired as a bushi, he uses his expertise to guide young majyu and warriors toward bushido, and to serve Seiryuu, through Tsukiko Academy.

He was held partially responsible for the inaction of Tsukiko authorities during Lacotl’s attacks, although he ultimately contributed a tremendous amount to the kan’thir eventual discovery and capture.

He shares an en-bond with his student, Hidekazu, and intends to turn him into a suitable bushi fit to guide Aihi when she becomes empress. He also had a failed mentor-student relationship with Aihi, which ended after some event resulting in someone’s death—details which both have remained tight-lipped about.

Guo Jing

One of the diplomats from Sānlóngguó; she died after one of the attacks on Sānlóngguón ships, and her death was the trigger for the current hostilities between the Magician’s Guild and Seiryuu.

Hana

The little girl that Masanori saw for the first time in his Nightmare. In the dream, she was his sister, and ever since she’s started manifesting in the real world, she still calls herself his sister. But Masanori and Hidekazu don’t have any biological sisters. However, they recently discovered that she is actually Naoji's niece.

Worse, she helped kill Ryoka at the Seika Shrine and has been working with the kawama.

Ichika

One of the orphans at the Seika Shrine, the only other survivor besides Masanori and Kira. Ichika and Masanori grew close while they stayed together there, now they travel together until they find a new home. She looks up to Masanori as a father figure, and Kira as a mother figure.

Ijichi Kira

A promising student formerly of the Tsukiko Academy. Although she doesn’t seem to like Hidekazu, she helped train him a bit and gave him information that went against Meki Barame’s orders so that Hidekazu could help save Mezan Taniya, one of Kira’s few friends.

Despite this, she betrayed Hidekazu, Masanori, and Aihi to Barame when she found out that they planned to leave for Najadu in search of more information about the Dragon’s Eye.

Mezan Taniya

The former librarian from the Tsukiko Academy who helped Hidekazu find the book he needed to turn his staff into an artifact (and therefore summon Sayuri’s spirit). She is the only survivor of Lacotl’s attacks and, upon her rescue, Hidekazu and Masanori learned that she already knew Aihi, even though the twins had never met Taniya before. After she helped Aihi, Hidekazu, and Masanori learn more about the Dragon’s Eye, she also helped them escape Barame after Kira sold them out.

Because Taniya is yōkai-kin, she can shapeshift into a perfect appearance of any other person. She used this ability to take Aihi’s place in Nagasou while the others went on their adventure, and she has remained in Nagasou helping Aihi ever since.

Ryuu Naoji (AKA: The White Warlock or The Keeper)

The White Dragon or White Warlock, one of the original Three warlocks. He has a younger brother and sister referred to as the Black and the White respectively. Naoji both torments and rescues Hidekazu within the Nightmare. He also requests a favour from Hidekazu—something that will, hopefully, result in Lacotl’s death. As a result of this favour, however, now he follows Hidekazu around everywhere, and he’s determined to get what he wants from the young majyu.

Maeda Chizue

A student in Hidekazu’s year at Tsukiko Academy; she’s taken an interest in Hidekazu since she first woke him up from a nightmare after he fell asleep in the library. She’s one of the best fighters in their year, although she’s from the tengu—strategy—faculty and not combat. She’s friends with Arisa and Usui.

After last year at the academy, though, Hidekazu’s kept so many secrets from her and she’s not so impressed with his lies anymore.

Nideke Yehan

The mysterious Ishoki shaman that Masanori must seek out to learn more about the ways of the nightmare. All Masanori knows about them is that they trained Ryoka when she was younger, and that they are old and powerful enough to have transcended beyond male and female energies. If Masanori can earn their favour, perhaps they will help him with the Nightmare.

Fu Chunfeng

Formerly known as Li Fengge, he was pretending to be a Magician Diplomat at court while negotiating with Seiryuu regarding the destroyed Sānlóngguón ships. However, he was revealed as Fu Chunfeng, the fourth son of the Teacher, the head of Sānlóngguón royalty. Chunfeng is also the founder of the Immortal Blossoms cultivator sect.

ESSENTIAL TERMS & PLACES

Seiryuu – Seh-ii-riuu

– The homeland of Hidekazu, Masanori, and Aihi, in the northwestern corner of Shimensoka continent. The Seiryan people worship the Dragon Goddess Shirashi, dragons, warlocks, and often ki itself. Kairo used to be a part of Seiryuu and was called “Aoryuu” long before the fall of the Warlock Empire.

Tsukiko

– A city two days north of Nagasou, not far from the Kin Sea. Home of Tsukiko Academy, the Benri Clan, and Torra.

Tsukiko Academy

A renowned school for majyu and warriors, famed for producing master majyu, bushi, and warriors. It is operated by Headmaster Meki Barame, the former bushi.

Dragon Eye

A powerful artifact once exclusively used by warlocks. Supposedly, they are made from the eye of a dragon after a dragon passes away. The warlocks protected their Dragon Eyes so well that none have been found since the fall of the Warlock Empire until now.

Kan’thir

A race of goat-men who live on the Yaotlan Isles far from Seiryuu, east of Tajida. They are humanoid, completely covered in fur coloured anywhere from black to creamy white. Kan’thir do not grow their horns until between thirty and fifty years old and often wear the skulls of their ancestors until theirs are fully grown.

Bushi

Bushi are warriors and majyu of unparalleled skill and finesse; they are the elite forces charged with defending the Seiryan royal family and their interest. Some teams of bushi are assigned to specific duties or people, which are identified by a prefix,

i.e.

Shōgun-bushi.

Literally “energy.” Ki is the material that makes up all things, and majyu can use it to manipulate the elements to their will. It can also be used in its raw form, which is not associated with a specific element. It is also said that some majyu can use ki to manipulate much more than the elements…

Ki-Engineer

A relatively new discipline, having surfaced within the last two decades, devoted to merging and utilizing the power of mechanical parts enhanced with ki. Previously, ki-engineers used to also refer to constructionalists, but now it is used exclusively for mechanical engineers. Masanori has been training as a ki-engineer for most of his life.

Kigou

Literally “symbol.” They are written characters that, when drawn with ki, can compel the energy to action. They are the fragmented remains of the Old Language.

Majyu

Short for majyutsushi, which literally means “conjuror.” Majyu are people who can use ki to control the elements of water, earth, fire, and wind.

Warlock

A powerful majyu—male or female—with the blood of dragons running through their veins. All the warlocks died out almost fifty years ago for unknown reasons during a war between Seiryuu and Kairo.

Irezumi

Literally “inserting ink.” A tattoo traditional to Seiryuu where ink of pure ki is threaded into the skin, usually along the forearms. Only bushi and some exceptionally skilled healers receive irezumi; they cannot be removed. There are five different ranks of irezumi: green (for new bushi and healers), blue (skilled), white (masters), red (royalty), and purple (warlocks).

Tapper

A round, metallic device made by Masanori. He keeps it in a leather pouch draped around his neck.

Anti-tapper

A device similar to Masanori’s tapper, but instead of drawing unusable ki from the body to form spells, it takes ki from within and stores it in the device, making it inaccessible.

Dragons

The children of the goddess Shirashi, gone from Seiryuu for centuries. They are associated with water, wind, and storms—not fire. These dragons are long and serpentine, usually with no wings, and flowing manes. Some have only front legs, others have four.

Shishajya

Literally “messenger serpent.” They are the messengers of the Dragon Goddess Shirashi, the dragons, and the warlocks. There is only one left in all of Seiryuu.

Yōkai

An umbrella term for supernatural creatures, ghosts, spirits, and unexplainable occurrences. There are yōkai specific to certain regions

Shirashi

The Goddess of thunder and storms, mother of yōkai and dragons. Centuries ago, she came to Seiryuu with her dragons to teach them how to use ki. She is the deity of Seiryuu, said to be both benevolent and cruel. Sister of the Wyvern God, Ozeki.

For more characters and information about individual terms, please visit the glossary at the back of the book!